An opportunity for co-responsibility

There are times members of the church community doubt whether they can contribute meaningfully to the promotion of vocations to the priesthood, religious life and the lay consecrated life. Those doubts should not linger too long. We must make a shift in our thinking where ministry and particularly vocations ministry is concerned.

The entire archdiocese – bishop, priests, deacons, religious, parents/guardians, catechists and school teachers are all co-responsible for promoting, fostering, supporting and motivating men and women to discern their vocation. Co-responsibility is important for ministry in the Church of today.

By virtue of our baptism, we are all called to collaborate with one another in ministry. We are called to see that we have responsibility for mission and ministry. That collaboration is also deepened when we see ourselves as co-responsible for the mission of the Church.

Co-responsibility in ministry is the antidote to the poison of diffused responsibility.  Diffused responsibility occurs when individuals or groups believe that a particular task would be done by someone else. In the end, the task never gets done because somebody thinks that somebody else would do it.

Generation S is providing an opportunity to build co-responsibility for vocations ministry in the archdiocese. We are having an essay competition entitled: ‘What if God called me’. We are asking confirmation catechists and school teachers in our government and Catholic secondary schools, to help promote this competition. The deadline for the submission of essays is Friday, October 27 and the prizes are fabulous.

Youth ministry, teaching ministry and catechists could all come together and work to make this essay competition a success. Our aim is to trigger the imagination of our youth. Can they be encouraged to imagine that God could be calling them to the priesthood, religious and lay consecrated life?

For further details contact Fr Matthew d’Hereaux via WhatsApp on 299-1056. Posters are being distributed in schools, parishes and through vicariates catechetical heads.