Raising vocation awareness

January 12-18 marks the national celebration of Vocations Awareness Week. The call of Samuel and Jesus' invitation to "come and see" in the readings from that weekend's Mass provide a natural backdrop, invitation and challenge for the faith community to awaken fresh interest in its ongoing response to God's call.

During January, the faith community can honor our roots by telling the stories of those who have embodied the call in our local community's history. People like Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha; women and men of faith who have been leaders in the community throughout the years; immigrant parents who have struggled to provide a hope for their children; local legends like the late Rev. Tom Tooher, who served a number of communities on horseback; the women and men religious who built schools and hospitals to serve an immigrant people; and leadership in the local Catholic Family Movement, CYO and youth ministry.

Those are the people from our history whose lives have been examples of vision and service. We can acknowledge our gratitude to them for embodying and passing on their gift of faith and tradition. We can recognize that we, too, are called to give from what we have received.

Vocations Awareness Week is a time to recall that the primary question is not whether I am called, but rather where am I called; that God calls each of us into relationship; that the community celebrates this relationship in the Sacrament of Baptism; and that this Baptism invites us to use all the gifts God has given us in service to God and other people.

It is a week to invite the community to enter into the process of discernment anew. It is a week to recall that each unique vocation in our community complements the others and plays a significant role in the life of our community.

Next week's issue of The Evangelist will contain stories and practical information on how to take advantage of opportunities being offered throughout the coming months to further explore God's call with people currently involved with spreading the Gospel in our Diocese. The Parish Manual of Activities for the Sesquicentennial also contains a number of vocations awareness suggestions for this month.

Here are some other suggested activities during Vocations Awareness Week:

* Reflect on your own response to God's call in your life in light of the first reading from Samuel in the weekend liturgy.

* Call someone you know who is involved in ministry to talk with your RCIA, youth group, parish organization, adult education group or faith formation class.

* Plan an "Ask Anything" night involving ministers and groups that meet regularly (Faith Formation, RCIA, youth, parish organizations).

* Invite parish ministers to share their stories and ministries informally at "coffee and doughnuts" gatherings after parish events.

* As many of us did during the "Called by Name" program, share with others your seeing in them qualities from which the community could benefit in ministry.

* People engaged in ministry can volunteer to talk to schools about their own response to God's call.

* "Your Choice" and "Vision" vocations awareness magazines by writing Your Choice, Distribution Office, 701 Main St., Evanston, IL 60202; or by calling 708-869-1573;

* Material from the Diocesan Office of Vocations, 453-6670.

(Editor's note: Father Molyn is vocations director for the Albany Diocese.)

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