Catholics pray for vocations during a workshop at St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City last month.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
Called by Name, a program to promote vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, begins in the Diocese of Davenport this weekend. This program offers an opportunity for the faithful to pray for vocations; to recognize gifts and potential for leadership and service among parishioners; and to call forth and encourage these members to share their gifts in priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life.
On Called by Name Sunday, March 1, clergy will talk about vocation discernment and ask parishioners to observe and pray about who in their parish community might have a calling from God to be a priest or sister. Parishioners can write that man or woman’s name on a form to be turned in by March 20. The diocesan Office of Vocations will reach out to him or her with an invitation to an upcoming discernment event.
Father Andrew Rauenbuehler, diocesan director of vocations, encourages the faithful to nominate anyone they feel might have a calling. The nominator doesn’t have to tell the nominee, though doing so could spark a positive conversation. “It’s not a determination of what they will do in their life, but it is a very important step (to) look around and notice the gifts of those in our community that we would like to see in our own priests or religious sisters,” he said at a vocations workshop last month in Iowa City. Father Rauenbuehler hopes Called by Name will “create an environment in our parishes of seeking out people in our parishes for our diocese.”
