World Day for the Sick

Last Saturday was the memoria of Our Lady of Lourdes. This day also marked the twentieth ‘World day of the Sick’. In his message for this day Pope Benedict focussed upon the scriptural verse “Stand up and go: your faith has saved you.’ (Lk 17:19) This was Christ’s proclamation after he healed the ten victims of skin-disease.

An extract taken from the Holy Father’s letter explains that

“The Eucharist received at a time of illness… contributes in a singular way to working this transformation, associating the person who partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ to the offering that he made of himself to the Father for the salvation of all. The whole ecclesial community, and parish communities in particular, should pay attention to guaranteeing the possibilities of frequently receiving Holy Communion, to these people who, for reasons of health or age, cannot go to a place of worship. In this way, these brothers and sisters are offered the possibility of strengthening their relationship with Christ, crucified and risen, participating, through their lives offered up for Christ, in the very mission of the Church. From this point of view, it is important that priests who offer their discreet work in hospitals, in nursing homes and in the homes of sick people, feel they are truly ‘ministers of the sick’, signs and instruments of Christ’s compassion who must reach out to every person marked by suffering.”

The experience of caring for the sick and dying can become, through our communal and individual prayer, a means of drawing ourselves ever closer to Christ, and the transcendental character we each have within our soul. This communion with the Trinity allows one to place our present experiences and sufferings into the context of Christ’s passion and victory over death and the whole History of Salvation. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:54). The Eucharist, especially as Viaticum, is – according to the definition of Saint Ignatius of Antioch – “medicine of immortality, the antidote for death” (Letter to the Ephesians, 20:PG5,661); the sacrament of the passage from death to life, from this world to the Father, who awaits everyone in the celestial Jerusalem. The visitation of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception to Bernadette Soubirous near Lourdes in France by the river Gave, has drawn generations of faithful into a deeper and profound relationship with Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Our Lady of Lourdes directs us towards her Beloved Son, as our suffering has also been shared by her suffering as prophesised by Simeon “Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed- and a sword will pierce your soul too-so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’ “Lk (2:34-35).

As an East Anglian Seminarian I encourage you to visit and spend time with the elderly, sick and infirm in your parish, as blessings will be poured out on you through the grace of the Holy Spirit from our Heavenly Father. The witness of their faith will shine brightly to a younger generation who seek to find a firm foundation of faith. Christ’s ministry reached out repeatedly to the sick in the Gospels and drew each into the Kingdom of Heaven, it was the socially marginalised and overlooked that first made their proclamation of faith in Christ, as Pope Benedict teaches us “Stand up and go: your faith has saved you.’ (Lk.17:19).

Benjamin Grist
3rd Year Seminarian
Diocese of East Anglia

They told him all they had done and taught…

This phrase from the Gospel reading last Saturday speaks of the Apostles returning from a mission. Jesus had sent them two by two, to preach, heal and cast out evil, using all that they had learned from Jesus during their time with him. We too have just returned to seminary, to our formation in Christ, after being “on mission”. After Christmas we spent three weeks in parishes within our diocese or further afield, experiencing the life of the parish and being received generously by the priests and parishioners. There was a lot for me to see and do: visits to the elderly, answering questions in school classes, parish groups like the Legion of Mary or the SVP, parish meetings, working with the youth group, serving Mass, visiting religious and vocational communities within the parish… Others will have had hospitals and prisons to visit, as well as countless other apostolates. So we returned to seminary with lots to tell!

When the Apostles returned to Jesus after their mission, and told him of all they had done and taught, he called them away to a lonely place to rest awhile. Jesus teaches us that as well as the apostolic dimension of the mission, there is a contemplative dimension. This means that we stop to spend time with Christ, remembering that he is the one who calls us, he the one who works through us, he the one who is the meaning of our apostolate and future priesthood, not the things we do in and of themselves. That is why I appreciated the time during my placement to say the Office and pray, especially in the company of other priests. Though it may sound paradoxical, the community is often the place in which a contemplative spirit is fostered! In the company of others in prayer, we can discern the voice of Christ in our own hearts.

So our return to seminary at the start of a new term, after all the activity of our placements, is chance to catch up, to have a laugh, to enjoy one another’s company. But it is also an opportunity to go to the “lonely place” and rest in the presence of the One who fosters our vocation. We’ll be “on the mission” again soon enough.

Henry Whisenant
5th Year Seminarian
Diocese of East Anglia

Happy New Year… it’s still Christmas!

Arriving in Walsingham at exactly 6:00pm and praying the Angelus as I passed the Slipper Chapel was a wondrous start to my second week of the Christmass holiday.  This tiny Norfolk village has always had a special place in my heart for it was here as a shy seventeen year old, bewildered by uncertainty, fear and trepidation, that I came on pilgrimage seeking to discern the Lord’s will for me.  It was then that I heard the call of Isaiah (6: 8) and the prophet’s response to God:

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

And I said, Here am I; send me!

I remember crying uncontrollably as I came to understand through much soul searching and prayer what it was God was asking of me: to be a Priest.  During the years that have passed I have always tried to hold on to that first call and I have returned many times to Walsingham as a pilgrim seeking refreshment of soul and body.

