This week has been designated as Vocations Awareness week in New Zealand.
Its purpose is to promote vocations to the priesthood, women and men religious, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.
In 2013, Pope Francis declared that a Year of Consecrated Life (YCL) be celebrated throughout the world.
YCL began on the First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2014.
It will close on the World Day of Consecrated Life, February 2, 2016.
Cardinal John Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington has invited religious women and men have come together to celebrate the year of Consecrated life on the feast of St Mary MacKillop.
Midday prayer will be prayed in of the Church in St Joseph’s Church, Mt Victoria.
Lunch and social time will follow.
4 people, at various stages of lives life have offered some thoughts on vocations.
- Neil Vaney has been a Marist religious and priest for 46 years
- Bryan Buenger was recently ordained for the Diocese of Palmerston North
- Daniel Kleinsman is a first year seminarian
- Elizabeth Julian is a Sister of Mercy and a lecturer and distance learning education co-ordinator for The Catholic Institute of Aoteraroa New Zealand.
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