April 28 2024 - "World Day of Prayer for Vocations"

Last Sunday one of our parishioners, Eduardo (Ed) Deausen was installed as an acolyte at the 9:30 a.m. Mass by Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala.  Ed is currently in formation to be ordained a permanent deacon in June 2025.  Becoming an acolyte is an important step toward his becoming a deacon.  You will see Ed assisting the priests and deacons more often now at our weekend liturgies.  All of this will help him gain experience once, God willing, he is ordained a deacon.  Congratulations, Ed!
 
When Bishop Menjivar installed Ed, he noted that Sunday was Good Shepherd Sunday and the 61^st World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  He encouraged us to pray for our vocation, as we all have one as a result of our baptism in Christ.  He also noted that we will have sixteen men ordained to the priesthood in June of this year, which will be a great gift to the Archdiocese of Washington.
 
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV) released The Class of 2024: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood in anticipation of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The survey mentions that Pope Francis thanked “mothers and fathers who do not think of themselves or follow fleeting fads of the moment, but shape their lives through relationships marked by love and graciousness, openness to the gift of life and commitment to their children and their growth in maturity.”
 
Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing, Michigan, who serves as the chair of the CCLV committee made the following remarks, which echoed those made by the Holy Father:
 
“Mothers and fathers, united in marriage, are the first witnesses to love for their children. It is within the family that children are taught the faith, learn the meaning of love, and grow in virtue. This year’s study of ordinands underscores the fundamental role that families, in particularly, parents play in building up the kingdom of God. It is through the love and support of the family that children develop into the men and women God call them to be.”
 
The sixteen men scheduled to be ordained for the Archdiocese of Washington are among the 475 men scheduled to be ordained this year.  392 of these transitional deacons completed a survey undertaken by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University.  This is an overall response rate of 83%.  These ordinands represent 128 dioceses and eparchies and 29 religious institutes in the United States.  Here are some interesting findings from the survey:
 
· 95% were raised by their biological parents, and 88% were raised by a married couple who lived together.
· On average, respondents first considered a priestly vocation when they were sixteen years old. The youngest age reported was three years old.  The oldest was 53 years old.
· The average age for those being ordained in 2024 is 34 years old.  Since 1999, the average age was 35 and ranged between 33 and 37 years old.
· Most respondents are White/Caucasian (67%), followed by Hispanic/Latino (18%), Asian/Pacific Islander (11%), and Black/African American (2%).
· Of those who are foreign-born (23%), the most common countries of origin are Mexico (5%), Vietnam (4%), Colombia (3%), and the Philippines (2%).
· Of those who worked full-time before entering the seminary (70%), the most common fields of employment were education (21%), business (16%), and Church ministry (13%).
 
You can access the full CARA report and profiles of the Ordination Class of 2024 at: https://www.usccb.org/committees/clergy-consecrated-life-vocations/ordination-classes.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John