Large numbers gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, February 27th for Pope Benedict XVI’s (now Pope Emeritus) final General Audience Address. He spoke truly as a father to his children, encouraging the Church during this time and giving thanks to God for everyone that he had met during his pontificate:

I feel that I carry everyone in prayer, in a present that is God’s, where I recall every meeting, every trip, every pastoral visit. I gather everyone in prayer to entrust them to the Lord, so that we may have full knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, and so that we may comport ourselves in a manner worthy of Him, of His love, bearing fruit in every good work (cf. Col 1:9-10).

He states that his decision was not to abandon the Church, but rather . . . more

Cardinal Piacenza's Letter to Mothers of Priests and Seminarians
ROME, January 02, 2013 (Zenit.org) - Here is a translation of the letter sent by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, to the mothers of priests and seminarians.
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Letter to Mothers of Priests and Seminarians and to all those who Exercise the Gift of Spiritual Maternity in their regard on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Mother of God
Causa nostrae Letitiae – Cause of our Joy!
The Christian People have always venerated the Blessed Virgin Mary with profound gratitude, contemplating in her the Cause of our every true Joy.
Indeed, in welcoming the Eternal Word into her immaculate womb, Mary Most Holy gave birth to the Eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world. . . . more

USCCB.org news release

The Catholic Church in the U.S. will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) January 13-19. The annual event marks a time to promote the role of priests, deacons, and Religious Orders to Catholics who are deciding their own future vocation.

''National Vocation Awareness Week gives dioceses and parishes across the country a chance to promote vocations through prayer and education,'' says Archbishop Robert Carlson, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. ''This is especially important in this Year of Faith and as the Church continues to focus on the New Evangelization. Vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life are essential in the Church's mission of spreading the joy and love of Jesus Christ.”

Father . . . more

Blessed Miguel Pro, 1891-1927
Feast Day: November 23
Beatified By: Pope John Paul II

Born on January 13, 1891 in Guadalupe, Mexico, Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez was the eldest son of Miguel Pro and Josefa Juarez.

Miguelito, as his doting family called him, was from an early age intensely spiritual and equally intense in his mischievousness, frequently exasperating his family with his humor and practical jokes. As a child, he had a daring precociousness that sometimes went too far, tossing him into near-death accidents and illnesses. On regaining consciousness after one of these episodes, young Miguel opened his eyes and blurted out to his frantic parents, ''I want some cocol'' (a colloquial term for his favorite sweet bread). ''Cocol'' became his nickname, which he would . . . more

Nearly 1,000 high school aged teens from across the Archdiocese have registered for Archdiocesan Youth Day on September 15 at DeLaSalle Catholic High School in Minneapolis. While we have now reached capacity at the site, we have created a waiting list. If your parish or campus youth group hasn’t already registered, youth leaders should contact Bill Dill in the Archdiocese’s Office of Marriage, Family, and Life at dillb@archspm.org as soon as possible.

Join Archbishop John C. Nienstedt in a special event just for high school age Catholic youth! Kick the school year off right by hearing a message of truth, experiencing joy, and preparing to make 2012 a year of deep, authentic Faith.

When: Saturday, September 15, 2012

•2:00 - 9:00 p.m. (registration starts at 1:00 p.m., . . . more

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 21, 2012 (condensed from Zenit.org).- Officials of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization unveiled today at the Vatican the logo and a calendar of events for the Year of Faith, which Benedict XVI has called for Oct. 11, 2012, to Nov. 24, 2013.

The Year of Faith will also coincide with two anniversaries: the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II and the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The logo of the Year of Faith includes the image of a ship, symbolizing the Church. The mast of the vessel is a cross with full-blown sails which form the monogram of Christ (IHS) and in the background is a sun representing the Eucharist. The Web site of the event is available in various languages . . . more

“In a world where human frailty is acutely felt, they [religious men and women] remind us of God and bring Christ’s redemptive love to all they meet.” (Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis)

Religious Orders are receiving younger members and those who are more educated than those of previous years. In a recent study surveying Religious Orders for men and women in the U.S., administered in 2011 by Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Aposolate and commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the findings brought great hope for Religious vocations:

· In 2011, the average age of women professing perpetual vows was 39—4 years
younger than those surveyed the previous year. This was the first year men were
included in . . . more

Pope Benedict XVI's ordination to the priesthood took place 60 years ago on June 29, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Congregation for Clergy has issued an appeal to Catholics worldwide to mark the Pope's anniversary with 60 hours of Eucharistic prayer for vocations and the sanctification of the clergy.

According to a statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, dioceses nationwide are planning to organize prayers before the Blessed Sacrament throughout the month of June. Some celebrations will conclude on July 1, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the World Day of Prayer for Priests.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the bishops' conference, called prayer for vocations ''a worthy intention'' and an appropriate spiritual . . . more

Bishop Composes Test

The Year for Priests wasn’t just an internal celebration among the clergy, but rather an opportunity for all the faithful to assess their appreciation for the priesthood, says Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Palencia.

''Do we appreciate the priesthood and love our priests?'' the bishop asked in a posting on the Web site of his diocese.

To answer this question, the bishop composed -- ''with a bit of humor'' -- the following test titled ''Priestly Appreciation.'' The test is complete with instructions to evaluate your answers and your level of appreciation for the priesthood.

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1. Have you prayed recently for your parish priest, your bishop or the Pope?

a. I don't even know their names.
b. At Mass there is usually prayer . . . more

Pope Benedict XVI gives a guideline to determine ''True Prayer''

''The secret of a vocation,'' the Holy Father told youth in July, ''lies in the capacity and in the joy of distinguishing [God's] voice, of listening to and following his voice. But to do this, it is necessary to accustom our heart to recognize the Lord, to hear Him like a person who is near me and who loves me.''

Moments of ''interior silence in the day-to-day routine'' are essential, he said. But once one has learned to hear this voice and to generously follow it, ''one fears nothing, he or she knows and feels that God is with him or her, and that He is a Friend, Father, and Brother.''

Thus, ''the secret of a vocation lies in the relationship with God, in prayer that grows precisely in interior silence, . . . more

''A Vocation Story,'' a 14-minute film about a young woman coming to understand her vocation despite her fears of missing the romantic parts of life is now available to parish youth ministers and pastors.

It is a compelling story, produced locally, from the eyes of the young woman who is fully aware of the attractions of her culture and the beauty of married and family life. Nevertheless, she senses that the Lord may have another plan for her, and she doesn't want to miss it.

For copies of this film, contact: vocationmovie@gmail.com. . . . more

Danielle Rose's passion and dedication to the church radiates through this stirring album that encourages us to follow our vocational calling. Her authenticity is truly unlike any other artist to come before or after her. 100% of the royalties from sales of this CD will be directed to support vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Fr. David Toups of the USCCB Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations
said, ''She represents the best of the ''JP II generation'' who heard him proclaim over and again, ''Be not afraid!'' From Abraham to Mary to the disciple of today, she angelically sings of this call. These songs will inspire all discerning God's call in their lives. May her consoling voice and lyrics encourage listeners to say a deeper ''yes'' to the Lord.''

For . . . more