As I take upon the noble ministry of praying and encouraging religious vocations at St. Angela Merici Parish and beyond, I thank you, dear parents, for being the first promoters of religious vocations. I also invite you to join our pastor Fr. Beau, me, and the Christian Community here at SAM to pray for vocations and promote them by encouraging your children to hear the gentle voice of Christ speaking in their hearts and the daily life situations that call for more laborers in the Lord's vineyard.
By way of example, here is a concise overview of my Priesthood vocation story.
The Consolata Missionaries stimulated my vocation to the priesthood from Turin, Italy serving in Meru Diocese from 1911 until today. They live a charism and spirituality on consolation that their founder Blessed Joseph Allamano received from the Mother of Jesus, whom he experienced as “Mary the consoler.” The Consolata Missionaries are in some parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Canada. They mainly focus on helping the poor through education opportunities, training the Catechists for collaboration in the ministry, running the parish, and more.
When I graduated from high school, I took two years of discernment through retreat camps prepared by the Consolata priests serving in the home parish, prayer events in the parish and diocese, attending Sunday Mass, and participating in youth social activities in the parish. These events provided the exposure and the opportunities to know and observe them closely and critically understand their work.
Their impact on the lives of Christians and families, through frequent visits for dinner, Small Christian Communities, and our conversations around a dinner table, I was inspired to a priestly vocation. Although I had already received a university admission, I decided to enter the seminary for the priesthood, and the journey continued through June 2013 when I got ordained a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Meru in Kenya.
I live my priesthood with joy, peace, and love from the Lord and Christians. Nonetheless, the challenges along the journey have created a deeper appreciation and conviction that in every vocation, one is not alone; there is always accompaniment by the Lord who calls and who demonstrates his salvific vocation for us in his incarnate and ultimate love. That love remains displayed in Capital letters, CROSS! The priest and Christians celebrate that love in every Eucharist. Thus, every vocation, whether religious vocation, marriage life, or single consecration, entails resting on the cross and not abandoning it.
Dear young people of SAM, is the gentle voice of the Lord calling you to rest on his cross? Or are you not sure which way the Lord is leading you? Let us begin a conversation around these questions with Joy and peace.
Fr. Lawrence.