From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy

Sunday, April 26, is World Day of Prayer for Vocations, also known as “Good Shepherd Sunday”. On this day, the Church throughout the world in a special way encourages prayer for vocations. The sponsors of this day have asked us to do the following:

–  Make a special effort to ask the Lord for more vocations to the priesthood, and religious life.
–  Pray for the priests who have ministered to you throughout your life, both living and dead.
–  Keep our parish priests in your prayers throughout the week.
–  Encourage your children, grandchildren, or other young people to consider a vocation as a priest, or religious brother or sister.
–  Pray a rosary for more young men and women in our Archdiocese to respond to God’s call.

The sponsors remind us that “God transforms whomever He chooses. You do not have to be perfect or sinless to be a priest, brother, or sister. If God calls, His grace is sufficient.” “While we all called to imitate Christ, some in the Church are called to more closely imitate Jesus the Good Shepherd. Priests and religious…give their whole lives to the Church. Those who are called to be shepherds must themselves learn to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.”

We are invited to join in this special day and pray for holy, happy, and healthy priests, deacons, religious brothers and sisters to shepherd and assist the Church of tomorrow.

In addition, Fr. Josh Allen will lead a group of fathers and sons from our Parish community on a mission trip to Peru in June. This trip is undertaken in affiliation with the Christian Life Movement here in the United States. Fr. Josh also led a group of our parishioners last year on a similar trip. Fathers and sons will venture to Peru to assist the poorest of the poor. They will assist in the construction of the most basic of houses in a Shantytown that has little or no running water and lacks even the most basic of necessities. These parishioners will also bring food and clothing to children who have little in the way of material comforts. They will participate in the celebration of the Mass each day and also make time for daily prayer. These fathers and sons will no doubt strengthen their family bonds as they toil and sweat during the course of their trip of about ten days. Hopefully, many of these sons will come to more fully appreciate how blessed we are here in the United States and how all too often we take our blessings and material comforts for granted. Fr. Josh will speak about this trip during our Masses this weekend.

Please pray that hearts will be touched and minds will be opened on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations and during the upcoming mission trip.