| 2nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations |
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| Written by Pope Paul VI |
| Wednesday, 18 February 2009 11:01 |
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An Essential Cause for the Life of the Church Necessary Collaboration The happy outcome of last year’s “World Day of Prayer for Vocations”, established by Us on the second Sunday after Easter – which in the Roman Liturgy derives its name “Good Shepherd” from the Gospel – and is celebrated under the auspices and inspiration of the Sacred Congregations, has given Our heart satisfaction and comfort. More and more it keeps Our attention ready for it and revives the hope that the success may be complete in its coming next celebration. In writing you, venerable cardinals, who by Your high office watch over loving care the affaires, We still wish to emphasize how the well ordered collaboration in this primary sector of the apostolate reveals a particularly urgent need and therefore, may grow in extent and in vigor with diligence and effort. Urgent Task of the Whole Church The noblest cause of priestly and religious vocations, essential causes for the life of the Church and in sum benefits the entire world, calls for a more profound study of their manifold aspects. It deserves to be organized, before all else, with constant care. It needs to be helped with prayers, animated with intentions, served with zeal, supported with universal charity. There is no doubt that, with our apostolic ministry, with the diligent efforts of our venerable brothers in the episcopate, is united the duty of all those conferred with the priesthood, who collaborated with the apostolate the sacred hierarchy, actually, of all the faithful. This is to prepare and to promote, through prayer and penance, with sacrifice and work, a new and shining flowering of holy vocations. The need of evangelization and salvation The church, in her formidable mission of evangelization and salvation, still suffers today of the condition which put the lips of Christ the lost a delicate, but profound lament: “The harvest is abundant but the Laborers are few!” (Mt. 9:37). Our exhortation wants to echo vibrantly the invitation of the divine Redeemer: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest that he may send workers into his harvest” (Mt. 9:38).
--------------------------------- For the second World Day of Prayer for Vocations Paul VI has sent to the Church a true and fitting message. The text supported here are two. The first is taken from a letter sent by the Pope, in connection with the world day of prayer, to Cardinals Giuseppe Pizzardo and Illdebrando Antuniutti, Prefects of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and University of Studies, and of the Sacred Congregation of Religious respectively. The second text consists of the speech addressed to the faithful in the general audience of 5 May 1965. In referring to the World Day of Prayer it pointed out some doctrinal and theological elements concerning vocations. The two texts therefore can be organically a part of the messages of Paul VI. |
| Last Updated on Thursday, 18 March 2010 05:35 |
