Albeit that today (Vocation Sunday) has had traditionally a specific focus only on a choice for being either a Priest, a religious Sister/Brother, the notion of ‘vocation’ is seen as more overarching in our own time. Of course the specifics of the Priesthood/ Religious/contemplative life are very much still there, and always will be. However, in an age when the understanding of ‘Church’ is as ‘the people of God’ as well as ‘the body of Christ’ as well as ‘its Magesterium’ – we all need to widen our perspective.
With this in mind, this Vocations’ Sunday I’d like to highlight here what we ‘the Church’ in Cabinteely have at the moment as our organ of service to one another, as people who believe in a God of Love and to hopefully ‘call’ you, or engage others in our efforts.
Obviously there’s the three of us priests here, there’s the Ursuline Sisters community House and their patronage still of the Community School in the Parish. Then there’s the ever willing cohort of parishioners who give so generously and so often of their time in specific areas of advice, help and support. This is ‘Church’ in Cabinteely – which we hope will keep on ever-expanding.
On this Vocation (Commitment) Sunday, we hope it’ll be a time when, not only those who might be in a position to consider a ‘calling’ in traditional ‘religious’ service, would reflect on ‘Church life’, but also many others – here!
Consider this a ‘call’ to whoever you are right now, to share your time, your talent, your experience, your help – your ‘whatever you call it yourself’, in terms of maybe it being a support to ‘Church’ life in this Parish. Feel free to read on and skip to the next paragraph now if you like – or feel free to pause instead for a moment and seriously consider this request (‘call’) right now!!! (see**below)
I’ll end this week as I always do, on a Vocation Sunday with that very ‘incisive’ one-sentence letter to the Irish Times back in the 1980’s. In response to a rather careless throw-away remark by a Bishop in relation to ordaining not only men but also women, the letter read:
‘Sir, In relation to Bishop Cassidy’s recent comment that ‘most women don’t want to be priests’ – might I point out, neither do most men!!!
Yours etc.’
Good one, eh?
Have a good week. A O’N
**Further to the request above, if you are kind enough to consider sharing in helping around the Parish the general areas of need break down into:
- Church building and plant support.
- Liturgical Services
- Pastoral outreach programmes
- Parish Council
- Pastoral Parish Centre
Or any other dimension of life you think could be helpful.