Pray for vocations!
April 24, 2022 the Vocation Team of Johannesburg gathered together with some young men and women who are thinking for religious life and for priesthood in the diocese. There were three ladies and 10 young men. Sr. Gisela Lapez from the Paulines facilitated the talk with the theme “Who do you think that I am?” Also present was Sr. Carmel from the Assumption Sisters, Fr. Raul Tabaranza from Comboni Missionaries and Loyulo our postulant. One from St. Augustine Parish Pretoria joined the gathering too.
We hope to get some good catch!
“And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.” Mark 13:10
Vocations
Messages of Pope Francis for Vocation Sunday
2022
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Sunday 2014
Missionary Vocation
What is a Vocation? The word ‘vocation’ comes from the Latin ‘vocatio’ which means ‘a calling’. The first vocation “calling” that every person receives from God is to life. The second calling is to follow Jesus by becoming a Christian through the Sacrament of Baptism confirmed by the Holy Spirit and strengthened by the Eucharist. Through baptism each person is called by God to become more like Jesus Christ, to share his life and love, to grow in knowledge and love of God, and to place our personal gifts and talents at the service of others.
The search for one’s own vocation is an absolute priority in one’s life since God calls every person by one’s own name and has a wonderful dream for each one of us.
God calls each person through prayer and reflection, and through speaking with others about our hopes and desires, our gifts and talents. In responding to God’s call to each of us, we can experience what Jesus has promised “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10, 10).
Discernment is very much a part of each vocation, and that means discovering the hand of God active and inviting you to More! The missionary vocation is a special challenge to openness in encountering other cultures, entering into a free relationship not only with God, but also with others, ministering them as Priest or Brother.
What is special about the Comboni Brother vocation? Candidates for the brotherhood are called to realize their missionary vocation as lay people consecrated to God for the mission, sharing actively in the growth of the human and Christian community especially through the exercise of a profession.
Because of the link between evangelisation and human promotion, the Comboni brother is called upon to give a particular contribution to the activities which favour the integral development of man and the advent of a type of society according to the Christian conception of the world. He does this by means of the practice of his profession and his collaboration in the pastoral work, according to the concrete needs of the single communities and as a testimony of his consecration.
The exercise of a profession is the specific form, even if not exclusive, of the missionary activity of the Comboni brother. The needs of the mission are many, experience indicates as the most requested from the Comboni brother are: administration, agriculture, building, carpentry, electro-technical, engineering, graphic arts, law, mass media, mechanics, medicine, nursing, pastoral animation, pedagogy, social services,sociology, teaching… to name a few!
The professional commitment of the brother finds ample space in activities that promote and realize initiatives which better the living conditions of the people; creating awareness among persons for the defence of human rights and social justice; professional and technical formation of young people; participation in the administration of the local church and of the Institute and collaboration in pastoral work according to the needs of the individual communities.
“Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, love him tenderly and seek always better to understand the meaning of a God who died on the Cross for the salvation of souls.” – St Daniel Comboni
