The Catholic Church in Australia is about to celebrate Vocations Awareness Week from August 7–14. It’s a time to stop and listen in awe to the way God has worked in people’s lives and called them to walk different paths in service to God and others.

In the AUS Province we are blessed to once again have a ‘full house’ at our formation house, Dorish Maru College in Box Hill, Melbourne. The pandemic-related international border closures meant that for the past two years, the young men who had been due to start their theological studies here could not gain entry to Australia. It is a delight to now be welcoming them into our Provincial community.

Each of them has their own story of being called by God to this particular vocation of consecrated missionary life. We will be introducing them to you over the next few months and you’ll get the chance to hear the story of God’s call in their life and how they have answered the call to serve God’s people and journey with them. We ask your prayers for them as they continue to discern their path forward.

At the other end of the scale, we are also blessed in this Province to have a large seniors community, residing at our Provincial House in Marsfield in Sydney. These well-seasoned missionaries also have their own stories of being called by God to their vocation. On top of that, they now have decades of experience which stand testament not only to God’s call, but to his sustaining love through all the ups and downs of missionary life. As they traversed the mountains and rivers of Papua New Guinea to reach remote outstations for Mass and pastoral care, or the times they were shipped home with Dengue Fever for rest and recovery, and as they worked with local communities to build churches, schools and medical facilities, God was with them all the way. Vocations aren’t just for young people – a vocation gives us purpose and direction for life. As Pope Francis frequently reminds us, we must treasure and learn from the seniors in our lives. I know our SVD community is immeasurably enriched by the seniors in our midst.

So, as we prepare to celebrate Vocations Awareness Week, may we pray for all vocations – to marriage, priesthood, religious life or single life. And for those still discerning their vocation, let us pray that our loving God will guide them forward in what St Therese of Lisieux called the greatest vocation of all, the vocation of love.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD,

Provincial.