St. Rita
Vocations Ministry
A vocations minister plays a crucial role in fostering and nurturing the call to various vocations within the Catholic Church. Their primary responsibilities include:
Discernment Guidance
They help individuals discern their vocation, whether it be to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, or single life dedicated to service. They offer spiritual guidance and practical advice to those considering a vocation.
Awareness and Promotion
They work to raise awareness about the beauty and significance of different vocations. This can involve organizing retreats, workshops, and speaking events that highlight the importance of responding to God's call.
Support and Mentoring
Vocations ministers provide support and mentorship to those in the process of discernment. This includes facilitating connections with seminaries or religious communities and offering ongoing encouragement.
Prayer and Encouragement
They organize prayer initiatives and encourage the community to pray for vocations, fostering a culture of prayerful support for those discerning their call.
Collaboration
They often collaborate with parishes, diocesan offices, and religious communities to create a supportive environment for vocations. This includes working closely with pastors, youth ministers, and educators.
PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.
Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.
Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest.
Amen.
A vocations minister plays an essential role in helping individuals listen to God's call and respond with courage and faith. Have you ever felt a particular calling or experienced a desire to explore your own vocation more deeply?
The Vocations Ministry, a crucial part of our Parish, is dedicated to guiding and supporting each Parishioner at St. Rita in the Desert Parish in discovering their unique 'calling' within the Roman Catholic Church. This mission is not just about finding a role, but about fostering a deeper connection with God. We are united with the Diocese and all other Parishes in our shared goal of cultivating a vibrant culture of vocations.
Below are the different Vocations:
- Priesthood
- Religious Life
- Permanent Diaconate
- Marriage and Family
- Consecrated Single Life
It's important to note that while all vocations are experiencing a decline, there is a particularly urgent crisis in the vocations of the Priesthood, Religious Life, and Marriage/Family. This is why our initial focus will be on these three areas, as we strive to address this pressing issue.
Our current Vocation Ministry point of contact is Mr. Adam LaGuardia, who has volunteered to help the Parish get this off the ground. If you would like to assist Adam in this ministry or are discerning a vocation please contact him at Vocations Ministry.