November 1-6 is a special week dedicated to prayer for vocations to church ministry.
In the picture, you see Br Eric signing the document attesting to his renewal of temporary vows last year in the presence of our provincial Minister, Fr. Mark Soehner, OFM. We are happy to share with you the good news that Br. Eric will be making his lifetime profession of vows in Cincinnati on Saturday December 5, along with another friar, John Boissy, OFM. Congratulations, Br. Eric, and thank you for your service and commitment to the Order, Province and our parish.
What can you do to inspire vocations? Of course, parents should create a faith filled home environment. Teachers and catechist should teach kids about marriage, holy orders, and consecrated life. But for ordinary Catholics, the number one thing, by far, is to invite and encourage. In studies of the 2020 ordination class, 89% of brand new priests said they were encouraged by either their parish priests, a friend, or another parishioner. Another parishioner! That’s you. When your gut tells you “There’s something special about that young man,” say something! Look for an appropriate moment to draw him aside and say, “I see the Holy Spirit in you. If God called you to be a priest, I think you’d make a great one.”
If any young man is interested in knowing more about the Franciscan way of life, we would love to invite you to prayer and dinner sometime. You would not be making a commitment, just exploring the possibilities.
Fr. Jeff