For those who have chosen the ordained ministry, through sacramental ordination, they share in the priesthood of Christ in a special way.
Their very beings are changed so that they can represent Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, for God’s people and Christ as the Head of the Church.
They not only offer their own lives to the Father, as all Christians do, but they also stand before the Church and minister to the faithful as another Christ.
Therefore, when they teach with the authority of the Church, Christ teaches; when they absolve sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation, then Christ forgives; when they offer the Sacrifice of the Mass then Christ offers that Sacrifice; when they love, support and care for God’s people entrusted to their care, then Christ is present with his people.
To find out more about the priesthood or to explore the idea of a vocation to the priesthood, please contact:
Fr Michael Deas, Vocations Promoter
St Augustine’s Presbytery
Lower Chatham Street, All Saints, Manchester, M15 6BY
Tel: 0161 670 5110
michael.deas@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Fr Mark Paver, Vocations Director
St Winifred’s Presbytery,
Mauldeth Road,
Heaton Mersey,
Stockport,
SK4 3NB
Tel: 0161 736 2696
mark.paver@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Are you a priest with a parishioner who you think might have a calling to the priesthood? Are you – or do you know – someone looking for a little guidance in discerning the direction for his future? Are you simply looking to get people talking about vocations in your parish? It might be helpful to know what resources there are available and to learn a little more about the process.
Community
The first thing to say is that vocations grow and are encouraged in community. As well as the parish community, which is central to our lives in the diocese, those on the younger end of the age range may like to engage in our vibrant young adult community in the diocese. From our diocesan monthly Masses for young adults, regular events to connect with other young Catholics, and a whole range of fantastic opportunities in parishes across the diocese – this is a great way to help our young people focus their minds on what God is asking of them. It may be particularly fruitful to consider taking part in a pilgrimage, such as the annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, a World Youth Day pilgrimage, or the upcoming young adult pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee Year in 2025. Whatever speaks to them, the key is connectivity, so please do share our events and invite them to follow us on Instagram by searching @salfordyouth.
Enquiry Process for Priesthood
The first port of call for any man who thinks he may have a vocation to the priesthood is his parish priest, or a priest he knows and would find it easy to talk to. This should allow for a relaxed exploration of the idea and give the man a chance to be affirmed in his sense of vocation. Our Vocations Team, made up of Fr Michael Deas and Fr Mark Paver, are here to support anyone from that point. Feel free to contact either of them using the contact information on the back page of this newsletter. Fr Michael typically will meet a person first and may do so over a period of several months. During this time, he will be encouraged to develop his prayer and sacramental life, establish himself in the parish and be beginning to demonstrate the inclination to service. It may also be a good idea for him to begin to see a Spiritual Director to help the man discern what God is asking and where the Holy Spirit is working.
Enquirers’ Group
To supplement the individual meetings, we also have an enquirers’ group which meets every two months, where we pray together, eat together, and listen to a guest speaker who will talk about the theme of priesthood. The purpose of this group is for those with a genuine openness to a vocation to the priesthood to know that they’re not alone, and to share experiences with and get the support of others going through a similar journey. Quite often, good, lasting friendships are made in such groups. The enquirers’ group currently has between 8-10 men who are all at different stages of exploring the possibility of a vocation.
Discerning a Call to Priesthood
There is no hurry in discerning God’s call and no pressure. After at least a year, if the call continues to be strong, a discerner will then begin to meet with Fr Mark and, together with Fr Michael, a decision will be taken about whether it is the right time to make an application to begin a programme of formation to the priesthood.
Prayer
One of the best ways of promoting vocations is something that we all can do: pray that more people recognise their calling from God. This can come in the form of the Deanery Masses that will be taking place, or in a parish Holy Hour or any event on a more local level. Hopefully, by being more visible in our desire for more vocations, we will then create a culture where people feel comfortable talking about the idea of vocation, and it then feels natural to continually encourage and talk positively about priesthood in particular.
Resources
In terms of resources, there are lots of websites to visit. A good place to start is the National Office of Vocations website, here: https://www.ukvocation.org/ or the related website https://www.ukpriest.org/. There can be found information about life as a priest, stories and good points of contact.