So it is that I have returned again to England’s Nazareth seeking to hear afresh the Lord’s call to me.  What better place could there be at this time of year than one which resounds with the account of the Annunciation and Nativity?  In my short time here I have reached the conclusion that as we have witnessed once again the birth of the Christ Child into the world I must continually invite Him to be born in my heart so that like Our Lady I might give flesh to the Word of God and thus embody Christ to the world.

As we move through this new calendar year our journey should not be away from the Crib but rather deeper into its very meaning.  Even within the joy and excitement of Christmas the shadow of the Holy Cross has been cast over the Crib.  The Babe of Bethlehem will mature and ultimately be crucified for the sins of the world.  Thus, whilst some major retailers have already dismantled their decorations, as Christians we should not be too quick to metaphorically pack away the Christ Child.  Let us always rejoice in the most precious present we have been given this season: the gift of Jesus Christ who is the manifestation of divine sacrificial love.  In this holy season of Christmass and this New Year of Our Lord 2012 I hope you will be able to hear anew the Lord’s call to you!

Wayne Coughlin
5th Year Seminarian
Diocese of Northampton

Joy to the World the Lord is Come

Whether you are reading this before Christmas day, On Christmas day or After Christmas my greeting is still the same.

In our secular society people prepare for Christmas by spending large quantities of money on presents and food for an event that only happens for one day. We as Christians believe that Christmas is the day when God became man and this Child was destined to be the Saviour of the world. This could only happen after the yes reply that the Mother of God gave at the Annunciation.

On anyone’s journey towards priesthood there is a constant questioning about whether this is exactly what God wants me to do with my life. After speaking to many priests they all seem to give the same type of answer, which is that this does not stop when you are ordained but stays with you all of your life.

However, at Christmas we can have joy and thanks for the acceptance of Our Lady’s gift of having trust in God that whatever the future may hold, I will continue to follow Gods will before my own.

If you feel that God is calling you to priesthood then all you need to do is answer those feelings with a simple YES. Then you will start on a journey that will lead you to meet people you never thought you would meet and go to places you never thought you would go.

Felix Navidad!!!

Stephen Lee
3rd Year Seminarian
Archdiocese of Liverpool

Waiting, Light & Pantomime

We’re in Advent, and this season brings three strong images to mind for me – waiting…light…and pantomime…I know, I’ve got some explaining to do.

Waiting and light…because that’s what we’re invited to do in this season, to wait. To wait in these long December nights for the one who is full of light. To wait in eager anticipation for the day Christ gives the birth of new life into our hearts.  This season highlights times in our own lives when we’ve lived through the struggles, the toil, the darkness … and eagerly awaited the coming of Christ’s presence in our hearts: waited for the everlasting light to come with his illuminating power and cast away our darkness.

..and pantomime – well I use to be a comedian (..well at least some nights) before coming to seminary and this was the season when I had the privilege of being part of a production that created joy and brought happiness into people’s lives for a couple of hours of escapism. I miss hearing those families laugh, from children to parents to grandparents. It was a great sound.  And I believe laughter is a glimpse, a foretaste on earth, of the happiness and overwhelming joy God has in store for us all in heaven.

So if I can be so bold in my conclusion… waiting, light and pantomime… at this time we yearn for the one who gives us indications along the way, to reveal his presence and coming as the everlasting light!  And if he sends us signs that reveal he is the everlasting light, then he must surely send us signs to reveal he is everlasting joy! Which reminds me, I must go see a pantomime…

 

 

 

 

 

Frankie Mulgrew
5th Year Seminarian
Diocese of Salford

 

Here I am Send Me

My name is Anthony Ayegba Musa (Tonymary), a Nigerian and studying for the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham. My vocation story is like a delayed one, in the sense that I did not heed God’s call on time. I had a conviction from early on that I had a call to the priesthood but due to some factors, I decided to put it on hold.

I felt that even without being a priest, I can still serve God as a lay person. Naturally, I found myself engaged in pastoral activities ranging from teaching of catechism, leading prayers in church, leading the young ones by organizing seminars for them under the umbrella of the Young catholic students Association (Y.C.S).In any encounter I had with people, I could see God using me even without preaching to them. Just by talking with me on matters that are otherwise religious, they exhibit some trust in me and that has helped me greatly to maintain my Christian standard of living. In my few years of experience as a legal practitioner, this shaped the way I conducted my affairs amidst challenges.

At the parish level, I found myself in some pious organisations like the Legion of Mary, St. Anthony of Padua, lay readers association etc. I was quite active in them and any one that experienced meeting me will testify to effect of the grace of God upon my life. I often come across people that would tell me I have vocation to the priesthood but I always wave that aside. Under the auspices of the legion of Mary, we undertook visit to homes, hospitals and even homes of ‘ lapse Catholics’. I derive great joy doing this and couldn’t afford to miss doing them except on certain occasions where one’s partners will fail to turn up.

