Hispanic Ministry / Felix Navarrete

Let’s do all we can to promote religious vocations

(En Espanol)

In our secularized society, the call to the priesthood and the consecrated life is an “old-fashioned” affair. Despite the times in which we live, the crisis of moral and Christian values ​​leads humanity more and more to an existential void that can only be filled by God.

The history of our Church tells us about the lives of brave men and women who, throughout the centuries, have fervently pursued an ideal, a thought that did not allow them to put themselves before the needs of others; simple people, from all walks of life who sought the common good without seeking to please the world. Children, young people and adults who knew how to listen to their inner voice, far from the noise of the world, as they embarked toward heaven. We know them as saints.

In the 21st century, our Church remains alive, and even with ups and downs, we continue to be a sign of hope for humanity. It is now when we most need to strengthen our communities, work together for the common good, act with commitment and dedication in our ministries, but above all, resume teaching Christian values ​​at home, instilling the teaching of God’s love and respect for divine things, and urgently wake up from a lethargy where we have remained comfortable waiting for someone else to take our responsibilities in the formation of our children.

It is time to reflect and, through prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to revive our faith, to open our spiritual senses and help us to be saints and to form saints.

Materialism and competition in the workplace have distanced us from a sense of service that our life as Christians entails. Parents no longer conceive of the idea that their children become future priests or religious sisters; they think it is not a viable option when considering careers in an economic sense and through competition.

Sadly, we do not think about the need for priests and religious, who bring us closer to a true encounter with the person of Jesus. And only in times of need, we desperately seek help from these professionals, whose mission is to save souls.

Have you wondered what would happen tomorrow in a society where there are no priests or nuns? Who will dry the tears of the downcast? Who will speak for the underdogs? Who will feed the needy? Who will watch over the immigrants? Who?

In the U.S., which many now call home, our Hispanic community represents more than 35% of Catholics nationwide, which translates to more than 30 million Hispanic Catholics. However, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, only 15% of priestly ordinations are nurtured through Hispanic families.

It is not a secret that in our archdiocese there is a need for vocations. The more our community grows in central and the southern Indiana, the more the need for pastors to guide us on our journey of faith.

The phenomenon of migration from Latin American countries to North America is an increasingly tangible reality, and we need as a Church to be prepared to offer spiritual well-being to many desolate, hungry and thirsty souls. They need not only physical food, but true food that gives health to the soul and body: the Eucharist.

Parents, if you feel God is speaking to you through this column, please consider a vocation to the priesthood or the consecrated life for your children. Encourage an expression of God’s love in your home and pray together so that our Hispanic community may be a seedbed of vocations. Peace and good!
 

(Felix Navarrete is archdiocesan coordinator of Hispanic Ministry.) †