 Pope Benedict has designated 2008 a year of special prayer for vocations. The St. Joseph's Young Priests' Society is dedicated to the promotion of vocations in Ireland and around the world.
Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. So pray to the Lord to send more workers into his fields.” (Matthew 9:37) Jesus looks at all who follow Him as a field ripe for harvest. Many people would like and are ready to give their lives entirely to Christ if someone would show them the way. Jesus commands each of us to pray and to support the great need of workers in the harvest. God answers our prayers by using each of us to help another person to respond to God’s invitation to follow Him. A Prayer for Vocations O Jesus, send labourers into your fields, whichare awaiting holy apostles, saintly priests, heroicmissionaries and dedicated sisters and brothers.Enkindle in the hearts of men and womenthe spark of a vocation.And grant that Christian families may desire togive Your Church, helpers in the work of tomorrow.Amen.
Origins and Foundation At the end of the nineteenth century, Olivia Mary Taff became interested in the spiritual and temporal welfare of seminarians in France and as a result, in 1895, she initiated the organisation, known in Ireland as, 'The St. Joseph's Young Priests' Society'. Most people know that the main aim of the Society is to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and to assist seminarians spiritually as well as financially. But there are other, perhaps lesser-known aims, that are just as important, such as: - promoting a greater appreciation of the role of priesthood;
- fostering a deeper understanding of the Mass;
- promoting the vocation of the laity in the Church;
- and helping members of the society to be Christ's presence in every aspect of life;
Requirements for Membership Committed members of each branch volunteered to act as promoters and invited others to join the Society, while each member promised to pray each day for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and to contribute a nominal sum of 50p per month. These same requirements for joining the Society remain in place today and the funds raised go to support seminarians across the country and across the continent. Members are very much encouraged to attend the monthly branch meeting, where they can become more familiar with the working of the Society. Other Activities
The Society aims to develop and support groups at parish level, which will allow people to pray and reflect on the word of God, while the Society also promotes Eucharistic Adoration, retreats and pilgrimages. Responding to vocation has a lot to do with the way we listen. Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, one can choose to ignore, hide, or run away from reality. But as Christ joined them and asked them to face it, the two disciples responded by listening to him. The call of God today is no different from the past, and His presence in our lives, is as active as ever, if only we listened and acted accordingly. The Name of the Society
The society is well named because it was St. Joseph, along with Mary, who fostered the vocation of Jesus, and allowed him the scope to discern and to carry out the mission entrusted to him by his Father. In our own time too, the role of parents in supporting vocation to the priesthood is a vital one. This support is not to be confused with exerting pressure on sons and daughters, in order to have a priest or religious in the family at all costs. Fostering vocation in the family is about teaching young people to pray; sharing our own faith with them; encouraging them to follow where the Spirit leads. Parents support vocation when they speak about priests and their ministry in a positive way (even when being critical). Finally, parents make it possible for their sons to consider priesthood, when the model of success which they propose is not a purely material model, or one rooted in social status. The Work of the Society
Students preparing for priesthood are helped by the society in two ways. - They are supported spiritually in their vocation by the prayers of the members.
- They are assisted financially by the society from members' contributions. This financial support is necessary so that seminarians may complete their formation without placing a major economic burden on their own families. Few families are in a position to make a substantial contribution towards the cost of seminary education (for which ordinary third level grants are not available). The individual contributions of members may be relatively small, but they are regular and, when they are taken together, they make it possible for the society to help many seminarians through their years of formation.
You Can Help
In recent times, candidates for the priesthood in Ireland have not volunteered in such large numbers as previously. This fact puts into perspective the necessity of boosting membership. Now more than ever we need more people invoking God's aid for priests and religious so by becoming a member of St. Joseph's Society, you can play your part in supporting your Church and the priests, both of the present and of the future. If you would like further information contact your local St. Joseph's Young Priest's Branch or your local priest/religious for further information. |
