Vocations Sunday

Yesterday was Vocations Sunday. We all need to pray for an increase in vocations because, to put it bluntly, we're running out of priests. I don't know how many seminarians we have in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, but I gather there aren't very many. More and more parishes are going to be closed in the near future. We may find ourselves attending laity-led prayer services on some Sundays, as is common in some areas of the United States.

But, I don't feel gloomy about this. I really do believe that we're about to turn a corner. The younger generation of Catholics are rediscovering their roots, and are more faithful to Tradition than ever. In some dioceses, vocations are booming. While secular humanist culture is still seducing many people into leaving the Church, more and more people are finding that there is nothing "out there" but a desert of nihilism and despair. With joy they are discovering the one, true, holy Catholic Church. Reverts and converts tend to be very enthusiastic about their faith, and their zeal can be contagious. There is a movement to renew the liturgy and bring back the emphasis on the Transubstantiation and reverence in worship. In such an atmosphere, boys will be struck by the awesome significance of the priestly vocation. They'll hear the call and they'll heed it because the Catholic community will encourage them.

When we are afraid, we must pray. We must pray every day for our priests, who are our most precious earthly resource. We must leave our worries to God and trust in Him. We have to remain positive. We have to live the Gospel with joy and so be a beacon of love to the world. Don't dwell on the negative stories you'll hear in the news about Catholics losing their faith, about scandals in the clergy, or any of that. Remember: a lot of the media is emphatically biased against Catholicism. They want to instill doubt in us about ourselves. They want us to bow to societal pressure regarding birth control, abortion, IVF, homosexuality, and chastity. They seek to weaken our conviction by alternating between ridiculing the Truth and portraying it as something no longer relevant.

Keep praying for our priests!