holy orders
A calling by God is such a gift and a joy! As Jesus tells us, "The harvest is great, but laborers are few, so beg the harvest master to bring more laborers to his harvest."
Are you being called to a vocation of service to God and his holy people? Here are some simple steps to follow to find out if you are:
Pray every day. Have a solid prayer life where you can talk to God and listen for his call.
"Lord, help me to be, what you want me to be."
Go to Mass regularly, including daily Mass, so that you can experience the greatest sacrifice that priests are privileged to share.
Go to Confession regularly, so that your soul can be a place where Christ resides and directs you to respond to his invitation.
Pray to find a worthy spiritual director who can answer your questions so as to help you discern God's call.
If you are a young man who feels that the Lord may be calling you to the Holy Priesthood, or if you are a male parishioner and feel the Lord might be calling you to the Diaconate, please contact Fr. Esse.
Our Lord Jesus, from the beginning of His earthly ministry, called twelve men to be His Apostles. These men would be sent into the world to proclaim the good news of salvation for all people. Through the laying on of the hands of a bishop, and through the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the Lord continues to call men to the Sacrament of Holy Orders so that the saving mission of Christ may continue in the Church. The bishops, who are the successors of the Apostles, are ordained to lead a diocese by ensuring that the faith and morals experienced and lived by the holy people of God are authentic to the Truth given by Christ and entrusted to the Church.
The priests, who assist the bishops with his mission, are also charged with the task of enabling the faithful to receive the life of Christ daily, primarily through the sacraments and through a life of prayer. Deacons are ordained to assist the priests, to proclaim the gospel, and to assist at mass. But arguably the most important role of the deacon is to be the hands and voice of Christ to the most needy and vulnerable in our midst, especially the sick and the poor.