European Vocations Service

The European Vocations Service, (EVS), part of the Conference of Bishops of Europe, met in Rome from the 4th – 7th June. We discussed how best to implement the outcomes of the recent synod on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment, and were privileged to meet Pope Francis on the penultimate day.

Pope Francis welcomed us all warmly and gave us his prepared speech… and proceeded to address us with an impromptu message. Pope Francis believes that the Holy Spirit still calls people to lives of special consecration, and we should courageously cast out the nets, but always in the context of the wider Christian calling.  You can read the full message (both impromptu and prepared) here.

Church must learn how to speak to young people, pope says

At a gathering of people doing vocations work in Europe, the pope said that too often when Catholics try to talk to young people about vocational discernment, “it’s as if we were speaking Esperanto to them, because they don’t understand a thing.”

Pope Francis said the church must help young people learn how “to dialogue with the Lord” and how to ask him, ‘What do you want from me?'”

To read the full article from The Tablet, please click here.

COMPASS Summer Discernment School

Monday 22nd – Friday 26th July 2019

A Catholic Summer School for discerning Young Adults searching for…

~ a way to live faith fully
~ a way to live life courageously
~ their true path among the many
~ a way to live joyfully
~ God in their lives

Vocations Sunday

This Sunday (12th May) is the Day of Prayer for Vocations. This day flows from the broader culture of vocation, and is when the universal Church asks the Lord to send more labourers to the harvest.

Please visit our Vocations Sunday Page to view resources that can be used in your parish, school or community.

For Vocation to Marriage Material for Vocations Sunday please click here.

To read Pope Francis’s message for Vocations Sunday please click here.

First final profession to be live streamed in the UK

Sister Katrina Alton will celebrate her profession of final vows as a Sister of St. Joseph of Peace (CSJP) at Sacred Heart Church in Carlton, Nottingham on Saturday, 4 May 2019. The ceremony will be streamed live at 2.45pm on the CSJP Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sistersstjosephofpeace/

This is the first final profession for these sisters in the UK in over 30 Years, and the first live stream of final vows. Why not tune in to the ceremony, and keep Sister Katrina in your prayers as she makes this special commitment to dedicate the rest of her life in service to God and the Church.