-
May 24, 2018
Tom Burke
The Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of San Francisco has announced Holy Hours June 10, 3 p.m., at churches in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties.
“There will be seminarians and probably some discerners at the various Holy Hours, but it is open to everyone to come and pray for vocations to the priesthood in response to ‘Jesus’ command to pray to the Harvest Master that he might send laborers into his vineyard,’” Father Patrick Summerhays, director of vocations for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, told Catholic San Francisco.
The Holy Hours, held at a time of year when the archdiocese usually ordains new priests, are “in response to our having no ordinations to the priesthood this year in San Francisco,” Father Cameron Faller, assistant director of vocations for the archdiocese, said. Holy Hours in each county will make the prayer opportunity accessible to as many people as possible, Father Faller said.
A Holy Hour is a devotional exercise made up of meditation, vocal prayer and singing with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone will preside at the Holy Hour in San Francisco at St. Cecilia Church. Father Tom Martin will preside at the Holy Hour at St. Matthew Church in San Mateo, and Father Andrew Ginter will preside at the Holy Hour at St. Isabella Church in San Rafael. Both priests are also assistant directors of vocations for the archdiocese.
“We are encouraging parish initiatives to pray regularly for vocations,” Father Faller said, naming eucharistic adoration on first Fridays or offering one hour in particular for praying for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life as possibilities for fulfilling the exhortation.
“We invite all parishes to have Holy Hours for vocations,” Father Summerhays said. “Church of the Epiphany currently has one on second Sundays of the month and St. Hilary Parish has one on the third Friday of the month. We also invite all people to pray individually for vocations.” Signing up at Invisible Monastery website, he said, is a specific way people can commit to personally pray for vocations: www.invisiblemonastery.com/
According to its website, Invisible Monastery is a worldwide community of people committed to praying for vocations.
The Office of Vocations of the archdiocese has a new website with information, stories, videos, resources and events plus a monthly e-newsletter: www.SFPriest.org.