Is God Calling You?
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. – Ephesians 1:18
“Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into the public places, like the first apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of Salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is time to preach from the rooftops. Do not be afraid to break out of the comfortable and routine modes of living in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern ‘metropolis.’ It is you who must ‘go out into the byroads’ and invite everyone you meet to the banquet which God has prepared for His people. The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference. It was never meant to be hidden away in private. It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its light and give praise to our heavenly Father” – St. Pope John Paul II
We are blessed in our Church with many who follow in the footsteps of Christ in service to the Church. We are encouraged to pray specifically for our priests and religious and vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Prayer
Loving and Generous God, it is You who call us by name and ask us to follow You.
Help us to grow in the Love and Service of our Church as we experience it today.
Give us the energy and courage of Your Spirit to shape its future
Grant us faith-filled leaders who will embrace Christ’s Mission of love and justice.
Bless Our Lady of Guadalupe Church by raising up dedicated and generous leaders
from our families and friends who will serve Your people as Sisters, Priests, Brothers, Deacons and Lay Ministers.
Inspire us to know You better and open our hearts to hear Your call.
We ask this through our Lord. Amen.
Interested in exploring a vocation
Franciscan Friars
“If anyone wants to profess our Rule and comes to the friars, they must send him to their provincial minister, because he alone, to the exclusion of others, has permission to receive friars into the Order. The ministers must carefully examine all candidates on the Catholic faith and the Sacraments of the Church. If they believe all that the Catholic faith teaches and are prepared to profess it loyally, holding by it steadfastly to the end of their lives…tell them what the Holy Gospel says (Mt. 19:21), that they should go and sell all that belongs to them and endeavor to give it to the poor…when this has been done, the ministers should clothe the candidates with the habit of probation…” – Taken from the Rule of 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi
Visit www.franciscanfriars.org for a better understanding on Fr. Paul’s and Fr. Carlos’ Franciscan formation.
Viva Francis Foundation
Guided by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and dedicated to promoting the vision of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Viva Francis Foundation is devoted to the growth and development of the Franciscan mission in our world today, especially by assisting the Conventual Franciscan friars who live and minister in the western United States.
Priesthood
“The priesthood is so important, not only for the Church but also for the whole world. Every priest is a sign of God’s love, a sign that he is still working in the world, still carrying out his plan of redemption. Today, our Lord is sending these men out to be messengers of his merciful love, stewards of his holy mysteries, and teachers of the truth about God and the sanctity and dignity of the human person.” – Archbishop Gomez’s Homily from the Ordination to the Priesthood 2020
Form more information about the Priesthood, https://lavocations.org
Diaconate Formation
The permanent deacon brings a unique pastoral presence to the parish community. He is an ordained minister whose ministry is “service sacramentalized” through the proclamation of the Gospel, through his participation in liturgy, and through his dedication to ministries of charity and justice.
For more information about the the role of the Deacon, visit https://lacatholics.org/history-of-the-diaconate/
Carmelite Sisterhood
The way of life of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles is rooted in the Gospel, and in the Carmelite spirituality of St. Teresa of Ávila. “Carmel” means enclosed garden in which God Himself dwells. The divine indwelling in the soul is the foundation of Teresa’s doctrine.
For more information about Carmelite Sisters in Alhambra visit https://carmelitesistersocd.com/
Dominican Nuns | Corpus Christi Monastery
The Dominican Nuns of Corpus Christi Monastery offer Come and See Retreats for single, Catholic women ages 18-38. The virtual retreat includes Divine Office, informative talks, as well as opportunities for Q&A with the sisters. For more information contact Sister Joseph Marie O.P. [email protected].
Religious Men & Women Communities
This website is a great resource that includes almost all of the religious men and women communities in the US https://religiouslife.com/
Lay Ministers
Lay ecclesial ministry is the term adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to identify the relatively new category of pastoral ministers in the Catholic Church who serve the Church but are not ordained. Lay ecclesial ministers are coworkers with the bishop alongside priests and deacons.
Any Christian exercising a ministry is a minister. Since all the baptized are part of the universal priesthood, whenever they engage in their vocation to evangelize the world and to help those in need, they are ministers.
Call us today to talk about your special vocation, 310-372-7077.