By Fr. Hien Nguyen

Secondary Calling (continuation of Vocation’s reflection by Fr. Hien)

Secondary vocation, although less important than the first, is also a call from God. In this secondary call, we are invited by God to live a single or married life here on earth to respond to the primary call which is the participation in the divine life. From the single state of life we have different types: consecrated, religious men and women, priest, and single. The other state of life is married.

It is important to note that no matter what states in life we cooperate with God – whether choosing to live a single or married life, we are responsible to partake in God’s life and His salvation plan for us. For example, a priest – a secondary vocation – lives the priestly life to respond to the primary vocation, a call to live eternally with God.

A religious sister or brother – a secondary vocation – lives the consecrated life in responding to the primary call, to participate in the divine life. A married couple – a secondary vocation – lives as husband and wife and parent to respond to the first call, to share their lives in God’s.

A vocation is totally different from an occupation. An occupation is a job that helps a person to make a living whereas a vocation is a life the person lives.

Let’s take as an example our parents. Their vocation is to live out their married life, but their jobs – an essential part of their lives – are what they do to make money to support the family. Our parents, (mother or father) could be a pilot, a police officer, a doctor, etc. The job is part of the person, and it belongs to the mother or father as an adjective to a noun, an accident to a substance, or in this case an occupation to a vocation.

Parents, who live a secondary vocation of marriage, have many different jobs in their lives. Part of their vocation is to feed the children, to change diapers, to educate their kid in the faith and life, etc. The secondary vocation of a priest and part of the vocation is to celebrate Mass, anoint the sick, baptize, bring God’s forgiveness and mercy to sinners, etc. However, as for a job, he can be working at the office at the chancery to recruit more men and women to enter the life of the priesthood or religious.

These explanations will give some clarity in the discerning and help to distinguish the priority of vocations and what predicates to them.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor of true love, to you we turn with trust.

Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion & prayer.

The great thing about walking with God in life is that there is always the opportunity to start anew – God always offers us a new day and a new dawn, no matter what has gone before. At the start of the New Year, why not take a moment to thank Him for last year, ask His forgiveness for where you have failed, and dedicate this new year to Him – to serve Him and love Him afresh.

A New Year’s Prayer

O sacred and adorable Trinity, hear our prayers on behalf of our holy Father, Pope Francis, our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us. Bless, we beseech Thee, during the coming year, the whole Catholic Church; nonbelievers; soften the hearts of sinners so that they may return to Thy friendship; give prosperity to our country and peace among the nations of the world; pour down Thy blessings upon our friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and upon our enemies, if we have any; assist the poor and the sick; have pity on the souls of those whom this year has taken from us; and do Thou be merciful to those who during the coming year will be summoned before Thy judgment seat. May all our actions be preceded by Thy inspirations and carried on by Thy assistance, so that all our prayers and works, having been begun in Thee, may likewise be ended through Thee. Amen

Dear parishioners and friends,

We would like to take this opportunity to Thank each of you who helped with the many preparations required for our special celebration of Christmas. We would also like to thank everyone for the wonderful gifts, cards and prayers generously given to all of us here at St. Ann’s, 3 priests, 3 sisters and one very grateful secretary.

May the peace, joy and love of Christ reign in your hearts now and in the coming year 2018.

The day of joy returns, Father in
Heaven, and crowns another year with
peace and good will in the Holy Spirit.
Help us rightly to remember the birth
of Jesus, that we may share in the joy of Mary and Joseph, in
the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the
worship of the wise men.
Close the doors of hate and open the doors
of love all over the world?
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires
with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil, by the blessing that Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be His children,
And the Christmas evening bring us to our bed with grateful
thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen

St. Nicholas and his helpers