Sowing the seeds

“Come and see. The priest: witness and servant of vocations” is the theme of the annual meeting of the European Vocation Service (EVS), the Commission of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) for the promotion of integral vocations ministry, held in Esztergom, Hungary, July 2-4. The meeting was attended by 53 delegates of 15 national Churches of the Old Continent: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Scotland along with the responsible of religious pastoral vocation in the United States.With wisdom and audacity. “In Europe’s particular situation – said EVS coordinator father Jorge Madureira, in his opening address – the time has come to sow, like a farmer, the seeds of vocation, notably priestly vocation”. This conviction “grounded in faith, enables us to identify this urgent need” in our continent. Father Madureira highlighted to this regard “the special responsibility” of national Services, namely, “to teach the truth of the Gospel and of Church tradition, even when they are distant from the prevailing thought, with the courage to seriously reconsider the understanding of priestly ministry” and “proclaiming it with wisdom and audacity”. “A joint mobilization is necessary for evangelization in a moment of crisis, to bear witness to holiness with prophetical commitment”. This requires “an urgent review” of the ongoing “Christian educational model”. “We welcome with great hope the new and significant sign given by Benedict XVI with the creation of the Congregation for the new evangelization of the European Continent”, said EVS coordinator.Promotor of vocations. In his speech, which focused on the witness of Israel’s prophets, the auxiliary bishop of Ersztergom-Budapest Msgr. János Székely, Biblical scholar, said, “the person is more important that the mission he is entrusted with”. For Msgr. Jean-Louis Bruguès, Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, “the personal encounter with God is the source of all vocations, of presbyteral vocations in particular”. It cannot be “improvised” and entails a “process of human maturity”. “Priestly vocation – he explained – isn’t only a personal vocation”, whose witness, “which involves the family of origin, the Christian community and the priest community”, can only come from a ministry marked by a clear identity, which requires solid, life-long participation”. Considering the data of the survey promoted by the Pontifical Works for Vocations which in the period 2008-2009 involved various national centres, Father Mario Oscar Llanos, Professor at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, underlined “the need for greater attention towards all vocations”, and for “a greater commitment in accompanying the discernment of those who respond to the Call”. For Fr. Llanos, “each vocation stems from in-vocation”. But it is “the witness of the priest, his life in communion, his daily listening” which engenders the truth, creating the possibility of the freedom of choice”. Indeed, the priest is a “promoter of vocations” if he himself is “a man of charity and communion”. In brief, there are five “stages” in the vocational journey: to sow/awaken, to accompany, educate, discern and choose. A “need that cannot be delayed”. “Mental restraints” prevent some priests from promoting priestly vocations among the youth, which instead constitutes a “need which can no longer be delayed” given the “vocational winter in Western Europe”, said Msgr. Juan Maria Uriarte, bishop Emeritus of Saint Sebastian (Spain). This resistance is due “to the fear of dissuading” the youth, “by proposing a path which entails much sacrifice, and to upset the life of a young man”, with the fear of conditioning his still developing “mental balance”. Having guarded against “reductive” proposals, which “decrease” the standards to “serotine” and “pusillanimous” “social vocations services”, the prelate called upon the priests “not to mix the proposal with their own projections and expectations”. The awareness of the “priority” of this task, the quality of evangelical witness, “the joy of priestly ministry” lived “feeling good in one’s own skin” according to Msgr. Uriate “surprise the youth and lead them to reflect”. Furthermore, a “fundamentally positive attitude towards them” is crucial. Finally hope, based on “the belief that God cannot deny His Church what is indispensable”, and the “closeness” to the parents to “dissipate their fears and prejudice” whilst containing their “over-protection” and ambitions regarding their sons’ future”.