Praying for vocations at Mass

By Father R. William Peckman

Other than a votive Mass for vocations, there seems to be little in the Roman Ritual for the celebration of the Eucharist that mentions praying for vocations. But that doesn't mean the Church does not intend Catholics to pray regularly for vocations. In fact, it is clear that God wants His people to pray fervently for whatever they need, confident in His overwhelming love and generosity.

The Mass is an ideal time to pray for vocations. Masses can be offered for the intention of priestly and religious vocations, and the priests and the faithful can do so much more while they're there. Every Mass includes two clear opportunities for the priest to focus on or mention vocations to the priesthood and religious life: the General Intercessions and during the homily.

Offering prayers for vocations during the General Intercessions makes vocations a regular part of the landscape of Catholic identity. This is clearly important because the Church is sacramental by nature, and the celebration of many of those sacraments requires an ordained man to preside. Such a general intercession, like any other, should be clear and concise.

The liturgical year and corresponding cycle of readings offers plentiful opportunities to mention or focus on vocations. Scripture recounts many "call" stories of prophets, apostles and disciples. God's call to the Blessed Virgin Mary is prominent in Scripture throughout the year. Readings such as the Annunciation come up multiple times during the course of any given liturgical year. Because a homily is to be a reflection of the day's readings, priests are given ample opportunities to focus on the importance and necessity for each person to seek and respond positively to God's particular call and will. These opportunities give priests a chance to emphasize the correlation between people responding positively to God's call to the Holy Priesthood, and future celebrations of the Mass.

The Eucharist is where priests come into contact with the majority of our parishioners, and the Mass affords bountiful teaching moments. In the daily readings, parishioners hear God in His Inspired Word eliciting a positive response to His particular call to each person. Priests must make use of these opportunities to place the idea of vocations regularly on the radar of our parishioners.

One never knows when one of those intercessions or homilies will plant a seed within the heart of someone who is seeking a purpose or trying to discern a call to the Priesthood or religious life. Priests are to be sowers of the seed that is the Gospel of Christ. God's call is among those seeds sown during Mass. It is important then - especially for the future celebration of the sacraments - for the faithful at Mass to be given as many opportunities to learn about and pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Fr. Peckman is pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Rich Fountain.