World Day of Prayer for Vocations

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World Day of Prayer for Vocations

April 30, 2023

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World Day of Prayer for Vocations Prayer Card — NRVC Vocation Prayer Card. Order your copies from the NRVC store.

This special day, also liturgically known as “Good Shepherd Sunday”, invites the Church to publicly pray for and promote vocations in all its forms. Many parishes and religious institutes commemorate this day with prayer for vocations and vocation promotion events. Considering that 73 percent of women and men professing final vows participated in one or more parish activities and 88 percent served in one or more parish ministries before entering religious life, our presence and participation in activities that mark this special day is essential. Consider asking parishes for opportunities to speak, pray, provide bulletin inserts, prayer cards, and conversation before and after Masses, in religious education programs, RCIA and confirmation formation classes on this day.

According to a proverb from the Far East, “a wise person, looking at the egg can see an eagle; looking at the seed he glimpses a great tree; looking at the sinner he glimpses a saint”. That is how God looks at us: in each of us, he sees a certain potential, at times unbeknownst to ourselves, and throughout our lives he works tirelessly so that we can place this potential at the service of the common good. Vocation arises in this way, thanks to the art of the divine Sculptor who uses his “hands” to make us go forth from ourselves and become the masterpiece that we are called to be. The word of God, which frees us from self-absorption, is especially able to purify, enlighten and recreate us. Let us listen to that word, in order to become ever more open to the vocation that God entrusts to us!

--Pope Francis, World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 2022

Prayer for World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Holy Spirit, stir within us the passion to promote vocations to the single and married life, consecrated life, societies of apostolic life, diocesan priesthood, and permanent diaconate.

Inspire us daily to respond to Your call with boundless compassion, abundant generosity, and radical availability.

Help us to remember our own baptismal call to rouse us to invite the next generation to hear and respond to Your call.

Inspire parents, families, and lay ecclesial ministers to begin a conversation with young Catholics to consider how they will live lives of holiness and sacred service.

Nudge inquirers and motivate discerners to learn more about vowed and associate commitment in apostolic life, cloistered life, evangelical life, lay ecclesial ministers, missionary life, monastic life, and societies of apostolic life.

Ignite our Church with the confident humility that there is an urgent need for all the baptized to live their vocation in solidarity with those who are poor, neglected, and marginalized.

Disrupt our comfortable lives and complacent attitudes with new ideas to respond courageously and creatively with a daily 'YES!' Amen.

Additional vocation prayers

Litany for Vocations

VISION Vocation Network articles on prayer

Resources offered by the USCCB

Resources offered by Serra International

Rosary for Vocations with the Luminous Mysteries

World Day of Prayer for Vocations Doodle

NRVC member, Sister Chela Gonzalez, O.P. was inspired to create a doodle for World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This coloring page can be used with all ages who want to pray through art. Sr. Chela used the rosary as the core focus of her design, using any Mystery of the Rosary. The lower left swirl is for the Apostles Creed while the lower right swirl is for the Hail, Holy Queen. Each of the diamonds (two at the top and three at the bottom) are for the Lord’s Prayer, while each row of circles represents five Hail Mary prayers. The Glory Be prayer is prayed after praying ten Hail Mary prayers, and the artist can color in the design around the circles. This design is meant to intentionally bring one into prayer while coloring. The person can prayerfully name those who are discerning vocations, those who have already committed to single, ordained or vowed life, as well as asking for direction to answer God’s continuous call to holiness.