Vocations Newsletter

When he wrote his letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul might have been thinking about the rejoicing we were all set to share yesterday on Ordination Day. Well, things got turned around through no fault of our own, and I think Paul would understand why: the unwelcome reality of quarantines and lockdowns.Yesterday Deacon Gregory McPhee was to have become a Maryknoll priest. And Friday was the day Father Alejandro Marina, a Maryknoll priest associate who served in Latin America, would have been incardinated as a Maryknoll priest. To accommodate travel schedules and travel restrictions (something the itinerant Paul would surely appreciate), Deacon Greg will be ordained on August 22. Meanwhile, Father Alejandro was incardinated as a Maryknoll priest on May 25, and three seminarians took their oaths, again in a private modest ceremony.Despite the change of plans, these are still blessings that could not have come at a better time—or without your prayers.Deacon Greg had an unconventional path to the missionary priesthood but a rich one nonetheless. He started out in life as a defense attorney. That’s when he began drifting away from the Church in favor of the material world. But in the end that left him wanting. Thanks…
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Did you know that today is your birthday—and mine, too? Believers the world over celebrate Pentecost Sunday as the birthday of our Church. Fifty days after Easter, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and gave them the gift of tongues. From that day forward, they were missioners of the Gospel, fortified with the Holy Spirit to make disciples of all nations. Because we are part of the universal Church—missioners called to love and serve the Lord—today is our birthday, too. On that first Pentecost Sunday, Peter called all those present to be baptized—many thousands who had gathered for a Jewish festival. These men and women were among the first Christians, and Peter our first Pope. Their devotion to Christ and one another was the seed that would grow our Church over the centuries. The day we were baptized is the day we received the same call to love and serve the Lord. On Pentecost Sunday, God reminds us that each of us is a unique messenger with special gifts, charged with making our own contribution to the life of the Church, and with transforming our world. No one else can do what each of us is capable of achieving!…
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Some of the most reassuring words in the Gospel come from the evangelist Matthew who tells us that Jesus will be with us always, even until the end of time. The story of the Ascension is our spiritual touchstone—the fulfillment of Christ’s victory over death. Forty days after his resurrection from the dead, and after visiting with his apostles, Jesus made one last appearance—on Mount Olivet. With a traditional Jewish blessing, he raised his hands in a final parting and ascended into heaven to be glorified with the Father. His earthly work was completed, his mission fulfilled.The Ascension is a reminder that we, too, have been called, sent forth, and transformed in God’s glory. And by example, we are witnesses to the gift of salvation in Christ. That is our mission calling—at home, at work, at school, at prayer. The Ascension is not so much about Jesus leaving us, but Jesus sending us out to be who we were called to be. The Ascension invites us to wear a new mantle of faith… to both transform and be transformed.Friend, we know that our faith deepens and grows when we share it. That is our calling, and our reward. Remember, Jesus…
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“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.”1 Peter 3:15-16Friend,I love Peter’s admonition to witness hope in God with gentleness and reverence. Never impose. Just live the Good News of salvation in Christ each day with joy—and be the example that changes someone’s life forever. As Pope Francis likes to remind us, Jesus is saying, “Go, don’t miss a chance to bear me witness!”The Resurrection is the reason for our hope. Christ offers us the gift of eternal life, a gift we want to share with the world. Our Holy Father says Jesus only gave us one instruction of welcome: Make missionary disciples. But make them His, not ours.When we live our mission calling with humility, we become living witnesses to the Good News of our faith: the belief that mercy defeats sin, hope ends fear, and fellowship overcomes hostility. Pope Francis says that with God’s grace, the mission heart can go beyond human boundaries “all because everyone is a precious treasure, and the meaning of life is found only in giving this treasure to others.”As the finest example of giving, we have…
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