FOR PARISHES & PREACHERS: Sample homilies that encourage vocation discernment
Dear Pastors and Parish Preachers:
We encourage you to plan homilies around discerning God’s call and the gift of a religious vocation. To assist you in this important task, VISION Vocation Network has gathered some excellent resources, including sample homilies, daily reflections, and hundreds of articles on prayer, discernment, and religious life for use as you prepare your sermons and counsel those in your parish who may seek your advice.
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Key themes in any homily about following Jesus and considering vowed life
Jesus calls you to a life of joy and service. Everyone's journey to Christ is different. To discern your best path: listen, pray, read, and seek wise and loving counsel.
Key times for preaching on vocations
Key Vocation-Related dates
- National Vocation Awareness Week: 1st Sunday in November
- World Day for Consecrated Life: February 2
- World Day of Prayer for Vocations: Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday
Additional Sundays with vocation-related themes
- World Mission Sunday (second to last Sunday in October)
- Easter Sunday (2024 March 31 | 2025 April 20 | 2026 April 5 | 2027 March 28 | 2028 April 16)
- The additional Sundays of Easter (April, May)
- Pentecost (50 days after Easter; anywhere between May 10 and June 13)
Scripture readings with vocation themes
- The calling of the first disciples (Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-34; Luke 5:1-11)
- The Mission of the Disciples (Matt.10:1-42; Mark 6:7-13)
- The Conditions of Discipleship (Matt. 10:37-39; Matt. 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-9:1; Luke 14:25-35)
Quick tips & Sample homilies
A great place to start any homily on vocation discernment is to tell your own vocation story.
Encourage religious in your parish territory to be more visible this year, whether retired, on staff, at the local school, or other institutions of service. Allow them to give reflections at Mass or to offer evenings of reflection to the parish seasonally.
SAMPLE HOMILY FOR VOCATION AWARENESS
The biblical notion of call By Father Donald Senior, C.P.
SAMPLE HOMILY FOR WORLD DAY OF CONSECRATED LIFE
For what purpose have you come? By Tom McGrath
SAMPLE HOMILY FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
Take a moment of silence By Cardinal Timothy Dolan
SAMPLE HOMILY FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
Just ask: ways to nurture vocations By Sister Margie Lavonis, C.S.C.
SAMPLE HOMILY ON DISCIPLESHIP
Beholden to no one but God By Catherine O'Connell-Cahill
Tags
- vocation
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- year of consecrated life
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