VOCATIONS

As Christ called his apostles to “Come follow me …I will make you fishers of men” so, too, Christ calls us.  The word vocation comes from the Latin word “vocare” which means “to call.” Our true vocation does not come from the world, but rather, it is an invitation directly from God. Through Baptism, God calls each of us to live and follow Him in holiness through love of God and neighbour. Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties. The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood. Holy Orders, which was instituted by Christ himself, is administered by the laying on of hands by the Bishop, through which the priest is given the power to serve the Church through his preaching, teaching and celebration of the Sacraments. Might God be calling you? If you are a Catholic man or woman who believe you might have a calling to the consecrated life as a religious brother or sister, please explore the Diocesan vocations page or contact the parish office.

The Secular Franciscan Order is a community of secular laity and clergy who seek to pattern their lives after Saint Francis of Assisi, and through him, Christ Jesus.   Secular Franciscans still strive, as it has been from the very beginning, to live the life of the Gospels. The Order stresses fraternity life, a quest for personal holiness, personal and fraternity apostolates with the aim to work for social justice and peace in the world.

The Order is divided into local, regional, national, and international fraternities. Each fraternity has an elected Council to minister to the needs of the brothers and sisters.  Each has a Spiritual Assistant who keeps Saint Francis’ unique way of following Christ alive.  Fraternities generally meet once a month. Members meet for prayers, ongoing formation, and support under the leadership of an elected Minister.

Each Secular Franciscan Fraternity continues to invite new members to join its numbers. If you are interested or would simply like more information, please contact 

St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity, Sarnia – 
Willi Kole at 519-339-0492.

Catholic Engaged Encounter provides quality preparation for marriage. This retreat weekend is Catholic in thought, morality, ritual and expression.

It gives couples the opportunity to discover the deep meaning of the Sacrament of Marriage within the Catholic Church. We offer couples a unique experience which focuses strongly on fostering good communication in marriage and the importance of God in their relationship. We solidly support Church teaching in all areas.

To see dates for upcoming In-Person Catholic Engaged Encounter Weekends please visit https://www.ceelondon.ca/

To see dates for upcoming Virtual Catholic Engaged Encounter Weekends please visit https://ceecanada.ca/virtual-easterncanada/

The cost per couple for the virtual retreat is $250.

For more information: please contact JoAnne Burrell 519-542-8826, [email protected] or visit the website at https://www.ceelondon.ca

Join other families in learning about our beautiful Catholic faith! We meet twice a month for a couple of hours at St. Patrick's High School from October to April. There are classes for all age groups including the moms and dads. For more information email [email protected] or check out the website at Family Foundation Institute, famfi.ca