June 5, 2009
Vocations Office invites Catholic community to ‘pray them forward’
This graphic welcomes visitiors to the new “station for vocations” website developed for the Office of Vocations, Diocese of Evansville. See www.stationforvocations.org. Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
A new vocations initiative built on the theme “Pray Them Forward” is being kicked off by the Vocations Office of the Diocese of Evansville. It is intended “to help all of us to better understand and encourage vocations,” said Father Alex Zenthoefer, a member of the vocations team.
“The theme of ‘Praying Them Forward’ is a call to all of us to recognize that we have a role to play in helping young men and women to discern God’s call in their lives,” Father Zenthoefer said.
A visitor to the website will be welcomed with the hope that “this site will help you to better understand who God is calling you to be and how you can help others to recognize their call.”
The homepage goes on to say, “Our Pray Him Forward and Pray Her Forward campaigns are intended to promote a culture of vocations. We are not going at this alone, but we are moving forward as a community seeking to understand how God is calling us to participate in the building of His Kingdom.”
A website visitor can pick from several menu items, including “Pray Him Forward” or “Pray Her Forward” — where the site will receive this welcoming introduction:
“Welcome to Pray Her Forward, a website dedicated to creating a culture of vocations. Maybe your curiosity brought you here. Maybe you want to help a young woman who is trying to figure out what to do with her life. Maybe you are this young woman’s parent or grandparent or friend. Or maybe you are this young woman yourself. Whatever brought you here, we hope that this site will be a place where you can find answers to your questions and some guidance for what you’re looking for.”
A similar announcement is featured on the “Pray Him Forward” page.
Other home page options take the visitor to suggested “Steps of Discernment,” information and ways to contact “Religious Communities,” information about “Current Seminarians,” “Resources,” “Blogs” and “Frequently Asked Questions.”
The blog section leads the visitor to a choice of several priests, with biographies and blogs such as this opening paragraph from Father Zenthoefer:
“I never thought my life would be interesting enough to blog about it, but having been a priest now for almost four years, I struggle to find a little more ‘normality.’ It’s a great life and I hope that some of my experiences will help you to see that, first, I am a normal human being; and second, being a priest is a unique way of living in this world.”
The blogs about the daily life of a priest are intended to help anyone who is curious about what priests do with their time.
To help promote the initiative, bulletin announcements have been sent to all parishes in the diocese. Posters are also being readied.
The vocations team includes Father Bernie Etienne, director, and three associate directors: Fathers Jason Gries and Alex Zenthoefer, and Benedictine Sister Agnes Marie Dauby.
See www.stationforvocations.org, www.prayhimforward.org or www.prayherforward.org.