Pilgrim progress- a disciple on a journey!

Pope Francis Message for Vocations Sunday 2016 The Church, Mother of Vocations Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is my great hope that, during the course of this  Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy , all the baptized may experience the joy of belonging to the Church and rediscover that the Christian vocation, just like every particular vocation, is born from within the People of God, and is a gift of divine mercy. The Church is the house of mercy, and it is the “soil” where vocations take root, mature and bear fruit. For this reason, on the occasion of the 53 rd  World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I invite all of you to reflect upon the apostolic community, and to give thanks for the role of the community in each person’s vocational journey. In the  Bull of Indiction for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy , I recalled the words of the venerable Saint Bede, describing the call of Saint Matthew: “ Miserando atque eligendo ” ( Misericordiae Vultus , 8). The Lord’s merci...

MESSAGE OF POPE FRANCIS FOR THE 51st WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS 11 MAY 2014 - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Theme: Vocations, Witness to the Truth  Dear Brothers and Sisters, 1. The Gospel says that “Jesus went about all the cities and villages... When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest’” (Mt 9:35-38). These words surprise us, because we all know that it is necessary first to plow, sow and cultivate to then, in due time, reap an abundant harvest. Jesus says instead that “the harvest is plentiful”. But who did the work to bring about these results? There is only one answer: God. Clearly the field of which Jesus is speaking is humanity, us. And the efficacious action which has borne “much fruit” is the grace of God, that is, commu...