WASHINGTON—The
Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Vocations
Awareness Week, November 5-11, 2017. This annual event is a special time for
parishes in the United States to actively foster and pray for a culture of
vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life.

Cardinal
Joseph Tobin, the Chair of the US Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated
Life, and Vocations, reminds us that each of us in the Church has a key role to
play in the witness of our vocation in ordinary circumstances, “As we go about
our everyday life and most especially this week, we must keep vocations in our
prayers, while, at the same time, being a mindful witness with our own
vocation. We may never know how our lives may have an impact on someone else’s
story. Simply living out our call as
disciples of Jesus Christ fully and joyfully in the world bears witness to the
love of Christ as He generously bestows on each of us our own personal call.”

National
Vocations Awareness Week, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’
(USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations, is designed to
help promote vocation awareness and to encourage young people to ask the
question: “To what vocation in life is God calling me?” Parish and school
communities across the nation are encouraged to include, during the first full
week in November, prayer and special activities that focus on vocation
awareness.

Observance
of Vocation Awareness Week began in 1976 when the U.S. bishops designated the
28th Sunday of the year for the celebration. It was later moved to Feast of the
Baptism of the Lord in January. The USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life
and Vocations moved the observance of National Vocation Awareness Week to November
to engage Catholic schools and colleges more effectively in this effort.

More
information and resources for National Vocations Awareness Week, including a
prayer card, homily aids, suggested prayers of the faithful and bulletin-ready
quotes are available online at: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/national-vocation-awareness-week.cfm.

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Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Cardinal Joseph
Tobin, Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, vocations, National
Vocation Awareness Week, priesthood, religious life, vocation, diaconate,
Catholic education, young people, ministry, prayer

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Media Contact:
Judy
Keane
202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops