On April 27 the Church observed its annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The following article, the first of four, is designed to focus the minds of North Georgia Catholics on the need for religious vocations.

By James Tarbox

Each one of us has a vocation.

No statement that is true has been more misunderstood than that one. We constantly pray for an increase in vocations, we read of the declining number of vocations, and we hear sermons that talk of the need to develop a sense of “vocation” in our young. All too often the concept that we have of “vocation” is a limited one; we fail to see how our own lives must be vocational.

The word vocation comes from the Latin word “vocar” – to call. “Each one of us has a calling from God, to do some particular task for His greater glory”, according to Father Richard Lopez. As the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Father Lopez spends his days working to encourage the young men of Atlanta to consider the possibility that God has a special task in mind for them – the priesthood.

“Well it’s not really fair to say that we (the Church) bring about vocations,” said Father Lopez, “you can’t set a quota on vocations – they are gifts from God.”

It might not be possible to set a quota on them, but Father Lopez believes in doing all he can to develop attitudes that will lead to an increase in religious vocations. Such attitudes are, he believes, developed early in the home.

“If we can foster the idea that God has a plan for each and everyone of us then it is much easier to convince young people to consider a commitment to a religious vocation.”

The home, said Pope John Paul I, is the first seminary. It is in the home, when a child is young, that attitudes regarding the Church and Christian service are first fostered.

“Parental attitudes are so important,” commented Father Lopez. “A parent can be a big factor in a child’s decision to consider a religious vocation or not to consider one.”

Parish programs, retreat weekends, and encounters are some of the ways that Father Lopez gets the word out on vocations. So far he has been fairly successful in his work.

There are 30 young men currently studying (or planning to study) for the priesthood from Atlanta. They come from diverse backgrounds. Almost all completed their undergraduate work before entering the seminary; study at the seminary began to complete their theology.

“There are a number of reasons for the lack of Atlantans studying in college seminaries,” commented Father Lopez. “For one thing we don’t have a college seminary (or any seminary for that matter) in the Archdiocese. But, more importantly, I think a lot of men decide to approach a religious vocation later in life, from a more mature point of view.”

The Church benefits from these older vocations Father Lopez believes. “Older vocations are often more dedicated and steady. They have had the test of years and experience to prove themselves.”

Thirty young men studying or soon to study for the priesthood, programs, lectures and audio-visual presentations all over the Archdiocese, and a need to foster a sense of family vocations. These are all components of the program that the Church in North Georgia is using to arouse more young men to the priesthood.

None of these things make a bit of difference, however, if individuals are not reached.

“The Church can only do so much,” said Father Lopez. “The need to raise men to the priesthood is still a very private, personal matter that starts with an individual response to a call.”

And so we come, again, full circle – to the concept of a call and a response. The first task is for us as believing Catholics is to fully become aware that we are all being called to some service. Once we are aware of that it doesn’t seem so awesome to more into the possibility of a religious vocation.

We are all called to service – a service of love. Within the family we must make it clear for each other that every one has a special road. How, during this special time when the entire church focuses on vocations can the true meaning of vocation be developed?