"URGENT CALL"

The exhortation of Jesus to His disciples: "Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Mt 9:38) has a constant resonance in the Church. Pray! The urgent call of the Lord stresses that prayer for vocations should be continuous and trusting.

FAITH, HOPE AND PRAYER

The Christian community can only really "have ever greater faith and hope in God's providence" (Sacramentum Caritatis, 26) if it is enlivened by prayer.

"A SPECIAL GIFT OF GOD"

The vocation to the priesthood and to the consecrated life constitutes a special gift of God which becomes part of the great plan of love and salvation that God has for every man and woman and for the whole of humanity.

"GIVE THANKS TO GOD"

...Responding to the Lord's call and docile to the movement of the Holy Spirit,... countless ranks of priest and consecrated persons placed themselves totally at the service of the Gospel in the Church. Let us give thanks to God, because even today He continues to call together workers into His vineyard

"UNSHAKABLE CERTITUDE"

While it is undoubtedly true that a worrisome shortage of priests is evident in some regions of the world, and that the Church encounters difficulties and obstacles along the way, we are sustained by the unshakable certitude that the one who firmly guides her in the pathways of time towards the definitive fulfillment of the Kingdom is He, the Lord, Who freely chooses persons of every culture and of every age and invites them to follow Him according to the mysterious plans of His merciful love.

GROW IN TRUST

We must pray that the whole Christian people grows in its trust in God, convinced that the "Lord of the harvest" does not cease to ask some to place their entire existence freely at His service so as to work with Him more closely in the mission of salvation.

CAREFUL LISTENING AND DISCERNMENT

What is asked of those who are called ... is careful listening and prudent discernment, a generous and willing adherence to the divine plan, and a serious study of the reality that is proper to the priestly and religious vocations, so as to be able to respond responsibly and with conviction

(Source: Message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations, May 3, 2009, dated 1/20/09)