--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JOSEPH N. LATINO
Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson, MS
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May 2 , 2008
Ask Mary to strengthen vocations
By Bishop Joseph N. Latino
      For Catholics the month of May is dedicated in a special way to our Blessed Lady, mother of Jesus and our mother in the order of grace. Through her “fiat” (let it be done unto me) she became the first disciple and the first to accept Jesus Christ in her heart even before he came into her womb.
      In the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” #973, it states: “By pronouncing her ‘fiat’ at the Annunciation and giving her consent to the Incarnation, Mary was already collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish. She is mother wherever he is Savior and head of the Mystical Body.”
      At the end of her life the church teaches in the doctrine of the Assumption that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven where her “intercession continues to bring us to the gifts of eternal salvation” (“Lumen Gentium” 62). In the Byzantine liturgy, there is a beautiful prayer in the liturgy for the feast of the Dormition or what we celebrate as the feast of the Assumption that describes this intercession:
In giving birth you kept your virginity;
in your Dormition you did not leave the world,
O Mother of God,
but were joined to the source of Life.
You conceived the living God and,
by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.
      Throughout the history and life of the church, the faithful have turned to our Blessed Lady for her intercession calling upon her under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactor and Mediatrix. (cf. LG 62)
      In light of these roles attributed to Mary, this May I am asking that we in a dedicated way invoke the intercession of our Blessed Lady to open the hearts of young men and women to the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood and religious life and a life of service to her Son through the church.
      This intercession also could be added to all weekend liturgies during May:
“May the intercession of Mary, mother of the church and mediatrix, create in the hearts and minds of young men and women in our diocese an openness to serve Christ and his Church as priests and women and men religious. We pray to the Lord.”
      Many of you already participate in rosary circles and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I ask that you would incorporate this simple yet profound intercession as part of your ongoing prayer efforts.
      For those of you, who participate in the most venerable act of praying the Liturgy of the Hours, contemplate adding this intercession to those listed in the Hours. After the closing prayer consider adding the “O Sanctissima.”
      As many of you may know we will have one ordination to the priesthood this year. Deacon Lincoln Dall will be ordained on Saturday, May 31, at 10:30 a.m. in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. I invite all of you to come and show your support that day for Lincoln as he commits himself to our diocese and a life of service through the ordained ministry.
      Through much prayer Lincoln discerned his vocation and heard the Lord calling him.       How many more of our young people through prayer and gentle nudging could be encouraged by each of us to consider a vocation to the priesthood or religious life?
      Often all it takes is a suggestion from a mother, father, brother, sister, friend, teacher, pastor, etc., to make a young person truly and prayerfully consider a life of service in this unique way. It is the responsibility of all of us to nurture and to nudge vocations for our church.
      Let us invoke Mary, our Mother, to provide receptive hearts and minds in our young people and wisdom in each of us to recognize that receptiveness and in turn encourage these young people to sincerely and prayerfully be open to her Son’s call to follow him.

LATINO ARCHIVES

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