In the university, through the instrument of the legion, we evangelised the student body through production of weekly articles about the catholic faith. We also established a mini book stall called ‘Book barrow’ in the Legion parlance, where sacramentals were sold at a reasonable price to students for their spiritual upliftment. On the other hand, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal which I also belong erected a book shop for the university chaplaincy community.

After working for a while in Nigeria, I decided to come to the United Kingdom for my masters. While in the UK I joined the Legion of Mary, the Justice and peace Group and later joined the Altar Servers. The desire to serve God as a priest became strong in me once again and after travelling home for a holiday, I made a firm decision to offer myself to the Diocese of Nottingham. I did this because I felt the church need priests here in England whereas, there are many vocations back at home. I also gave a thought to the call of Pope John Paul ll that Africa should go out and evangelise this time after having been evangelised by others. After considering other religious orders like the Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans and the Spiritans, I decided to say to God, “here I am, send me, anywhere for you” And by God’s grace, here I am in the Diocese of Nottingham.

Anthony Musa (Tonymary)
Diocese of Nottingham
2nd Year Seminarian

Life at Oscott College Seminary Video

Come After Me

As a Scotsman writing this Vocations Blog on the week that we celebrate Saint Andrew’s day, I couldn’t resist but make the Patron of Scotland and Apostle of Christ the focus.

Andrew’s call from Jesus came as he was fishing by the Sea of Galilee with his brother Peter, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that “At once they left their nets and followed him”. They done so to the Lords invitation of “come after me, and I will make you fishers of men”.

Not many of us here at Seminary or figures in the Scriptures took up the call as readily as Peter and Andrew. The two brothers must have had a feeling of apprehension when they left their boats and left all behind to follow Jesus. The feeling of inadequacy fills each of us who have a call and that feeling of inadequacy prevents us from saying a “Yes” straight away. Moses, Jonah, Abraham, Gideon, Esther and Mary all must have had a feeling of fear at the task they were being asked to carry out. But it’s true to say that the Lord will never ask us to do something that we cannot do, we just need to take the first step and he will do the rest.

So as we embark upon Advent 2011 we pray that we will indeed “wake up” and “prepare the way for the Lord” in our own lives, and let God work with us, in us and through us as did Peter and Andrew.

Felix Dies Sancti Andreae!

Sean Wyllie
Diocese of Motherwell
First Year Seminarian

The Way, the Truth and the Life (Christ the King)

As essay deadlines and exams draw near, there has been much rushing about and dashing towards libraries and printers, but respite was offered in the form of a film night on Tuesday.  The film was called ‘The Way’, which depicts a fathers journey (Martin Sheen) to bring home the body of his deceased son who died in a freak storm whilst undertaking the pilgrim’s walk “El Camino de Santiago” from France to Spain.  Though not having seen eye to eye with each other over the son’s decision to go and see the world, the father becomes inspired to take the pilgrimage on himself with his son’s cremated remains in a walk of love and grief, to fulfill his son’s desire to make the journey.  There were moments in the film of raw emotion and of comedy but what struck me the most was the film’s example of how four very different human beings can find themselves thrust together with different backgrounds and burdens, but who become friends and a community to each other on the journey.  This is something which anyone who has spent time in a seminary community in particular, but also those with experience in university, college, school or the workplace can relate to.  Living and praying with others who you haven’t met before and who may be very different from you can be difficult but deeply rewarding.  To show friendship and compassion to others is to experience God’s love for us.

The combination of the film ‘The Way’ and the occurrence of Youth Sunday draws a wonderful connection for me:  pilgrimage and young people.  I have made the pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Liverpool Youth Service for several years and have walked alongside many young people in their faith journeys and have encountered lives full of potential.  The thirst for God is present in young people just as God’s love is present in our friendships.   The path lies open for young people (and indeed all of us seeking our vocation) to walk hand in hand with God, and each other, to discover what it is that the Lord is calling each one of us to do.  To be holy and faithful, yes, of course, but is this not seen best first of all in how we treat others, how we offer our hand in friendship to those we haven’t met, or our aid to those in need?  Sunday’s Psalm offers us sound comfort and trust in God, ‘Near restful waters he leads me to revive my drooping spirit.  He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name.’ (Ps22[23])  With faith let us all walk, young and not so young, in the path of Christ, and not forget to be Christ to each other.  For it is in helping each other we will one day hear Christ the King say to us, ‘Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.’

Christus vincit!  Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Rev. Paul Grady
Archdiocese of Liverpool
6th Year Seminarian

November Vocationcast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The November 2011 Vocationcast focuses on people who are living out their vocations by spreading the Gospel through the media. We interview Fr. Robert Barron from Word on Fire Ministries and Fr. Roderick Vonhögen host of the Catholic Insider Podcast. Fr. Christopher Jamison, from the BBC’s “Big Silence”, shares part of his vocation story and we hear from Fran Baines who reflects on the life and media ministries of St. Maximilian Kolbe. As an extra to accompany this podcast on our website Fr. Willy Raymond, the Director of Family Theatre Productions in Hollywood, shares his thoughts on John Paul II.

visit www.vocationcast.org to listen