Please join Deacon Casey Walker as he leads a Divine Mercy Holy Hour for Vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
The Holy Hour will be held on 1st Thursdays from 3:00 - 4:00 pm in the main church.
Mission/Vision: We, the vocation Awareness Committee, respond to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, "The harvest is full...and ask the Lord to send more laborers into the harvest." Luke10:2.
The Committee strengthens in an atmosphere centered on the Eucharist, the devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary, and guided by the teachings of the Church, we, promote the increase of vocation to the priesthood and religious life in the St Basil's parish life community, in God's providence, we are devoted to supporting those He has called through prayer, motivation, example, and service.
Objectives:
Meets the first Thursday of each month before the Blessed Sacrament in the Mary Chapel
Contact Lita Serrano, 707-319-1821
Loving God, You speak to us and nourish us through the life of The St Basil Parish Family. In the name of Jesus, we ask you to send your Spirit to us so that men and women among us, young and old, will respond to Your call to service and leadership in the church.
We pray especially, in our day, for those who hear your invitation to be a Priest, Sister, Brother, or Deacon.
May those who are opening their hearts and minds to your call be encouraged and strengthened through our enthusiasm in you service.
Amen
We believe that our church needs to make known its continuing need for priests, sisters, brothers and deacons. We realize that the discernment of a religious vocation is between God and the person. We cannot manufacture vocations.
We believe our mission is to raise awareness of the need for vocation to religious life; spread the view that a vocation is a calling from God for a total commitment to serve his people; invite people, especially parents, who may see the spark of a vocation, to encourage it as something viable, to be explored and discerned, and encourage prayer for vocations.
In keeping with this mission, the committee sponsors the following activities:
The Vocation Crosses - two parish families take home each week one of our beautiful Vocation Crosses. Each family displays the cross in its home during the following week and prays each day for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Holy Hour for Vocations - On the first Thursday of every month, parishioners are invited to join us in the Mary Chapel for one hour of prayer and silent reflection. Readings include a passage from scripture, such as Jeremiah 1:4-10, which recounts God's call to Jeremiah and his response. A second reading is a reflection on vocation. We rotate a beautiful passage from the writings of John Paul II, or one from Pope Benedict XVI or thoughts from a priest or parents of a priest. On a rotating basis, the various parish ministries sponsor this Holy Hour and provide the readers.
One-Day Pilgrimages - when finances have allowed, we have taken day trips to St. Patrick's Seminary where we meet with the Sacramento Seminarians and tour the facility and several convents for religious women both in the Sacramento and Oakland Diocese. We pray that we will be able to resume this annual activity as the economy improves.
Ordinations - Whenever possible, we as a committee attend ordinations in the Sacramento Diocese to the priesthood and to the temporary and permanent diaconate. Even if no one from our parish is being ordained, we do this in unity with Vocation Awareness Committees from other parishes and as a sign of our support for all candidates and seminarians.
The Vocations Ministry is open to members in good standing at St. Basil Catholic Church of high school age and older.