The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.
St. John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests
When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you to all who welcomed Fr. Connor O’Hara last weekend. He is our new Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall. Fr. Connor assisted me in my Sunday Masses, and preached on vocations as well.
Fr. Connor has invited us all to pray “to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Mt 9:38). We currently have one seminarian studying for the Archdiocese. However, i know there are many more who are actively discerning this call.
Is the Lord calling you to serve him as a priest? Join other men discerning the priesthood for monthly formation, fellowship, and Eucharistic Adoration. Each night will be held at the new Café des Tours, located in the basement of Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa.
To join the Quo Vadis email list or for more information, contact Fr. Connor O’Hara. Next gathering is set for September 14, 7pm – 9pm.
Finally, i share Fr. Connor’s invitation to all of us from this weekend. Please continue praying for vocations.
Dear friends in the LORD,
My name is Fr. Connor O’Hara, and I’m the Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Ottawa- Cornwall. I write to encourage us all to do more to foster priestly vocations and vocations in general. Some ask… what can be done? Jesus answers: pray! Pray “to the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38). In this same vein, Archbishop Fulton Sheen once remarked that vocations are like silken cords dangling from heaven: “prayer is the sword that cuts them”.
If any would doubt the importance of prayer in cultivating priestly and religious vocations, allow me to share a story that comes to us from the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy. The Italian town of Lu faced a shortfall of vocations. The mothers of that town decided to pray for vocations by gathering weekly for adoration of the Eucharist, receiving Holy Communion, and praying together after Mass for the same intention. Eventually, the tiny town boasted of some 323 priestly and religious vocations.
It is my dream, as a new Vocations Director, that every day within our Archdiocese – seven days a week — there will be those dedicated to the real and important mission of praying to the Lord of the harvest.
So I ask you: can your parish, community, organization, or group dedicate to the Lord a weekly period of prayer for vocations to the priesthood and religious life? Here is how you might proceed:
- In a prayerful manner, ask for the light of the Holy Spirit to guide your decisions.
- If you are in a parish, consider sharing this invitation with the pastor, parish pastoral council, and prayer groups. Parishes as a whole – or individual groups – might answer the call.
- If you are part of a religious community or organization, share this with your superior.
- Once you establish a commitment, share it with me.
- Finally… pray! This could take the form of a Holy Hour, a Rosary, or simple informal prayer before the Lord in the tabernacle.
If there is any way that I can be of service to you in our mutual task of fostering vocations, please let me know.
Yours sincerely in the LORD’s harvest,
Rev. Connor O’Hara
Vocations Director
Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall
vocations@ottawacornwall.ca
