God, I know you love me and are calling me to choose life.
But sometimes, I am overwhelmed by the thoughts of my future.
Help me to listen to your call, in all the ways you speak to me:
through prayer and the scriptures,
through the Church and the circumstances of my life,
through those who love and care for me,
and through my own hopes and desires.
Guide me to search openly and learn about life’s choices,
so that I may respond generously to your call,
and choose the vocation and career
that will enable me to love wholeheartedly,
and serve others with the special gifts you have given me.
God, today, I thank you for your love
and for all things, Amen.
Prayers for those discerning their Vocation
Prayer to Discover Your Vocation
Almighty God,
You have made me to know you,
To love you, and to serve you,
And thereby to find and fulfil myself.
I know that you are in all things
And that every path can lead me to you,
But, of them all, there is one path especially
By which you want me to come to you.
Since I will do what you want of me,
I pray you; send your Holy Spirit to me;
Into my mind to show me what you want of me;
Into my heart to give me the determination to do it,
And to do it with all my love, with all my mind,
And with all my strength, right to the end.
Amen.
Prayer of St Francis
All Highest and Glorious God,
Cast your light into the darkness of my heart.
Grant me right faith, firm hope, perfect charity, profound humility,
with wisdom and perception, O Lord, so that I may always
and everywhere seek to know and do what is truly your holy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Prayer of Thomas Merton
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me
Nor do I really know myself,
And the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
Prayer of Charles de Foucauld
Father, I abandon myself into Your hands,
do with me what You will.
For whatever You may do, I thank You.
I am ready for all, I accept all,
let only Your will be done in me,
as in all Your creatures:
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into Your hands I commend my soul
I offer it to You with all the love of my heart.
For I love, You, my God,
and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into Your
hands without reserve and with boundless confidence,
for You are my Father. Amen
Prayer for Priests
Lord Jesus, the ministry of priests is a sign of your unfailing care.
Call from among us the priests needed for the Church of today and tomorrow.
Bless all students for the priesthood.
Grant them joy, wisdom, courage and a generous spirit.
Sustain priests with a real sense of your love and the support of those they are called to serve.
Keep them faithful to their calling. Amen
A Parent’s Prayer
Loving God, You have given us the privilege as well as the responsibility of parenthood.
Guide us as we invite our children to hear your call to service in the Church.
May they respond with deep faith and generosity to the needs of others.
Help us to be a source of encouragement by our own desire to be committed people who serve with love and enthusiasm.
Amen
40th World Day of Prayer for Vocations
Mary, humble servant of God Most High, the Son to whom you gave birth has made you the servant of humanity.
Your life was a humble and generous service. You were servant of the Word when the angel announced to you the divine plan of salvation.
You were servant of the Son, giving him life and remaining open to his mystery.
You were servant of Redemption, standing courageously at the foot of the Cross, close to the Suffering Servant and Lamb, who was sacrificing himself for love of us.
You were servant of the Church on the day of Pentecost and with your intercession you continue to generate her in every believer, even in our difficult and troubled times.
Let the young people of the third millennium look to you, young daughter of Israel, who have known the agitation of a young heart when faced with the plan of the Eternal God.
Make them able to accept the invitation of your Son to give their lives wholly for the glory of God.
Make them understand that to serve God satisfies the heart, and that only in the service of God and of his kingdom do we realise ourselves in accordance with the divine plan, and life becomes a hymn of glory to the Most Holy Trinity.
Amen
Prayer for Vocations
God, in Baptism you called me by name
and made me a member of your people, the Church.
Help all your people to know their vocation in life,
and to respond by living a life of holiness.
For your greater glory and for the service of your people,
raise up dedicated and generous leaders
who will serve as sisters, priests, brothers, deacons, and lay ministers.
Send your Spirit to guide and strengthen me
that I may serve your people
following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ,
in whose name I offer this prayer.
Amen.
Prayer for Discernment
God our Father,
You have a plan for each one of us,
You hold out to us a future full of hope.
Give us the wisdom of your Spirit
so that we can see the shape of your plan
in the gifts you have given us,
and in the circumstances of our daily lives.
Give us the freedom of your Spirit,
to seek you with all our hearts,
and to choose your will above all else.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
– Based on Jeremiah 29:11-13
Prayer for Vocations
LORD of the Harvest,
BLESS young people with the gift of courage to respond to your call.
Open their hearts to great ideals, to great things.
INSPIRE all of your disciples to mutual love and giving—
for vocations blossom in the good soil of faithful people.
INSTILL those in religious life, parish ministries, and families with the confidence
and grace to invite others to embrace the bold and noble path of a life consecrated to you.
UNITE us to Jesus through prayer and sacrament, so that we may cooperate
with you in building your reign of mercy and truth, of justice and peace. Amen.
—Pope Francis. Adapted from the Message on the 51st World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
Prayer to Our Lady for Vocations
Most holy Virgin, who without hesitation
offered yourself to the Almighty
for the carrying out of his plan of salvation,
pour trust into the hearts of young people
so that there may always be zealous pastors
who are able to guide the Christian people on the way of life,
and consecrated souls who may know how to witness,
in chastity, poverty, and obedience,
to the freeing presence of your risen Son.
Amen.
—Pope John Paul II, Message for Vocations Sunday 2001
Prayer of St. Ignatius
Dearest Jesus teach me to be generous
Teach me to love and serve you as you deserve,
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To toil and not to seek for rest
To labour and to look for no reward,
Except that of knowing that I do your Holy Will.
Amen.
Prayer for a Generous Heart
Father in Heaven, you have blessed us with many gifts.
You chose us before the world began,
To be your adopted sons and daughters,
And to live through love in your presence.
Give us wisdom and insight to know your purpose;
Give us courage to follow where your Spirit leads us,
Give us generosity to serve you in our brothers and sisters.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
—Based on Ephesians 1:3 ff.
Prayer of St. Thérèse of Lisieux
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your
soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.
It is there for each and every one of us. Amen.
—Saint Thérèse of Lisieux