A Stable as a Locale for Vocations
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May 16, 2024The Shrine of Ste. Anne is very important in our day to day lives, so too is Blessed Vasyl's Shrine in Winnipeg, and so also the Shrine in honour of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Toronto. Good Shepherd Sunday is just one of many Sundays and Feast Days that we are invited to celebrate our Shrines and places of worship. We are assured by our Shepherd that we (the sheep) know His voice and His call. Our Vocations Office reminds us that the Lord's voice is our way to share the Call. We are called to live the sacraments, part of the call is listen to the Lord's voice as He calls out to us.
In 1732 that call was answered as the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer came to be. Over thirty years ago I was blessed to answer the call on Howland Avenue in the Annex of Toronto, Ontario. The Annex has been home to many religious communities in the neighbourhood, one of those many were the Paulists who gave the city of Toronto a different sound to the call. Vocations grow by many means today.
On Vocation Sunday – Good Shepherd Sunday-- the Good News places Vocations before our eyes. St. Peter's Parish, in the Annex, is just one of the many places vocations grow. On Vocations Sunday (April 21, 2024) a number of religious Sisters, Jesuit students, deacons and a Redemptorist were recognized for the gift of God's call to serve.
Over 30 years ago, Gerard House, on Howland Avenue was just one of the places that God's call was answered. It was there I was blessed to begin my initial formation. As Gerard House (in the Annex) was key to my formation years so too were many other locations key to all Redemptorists in Canada. Brockville, then Holy Redeemer College, then Gerard House on Coxwell Avenue, plus the former houses in Western Canada, and the former houses of the Yorkton Province, former houses of Ste. Anne, gave a place for vocations to grow. It really does not matter the geography of where vocations grow, what does matter is that we all help them to grow.
In the Good Shepherd Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s, vocations were emphasized, it is up to all of us to emphasize them even more. The Lord is our Shepherd, we need to make sure His voice is heard. Over the years many of us heard that voice in the Annex, now we are called to let others hear that voice. These pages are just one of the places we can share that voice. We need to share the call.
