Prayers for Vocations
"The entire People of God is responsible for promoting vocations, and does so chiefly by persistent and humble prayer for vocations."
Pope John Paul II,
Ecclesia in America, No. 40
To serve the Church as a priest or a religious is indeed a humbling honor which no one merits but which Our Lord chooses for us. We must therefore pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into His vineyard, and we should always pray for vocations to serve the Church in the priesthood and the religious life.
The following are prayers to assist those discerning their vocation or for praying for vocations in general:
Prayer To follow Jesus.
Lord, thanks for the gifts You have given me, especially for life, love, family and friends. Help me to know myself better and to know my talents, as I pray, study and decide on my life's work.
Help me to see and understand the path You open for me. Help me choose a life's work according to your Loving Will. And if I am being invited to follow You in religious life, give me a generous heart to respond to your challenging call and the strength to follow You wherever You lead me. Amen.
=====================================================================================
Vocation Prayer for Discernment
God, I know You love me and have great plans for me. But sometimes I am overwhelmed by the thought of my future. Show me how to walk forward one day at a time.
May I take heart while I search openly, learn about all the choices, listen to others for advice, and pay attention to my own feelings. By doing these things, may I hear your call to a lifestyle and a career that will let me love as only I can, and let me serve others with the special gifts that You have given me.
Amen.
=====================================================================================
To Know One's Vocation
Lord, my God and my loving Father,
You have made me to know You, to love You, to serve You,
and thereby to find and to fulfill myself.
I know that You are in all things,
and that every path can lead me to You.
But of them all, there is one especially
by which You want me to come to You.
Since I will do what You want of me,
I pray You, send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind,
to show me what You want of me; into my heart,
to give me the determination to do it,
and to do it with all my love, with all my mind,
and with all my strength right to the end.
Amen.
Bringing the Father's Love to the World
Lord Jesus,
Please grant to me the grace to know my true vocation.
In Baptism I was signed in your name and have grown to share in the work of bringing the Father's love to our world. May I respond to the special life's work to which You are calling me.
I ask that many will hear the particular call to serve in the Church as priests, religious and consecrated lay people.
To whatever You ask of me, may I freely, courageously and lovingly respond.
Amen.
Responding to Baptismal Graces
TODAY IS THE 45TH WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS, you are invited to enjoin in praying...
God our Creator, Life is your gift to us. Through Baptism, You invite us to share the gift of life in service to others.
Be with us as we choose each day to show your presence in our world. Give us the courage and generosity to respond to your love, to your call.
We pray especially for priests, brothers, sisters and all those who endeavor to serve You in witnessing to the Gospel. Keep them close to You. Open the minds and hearts of many other men and women that they may truely appreciate and accept Your Loving Will for us in building Your Divine Kingdom. Amen.
Consecration
and Prayer for Vocations
God our Father, I consecrate myself to the Heart of Your Son, Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and ask You to bless and strengthen the spiritual renewal and vitality of all priests and religious so that Your Church may shine more resplendently and bear witness to Your presence in our world today. In particular, inspire many men and women to respond to Your Son's call to "Come, follow Me" as members of those communities which are living the religious life according to the mind of the Church. Father, I place these needs before You with full confidence and trust in Your goodness and love, and desire their fulfillment according toYour Holy Will. I ask this through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Send Your Holy Spirit
Heavenly Father, You have created each of us to love You and your people.
You have chosen some to serve by responding to the particular call to the priesthood and religious life.
Send your Holy Spirit to stir the hearts of those You have designed to follow this path of spiritual leadership.
We pray this petition, faithful and most gracious God, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
Strengthen Me
Loving God, in Baptism You ask me to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with You.
Help me to know how to bring justice and love to a world that is desperately in need of You and your values.
Strengthen me, as well as my brothers and sisters, with the courage and generosity to respond to your invitation.
I ask this in the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayers for Vocations by
Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Dear Lord, how we need a deep faith, a faith of martyrs, today. Because only those will survive who are convinced that to live a consecrated life, means to live a martyr's life. Dear Lord, help us to become more and more like You, living examples of what the early Church showed the pagan world — that You are our God and we are Your creatures, born into this world to convert the pagan world to Christianity. Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lord Jesus, we beg You, strengthen our faith in Your Divinity. Deepen our conviction that You, God, became man to live a consecrated life, to teach us what authentic, honest-to-God Catholicism is all about.
Protect us, dear Lord, from the widespread mania, which has penetrated countries like ours.
Today is 45th World Day Prayer for Vocations
Heavenly Father, You have asked us to pray for vocations, that there might be young men and women willing to give of themselves for the sake of the Gospel. Hear the prayers of your Church and, through the merits of Your Passion and Death, send an abundance of good and holy priests, religious and other consecrated persons to serve faithfully the Peope of God. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mary, Mother of All Vocations, Pray for Us!
Family Vocation Prayer
Loving God, each member of our family is a special gift from You. You have given each of us gifts and talents so that we may enjoy life but also so we can share with others. Generous and loving people are needed for service and leadership in our Church.
Help us to know how to encourage and support each other so that we can respond generously to this need. We know that You will be with us, invite us to become the kind of people You desire us to be. Help us to trust in You and in each other.
Amen.
Pope John Paul II's Prayer for Vocations
Holy and provident Father, You are the Lord of the vineyard and the harvest and You give each a just reward for their work. In your design of love You call men and women to work with You for the salvation of the world. We thank You for Jesus Christ, your living word, who has redeemed us from our sins and is among us to assist us in our poverty. Guide the flock to which You have promised possession of the kingdom. Send new workers into your harvest and set in the hearts of pastors faithfulness to your plan of salvation, perseverance in their vocation and holiness of life.
Christ Jesus, who on the shores of the Sea of Galilee called the Apostles and made them the foundation of the Church and bearers of your Gospel, in our day, sustain your people on its journey. Give courage to those whom You call to follow You in the priesthood and the consecrated life, so that they may enrich God's field with wisdom of your Word. Make them docile instruments of your love in everyday service of their brothers and sisters.
Spirit of holiness, who pour out your gifts on all believers and, especially, on those called to be Christ's ministers, help young people to discover the beauty of the divine call. Teach them the true way of prayer, which is nourished by the Word of God. Help them to read the signs of the times, so as to be faithful interpreters of your Gospel and bearers of salvation.
Mary, Virgin who listened and Virgin of the Word of God made flesh in your womb, help us to be open to the Word of the Lord, so that, having been welcomed and meditated upon, it may grow in our hearts. Help us to live like You the beatitudes of believers and to dedicate ourselves with unceasing charity to evangelizing all those who seek your Son. Grant that we may serve every person, becoming servants of the Word we have heard, so that remaining faithful to it we may find our happiness in living it.
Amen.
