Father, in every generation you provide ministers of Christ and the Church.

We come before you now, asking that you call forth more priests to serve our Church.

Give us priests who will lead and guide your holy people gathered by Word and Sacrament.

Bless us with priestly vocations so that we can continue to be a truly Eucharistic Church, strengthened in our discipleship of Jesus Christ, your only Son.

Raise up, we pray, priests who are generous in their service, willing to offer their lives and all their gifts for your greater glory and the good of your people.

We make our prayer in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

A vocation to the consecrated life is a specific call from God to a specific person. It is real. It is compelling. It is an invitation.  The same invitation given to the apostles – “Come, follow Me.” How did they respond?  “They left their nets and followed Him.”

Like the apostles, our life of consecration is also a deeply personal response to His profoundly compelling call.  Do we “hear” this call? No, not with our physical ears; rather, we just know. It is an interior knowledge. That is why it is so hard to explain.

This invitation to follow Jesus as the apostles did is not given to everyone because it is certainly a radically different way of life.

In the call to the consecrated life, God places within the heart of a person a desire for something more.  A desire for a more profound relationship with God. In a word, it is desire for a total gift of self to Christ.

Our lives of consecration are mirrored on the life of Jesus Christ who was chaste, poor, and obedient. Thus, we profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. These are called the evangelical counsels:

• Chastity: the total gift of one’s heart, affections, desires to the God who is Love
• Poverty: the gift of letting go of all possessions to possess Him who is All-in-All
• Obedience: the union of one’s will with that of Jesus who continues to speak and act through His Church’s representatives

If this resonates in your own heart and soul, our Lord is inviting you to be open to the possibility of a life of intimate relationship with Him. Seek out the advice of a trusted priest or sister as you begin your journey of religious vocation discernment.

Dear young people, do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away and gives you everything. When
we give ourselves to Him we
receive a hundred-fold in return. Yes, open wide the doors to Christ and you will find true life.
-Pope Benedict XVI

Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart
of Los Angeles

920 East Alhambra Road
Alhambra, California 91801

1-866-598-4389

http://www.carmelitesistersocd.com/vocations/