Priesthood Sunday is part of the 'Year of Vocation' initiative. It is an opportunity to highlight and promote particularly, the vocation to the priesthood. It is a day to reflect upon and affirm the role of the priesthood in the life of the Church as a central one.Vocations Sunday / Good Shepherd Sunday (4th Sunday of Easter) has had a broader focus in recent years, where successive Papal Messages have also honed in on the priesthood of the baptised and the witness of Religious Orders, as well as that of priests. With Priesthood Sunday, we have an opportunity to highlight that the bare fact that God is still calling men to become priests, and that those answering this call can be happy, content, and fulfilled, as they make a meaningful contribution to modern society.
The Church in Australia and America have been celebrating this for many years. While we are 'borrowing' from their leadership in some ways, we also want to make this idea our own. There is a need to brig priesthood 'back on the menu',valid and meaningful option so to speak, as a for men, especially younger men.
Priesthood Sunday sends a message to all that the sins of a few (In the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandal) do not reflect the innocent majority, and that the priest in the parish, as the instrument of Christ's ministry on earth, is loved and respected by those in the parish community.
What happens on Priesthood Sunday?
It is hoped that the lay faithful of all parishes in the country will develop their own special way of marking the day and honouring their parish priests both at Mass and other parish events, such as social celebrations and school activities. Priesthood Sunday is designed to be an event led by the laity, but your parish priest can participate by talking about how he experienced and answered his own calling, the need for vocations to keep the priesthood vital, and about priests who have inspired him.
Priesthood Sunday will also offer an opportunity for priests and their parishioners to build a stronger working relationship for the future. Together, they can dialogue to take an honest look at the challenges of the future and how they can collaborate to meet those challenges as a united force.
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