Each year, the first full week of November is National Vocations Awareness Week, Nov. 7-13. This is a great week devoted especially for prayers and support for vocations to the priesthood and religious life throughout the country. We take time to remember that God calls all of us to a life of holiness from the moment of our baptisms, and as we grow and mature, God calls us to a life of service.
Our seminarians will be visiting different parishes to share their stories and to encourage more young men to pray about a vocation to the priesthood. We remember that all of our priests and seminarians were once sitting in the pews with their families when they heard the voice of God calling them to this life. Thankfully, they responded with the help of their families and friends to follow that call and trusted that God was going to lead them where He wanted.
Families are sources of vocations. Our families play such an important part in our lives as they help us to know and love God. They are the first teachers of the faith. This means they have a great responsibility in making sure that God is taught to us not only by words, but also by example. It is in our families that we see the beauty and sacrifice each vocation entails. The seeds that are planted by our families help us to understand what it means to truly give our entire selves to God and to others. While every vocation is different, each is always rooted in this love that we experience first in our homes.
Any time I think about my vocation as a priest, I always have to thank my family. My mom and dad were good examples that my brothers and I followed throughout our lives. Through their faith and love for each other and for us, we were able to find the different paths God was calling each of us to. Their examples continue to be a source of inspiration for me now, and I believe they will continue to be in the future.
In our world today, many never get to experience this love and care in their own families, but thankfully they can find it in their parish communities. Our parish families also have a big impact, and this has become even more apparent to me now as a parish priest. I encourage all of our families, especially our parish families, to keep praying for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
God continues to call so many of our young people to serve Him as priests and religious brothers and sisters. Pray with your children and grandchildren. Do not be afraid to ask if they have ever thought about a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. Encourage them to pray about it, to ask God for His help in discerning how He is calling to serve.
The hard work of our families and parishes will continue to make a difference in the lives of so many in our Diocese. May our good work continue to bear good fruit in our families and communities so that our faith will continue for generations to come!
Father Adam Cichoski is the director of vocations for the Diocese of Camden.
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