Re-post: Ten Practical Steps for Promoting Priestly Vocations by the Lay Christian Faithful

I received something in my email a couple of days ago that made me think of something I wrote and posted on this blog waaaaaay back at the beginning of November.  Because of everything else that was going on that week, I neglected to share it on Facebook or Twitter, and so it went largely unnoticed.  However, I was reminded of it, and I'm re-posting it here for your edification.  I've made one or two adjustments to the original, which you can find here.

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Ten Practical Steps for Promoting Priestly Vocations by the Lay Christian Faithful

by Rev. James DeViese

The following is a listing of Ten Practical Things that the average Catholic can undertake to help promote Priestly Vocations.  The basic formula is simple.  A young man discerning his vocation in life wants something worth living for, worth giving his life for.  It is no wonder that the seminaries were so full 100 years ago, when the Faith and the Church were loved, admired, and respected by the Faithful.  We still love, admire, and respect the Faith, but it often takes a back-seat to modern, secular living.  The antidote to this requires a paradigm shift—a concerted effort on the part of Christian Faithful to turn back the to Faith of the Church in a radical way, to rekindle the flames of enthusiastic life in the Spirit, to demonstrate in a measurable way that which we all believe and know to be true—that the Holy Priesthood is worth it!

1. Learn:  Develop a decent understanding of the theology and significance of the Priesthood.  You can’t promote something that you don’t know anything about!
2. Live the Faith:  A good priest encourages his parishioners to live the Faith in a radical way.  Live the Faith as an example to young men that priests do make a difference!
3. Talk about the Faith:  Excitement about the Faith leads to excitement about dedicating one’s life to spreading the Faith.  Don’t be bashful about proclaiming the Faith.  It’ll rub off on others!
4. Be Catholic:  Our Faith is a beautiful gift from God.  If we shy away from it, it sends a message to young men that it isn’t worth devoting your life to embracing, spreading, and serving.  Be firm in the Truths of the Catholic Faith, and pass along that conviction to others.  It’s an example that everyone can follow!
5. Be Serious:  No one is willing to give his life to something that isn’t important, can be laughed away, or can simply be ignored when convenient.  If you don’t take your Faith and Salvation seriously, neither will our young men!
6. Encourage Young People.  Invite young men to consider the priesthood as a real, feasible, and achievable vocation in life.  The Priesthood makes a man more than he could otherwise be.  But it’s not unattainable!
7. Give Exposure:  Expose young men to good, enthusiastic, happy, holy priests as examples of what they can aspire to.  Seek out priests whose lifestyles and ministries are attractive, and let them interact with the youth.  Every priest in existence right now, at one time or another, encountered a priest he looked up to and wanted to be like!
8. Get Organized:  Join a group dedicated to promoting vocations, such as the Serra Club.  If there isn’t a group like that near you, start one!
9. Support:  Give support to seminarians (spiritual and financial).  Even a simple card with an assurance of prayers is invaluable.  Well-prayed-for seminarians make for healthy, happy, and holy priests who inspire vocations (see #7).
10. Pray:  Offer daily prayers for an increase of young men to answer the call of the Lord.  Put together spiritual bouquets of prayers, request Masses, attend Holy Hours, all for the intentions of increased vocations.  It works!