This year's Good Shepherd Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter, was celebrated as the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
It was in 1964, when the First World Day of Prayer for Vocations was held.
This year's theme is, " Vocations; Signs of Hope, Founded in Faith." The Directors and Directesses of Vocations in the Philippines organized activities in parishes and asked the faithful to pray for vocations.
The Good Shepherd Sisters also responded to the invitation of the Greenbelt Chapel community in Makati to join the first Vocation and Trade Fair at the Greenbelt Chapel grounds. Ms. Puri Espeleta, pastoral council member and Baby de Guzman, wrote to and visited the congregations to invite them to promote religious vocation and at the same time sell their products or those of the apostolate.
Other congregations invited were Religious of the Virgin Mary, Daughters of St. Paul, Society of Jesus and Claretian Missionaries.
The Good Shepherd delegation that participated in the activities was composed of Sr. Gina Kuizon of the Provincialate, Ms. Tess Barsaga, mission partner, Sr. Agata Thuy of Vietnam, Sr. Elizabeth Kareen Aragon of Nicaragua and Sr. Concepta Bellosillo of Euphrasian Community.
Brochures and bookmarks were distributed to those participating in the Masses. The Greenbelt Chapel has eight Masses scheduled on Sundays. Fr. Rufino 'Jun' Sescon, chaplain of Sto. Nino de Paz-Greenbelt Chapel in his homily, emphasized the role of the families in promoting vocations to priesthood and religious life. He and the other presiders during the Sunday celebrations invited the faithful to visit the Vocation and Trade Fair.
Photo: De Ocampo Sisters, Alice and Theresa, of St. Domitilla Residence, visit the Good Shepherd display.
For the Good Shepherd delegation, it was not just a day to promote vocations and sell the Good Shepherd products particularly of Euphrasian bakeshop in Quezon City, but an opportunity as well to meet former students and girls attending Sunday Masses in Greenbelt. The support of the Greenbelt community to the Vocation and Trade Fair was palpable and the RGS group were united with them, especially in this Year of Faith, as families prayed for vocations and the concerns of the world.
On the same day, in Rome, Pope Francis addressed the faithful gatbered at St. Peter's Square:
Look! Here in the Square today there are so many of you! I would like to ask you: have you sometimes heard the Lord’s voice, in a desire, in a worry, did he invite you to follow him more closely? Have you heard him? I can’t hear you? There! Have you wanted to be apostles of Jesus? We must bet on youth for the great ideals. Do you think this? Do you agree? Ask Jesus what he wants of you and be brave! Be brave! Ask him this!
Behind and before every vocation to the priesthood or to the consecrated life there is always the strong and intense prayer of someone: a grandmother, a grandfather, a mother, a father, a community.... This is why Jesus said: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest”, that is, God the Father, “to send out labourers into his harvest.” (Mt 9:38). Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; and only through prayer can they persevere and bear fruit. I am pleased to stress this today, which is the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations”.
(RK)
