Searching for Shepherds: Holy Hour prayers seek those to guide flock
By Erick Rommel
Head Staff Writer
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski celebrated a Eucharistic Holy Hour for Vocations Nov. 18 in St. John Vianney Parish, Colonia, joined by approximately 100 people, including priests, religious, seminarians and the lay community.
“You are the Lord of the vineyard and the harvest, and you give each a just reward for their work,” the bishop prayed during Pope John Paul II’s Prayer for Vocations. “Guide the flock to which you have promised possession of the Kingdom. Send new workers into your harvest.”
Father Randall J. Vashon, director, diocesan Office of Vocations, explained the purpose of the Holy Hour. “First and foremost, it’s a prayer for vocations,” he said. “Through that, we seek awareness. We want to keep the need for prayers for vocations at the parish level.”
To achieve that goal, the Office of Vocations will now celebrate a Eucharistic Holy Hour for Vocations four times a year. The next event is tentatively scheduled to take place in February.
The decision to host the initial Holy Hour in St. John Vianney Parish came after the unexpected death, May 11, of Father Joseph V. Szoke, parochial vicar in the parish.
“[Father Szoke] was a good friend of mine,” said Father Vashon. “With their recent loss, we felt they would be more conscious of the need (for vocations). We hope they are inspired to continue their prayers and, through that awareness, help them and inspire those they see who may have a vocation.”
“Vocations are a gift given by God, but they are discerned in prayer,” said Father Patrick J. Kuffner, administrator, Our Lady of Mount Virgin Parish, Middlesex. “The prayer of God’s people is powerful and is necessary… if God’s call is to be heard and if the call is to be answered.”
“It’s important to pray (for vocations) because Jesus told us to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the vineyard,” said Sacred Heart Brother Robert Ziobro, associate vocations director.
“The Lord told us to ‘Ask and you shall receive,’ and so we need to flood the Lord with petitions for vocations,” said Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, who served as homilist for the Holy Hour. “Like the woman in the Gospel who gets what she wants because she won’t leave the judge alone, we have to make God say, ‘Alright, already, take all the priests you need.’
“It is important to pray for vocations so that the mission of Christ may continue, and that young people would respond to the Master’s call and say, ‘Yes,’” said Franciscan Sister Rose Maxine, a teacher in St. John Vianney School, Colonia.
Father Vashon believes that the Holy Hours are an opportunity for those considering a vocation to attend an event anonymously as a way to test their potential call. “When people come together in prayer, there is solidarity there that helps inspire those who are considering a vocation in the Church,” he said.
“There is precious little silence in our lives,” said Ellen DeRosa, a member of St. John Vianney Parish. “When I pray for vocations, my prayer is that those God is calling will still be before him, and attentive to his voice so they can respond generously.”
“All ‘sheep’ need a shepherd to guide them,” said parishioner Theresa Burkes.“We need priests to guide and counsel us, to say Mass and consecrate our hosts, hear our Confessions and give us strength to deal with the world we live in.”
“We especially need priests in our diocese,” said Hong C. Kim, diocesan seminarian expected to be ordained to the transitional diaconate in March. “We must realize that without priests we cannot celebrate the Eucharist, which is the source and the summit of our life.”
Seminarian John O’Kane, a member of St. Bartholomew Parish, East Brunswick, expressed additional reasons why priests are needed.
“We need priests to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which allows us to fall to God when we have fallen away,” he said. “We need holy men and women as examples to follow, and an increase in priests, sisters and brothers help all Catholics lead a holy life.”
“We love our priests, and I don’t know what we would do with out them,” declared Mary Nelson, a member of St. John Vianney Parish. “I always hoped one of my sons would become a priest, but it never happened; maybe one of my grandsons. I’ll pray for them.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law