FOR PARISHES & PREACHERS: Sample homilies that encourage vocation discernment

Dear Pastors and Parish Preachers:
During the Year of Consecrated Life and beyond, 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.

Key themes in any homily about following Jesus and considering vowed life are:
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 each year include:

• National Vocation Awareness Week: 1st Sunday in November
• World Day for Consecrated Life Feb 2, 2020: Sunday following the Feast of the Presentation
• World Day of Prayer for Vocations May 27, 2019: Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday

Additional Sundays with vocation themes:

• The calling of the first disciples (Lectionary 65)
• The Sundays of Easter (April)
• Pentecost (Lectionary 62 or 63)
• The Mission of the Disciples (Lectionary 102)
• The Conditions of Discipleship (Lectionary 129)
• World Mission Sunday (Lectionary 147)

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