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Diocese Vocations to the Priesthood |
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Welcome to the Vocations section of the Salford Diocesan Website where you find out about the various diocesan activities and resources in the promotion of service to religious life and especially for Vocations to the priesthood.
We have launched a Prayer Calendar 2008 for Vocations. Each day of the year has been assigned to a particular parish, school, 6th Form College or university Chaplaincy for them to pray for and promote Vocations to the priesthood. On the resources webpage you will find further resource material for schools to download to support these days of prayer.
Vocations Promotion 2008 - 'Bulletin Blurbs'
We have issued a set of religious writings, each of a paragraph in length, to enable individuals to reflect on whether they have a calling to the priesthood or religious life or can recognise the calling in someone else and help to guide them on their consideration into God's service.
There is a short paragraph aligned to each Sunday's liturgy (from 1st Sunday of Lent to the feast of Christ the Universal King) and we encourage parishes to include these, on a paragraph per week basis, in their newsletters.
The 'blurbs' are available in three different formats:
Bulleting Blurbs [html] [ pdf version ] [ms word version]
Ideally, use the PDF version to print-out a full set. However, to enable a 'cut and paste' facility, you may find the HTML or MS Word versions more suited depending on your newsletter authoring software.
With
thanks to Seminarian Mark Higgins, author of the bulletin blurbs.
Over
18's Vocations Group Salford Diocese.
In my first few months as Vocations Director I seemed to just see individuals
regularly and there was few other ways of nourishing those who wanted
to know more about priesthood. I know there was a need to bring together
like minded people so that they could give and receive encouragement themselves.
A few of our enquirers had already met on various discernment weekends
at Ushaw College, Durham and friendships were starting to develop as a
result. There was therefor a need to come together on a regular and semi-formal
basis.
As a "Ice-breaker" in November, I invited half a dozen enquirers
to come together for an evening of bowling at the Megabowl in Pilsworth,
Bury and that went quite well and we gently started to gel as a group.
In December we then met at St. Dunstan's assisted by Fr Simon Stamp for
a meal of soup, pasta and Apple crumble. I am a big believer in shared
activities being an opportiunity to get to know each other so we then
all joined in the washing up before receiving a bit of gentle input about
Vocations to the priesthood. We then were led in prayer by Fr Simon in
the Sacred Heart Chapel.
On Sunday 3rd February in the evening, Fr Simon and myself were joined
by 5 enquirers. This time, I was feeling quite ambitious and my culinery
skills ran to roast beef and yorkshire Pudding going on the menu not to
mention home made (by a parishioner) ginger cheesecake. Washing up was
a more lavish affair and our new "easyclean" pans were a major
talking point! We then watched the excellent 18 minute American Vocations
video called "Fishers of men" which stimulated some discussion.
Once again we finished the evening off with a short time of prayer.
If you would like to join us for one of these evenings please contact
Fr David.
Our next meeting of food, washing up, input and prayer will take place at St. Dunstan's on Sunday 30th April.
Anyone wishing to know more about becoming a priest in Salford Diocese please contact:
Fr David Featherstone, the Vocations Director
St Dunstan's, Moston.
Tel: 0161 681 1410
Email: Stdunstanmoston@aol.com
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