Sister Nathalie Guéguen dj,

assistant to Father Stépahne Le Sonn

(Diocesan delegate for the Service of Vocations

in Finistère),

shares with us some reflections

on the ‘prayer briefcases for vocations’ project.

“The harvest is rich but the labourers are few,

so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.”

(Matthew 9, 37 – 38).

 

In his pastoral letter of March 2016, Mgr Dognin, Bishop of our diocese of Quimper and Léon, encouraged us to pray fervently to the Lord for vocations: “Do not believe that our prayer will convince the Lord that we need vocations, for he knows that perfectly well already! It is we who need to pray to be converted so that the desire may grow in us to have priests, deacons, religious brothers and sisters, even from among our children and grandchildren!”

In order to support the Christian communities in this prayer for vocations, the team of the diocesan Service of Vocations set up “prayer briefcases for vocations”, entitled “All are called!”. Since the month of May 2017, each parish has received a briefcase. The responsibility for circulating it is confided to a family.

The aim of the briefcase is to enable times of prayer with others and to exchange together on the subject of vocations, whether it be as a family, between friends, in a movement, as a parish or as a community …

It contains :

• two icons (Christ the Good Shepherd and the Holy Family),
• a folder to help in animating the meeting,
• a USB key with songs,
• a small light with “Pray for vocations”,
• a rosary
• and a book in which to write testimonies and prayers.

The folder has, among other things, 18 “testimonials” to help sustain a time of prayer and to open up a dialogue on vocations. We can find there in the proposed biblical texts all of the different human reactions to the call of God and each person can recognise him- or herself in them.

In the life of these witnesses, from yesterday and today, we can discover the response of men, women and children, testifying to the diversity of vocations in the Church and the involvement of God in their story. Everyone can discern a way of life there.

The aim of this briefcase is to allow everyone to become aware of the call of the Lord and to reflect on his or her own vocation.

Nathalie Guéguen