CHARLOTTE — This Nov. 5-11 marks the annual celebration of National Vocations Awareness Week across the United States.
The annual celebration is dedicated to promoting vocations of priests, deacons and consecrated men and women religious (nuns and brothers) through prayer and education, and to renewing our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.
Currently, the Diocese of Charlotte has 51 seminarians discerning a call to the priesthood.
National Vocations Awareness Week began in 1976 when the U.S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year for special recognition of those discerning vocations.
In 1997, this celebration was moved to coincide with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which fell on Jan. 13 in 2013.
Beginning in 2014, National Vocations Awareness Week was moved to the first full week of November.
For more information, visit www.usccb.org/vocations.
Prayer for vocations
God our Father, we thank You for calling men and women to serve in Your Son’s Kingdom as priests, deacons and consecrated persons.
Send Your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to Your call.
May our community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth and young adults. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.