As Catholics, we firmly believe that God has a plan for our lives! He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to religious life. Some remain as generous single people. Fully living our own vocations—and teaching young people how to discern God’s call—is a serious duty, but also a joyful one. Today begins National Vocation Awareness Week. During this week, please pray about how God is calling you to live your vocation more deeply. Encourage the young people in your life—children, grandchildren, students, and friends—to be open if God calls them to priesthood or consecrated life.
 
The Main Catholic Vocations 
A vocation is a call from God to pursue holiness in a specific way, involving a public and permanent commitment.
Marriage: Most people are called to marriage—a vowed union of a man and woman who promise to love their spouses and to joyfully welcome children.
Priesthood: Priests bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus through preaching and the sacraments. They are ordained to devote their lives to serve the people of God.
Consecrated Life: Both men and women make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience when they join orders such as the Franciscans, Benedictines, Dominicans, etc.
 
Generous Single Life in Christ: 
The Church recognizes that some people, for various reasons, are not called or cannot live in vocations such as marriage or consecrated life. Nonetheless, the Catechism says “they can contribute greatly to the good of the human family” (#2231). “Some live their situation in the spirit of the Beatitudes, serving God and neighbor in exemplary fashion.” (CCC1658). 
 
Prayers of the Faithful for Nov 4
             During National Vocation Awareness Week, we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. We pray to the Lord.
              That those who have been wounded by the sins of Church leaders may be healed by God’s grace, and that scandal will not discourage holy priests and religious in their vocations. We pray to the Lord.
               That young people from our parish will remain open to consecrating themselves to God as religious brothers and sisters. We pray to the Lord.
                That young men from our parish, especially those present here at Mass, will say “Yes” to Jesus and respond to the Church’s tremendous need for holy priests. We pray to the Lord.
                 For Catholic educators, that they will inspire students to remain open to God’s call for their lives. We pray to the Lord.
                 For Christian parents, that they may live their own vocations to marriage and encourage their children to consider a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life. We pray to the Lord.
                 For all who train our future priests, and that seminarians strive to model themselves after Christ the Good Shepherd. We pray to the Lord. 
                 For all the priests and religious who have served our parish, both living and dead. We pray to the Lord.
  Let us pray for our Jewish brothers and sisters in this time of great distress, especially those killed and injured in the shooting in Pittsburgh. May God grant them and their families mercy, peace, and healing. And may the Lord rid our hearts of all hatred and indifference, so that we might truly love our neighbors as ourselves