National Vocation Awareness Week

January 9-15, 2011 is National Vocation Awareness Week. Let us take time this week to pray for the men and women discerning their vocation. Let us also pray for those who have already responded to their call - priests, religious, married couples and single men and women, that the Lord will grant them the grace to continue to say "yes" to Him each day in faith, joy and love.

Vocation Prayer to Mary, Queen of the Apostles

We turn to you, Mother of the Church. Through your "fiat," you have opened the door which makes Christ present in the world, in history, and in individual lives. In humble silence and in total availability, you welcomed the call of the Most High. May there be many men and women in our day who respond to your Son's invitation, "Follow me!" Grant them courage to leave family, work, and earthly hope to follow Christ along the road that He walked. Mary, Queen of Apostles, pray for us and for an increase of priestly and religious vocations. Amen.