Every year on the 4th Sunday of Easter Jesus appears to us as a Good Shepherd. He calls us His own sheep giving to us a gracious promise of eternal life: “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish”. The Good Shepherd takes care of His flock calling some people to follow Him in a special way. He needs some people from His flock to sacrifice their own lives for the kingdom of God. That is referring to vocation to the priesthood and consecrated life.

This Sunday the entire Church observes a World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The faithful throughout the world are called to pray for vocations imploring the Good Shepherd to send labourers to His vineyard. Pope Francis in his message for the 2019 World Day of Prayer wrote:

“The Lord’s call is not an intrusion of God in our freedom; it is not a “cage” or a burden to be borne. On the contrary, it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be part of a great undertaking. He opens before our eyes the horizon of a greater sea and an abundant catch. God in fact desires that our lives not become banal and predictable, imprisoned by daily routine, or unresponsive before decisions that could give it meaning. The Lord does not want us to live from day to day, thinking that nothing is worth fighting for, slowly losing our desire to set out on new and exciting paths.”

Pope Francis, 2019 World Day of Prayer

Sometimes we ask a question: “What can I do to increase the number of those who want to follow Christ as priests, nuns, and sister and brothers in consecrated life?” The simplest answer is: Just pray! That is true that we should pray, but it is not enough. Our Creator has given us minds, skills and talents to use them for the kingdom of God. The Good Shepherd tirelessly and unceasingly calls the people whom He had chosen to follow Him, but sometimes there is a lack of response on the other site. Many people are so bound by earthly desires that they are not able to hear and answer the call of the Good Shepherd. Additionally, they are surrounded by an environment that is not God-and vocation-friendly. Today young people are involved in many activities, which is certainly good, but how many of them are connected with faith?

Today we celebrate Mother’s Day. May the Lord through the intercession of Mother Mary bless all mothers with an abundance of His grace!
This Monday, May 13th, we welcome Archbishop Peter Hundt from the Archdiocese of Saint John’s, who will confer on the Grade 7 students of St. Lawrence School the Sacrament of Confirmation. Let us keep them in our prayers.

Also, on May 13th the Universal Church holds a memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. This feast refers to the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin that took place in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal. In numerous parishes throughout the world on that day the faithful pray the rosary walking in the procession with lit candles.

Our Lady of Fatima – pray for us!

God bless,
Fr. Peter