This Sunday is declared by the Church as International day for Religious Vocations. Our church put aside one special day to look closer to the real problem of our Church today. Let’s have the statistical facts of our local diocese of Metuchen. With half million Catholics from 108 parishes, we have only 200 priests and only 151 of them are active. It is also interesting to note that 60 percent of them are more than 65 years old which are set to retire in the next 10 years. That’s more than 80 priests. If this is so, then we are going to have only 70 active priests monitoring 108 parishes. It’s hard to imagine the possibility that more than 40 churches will either be closed or will just be adopted by the nearby parishes. If two or three churches, of at least 10 miles apart, will be administered by only one pastor, don’t be surprised if the third church will have their first Sunday mass at 9 in the evening.

        We all know that it takes 10 years to become a priest, so in order to prepare for the possible retirement of more than 80 priests we should recruit at least 80 new seminarians starting this year, with the hope that all of them will be ordained. If we are talking of 10 years from now, then 2007 and 2008 is so crucial, especially when we usually got 2 or 3 seminarians only, every school year, with only 50 % survival rate. To raise the number of vocations this year from 3 seminarians into 80 is almost next to impossible. But that’s the only way in which the church can serve you better.

        What shall we do then? What are steps that we have to do, in order to help this alarming shortage of vocations in the Church? Our Gospel for today has a lead. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” We have to listen to his voice and answer his call.

1. How do you know that your son have a calling to religious life. When you asked him and he runs away, don't bother him anymore it means, "No deal. "But if he smiles, then that smile is a good sign of a calling. If you asked him again and said "maybe" that maybe means "yes". Maybe is a sign that he has interest on it. That "seed" of interest even how small it might be, it can grow into a big tree.
   
   When I was a young boy, a first grader, my teacher asked me about my ambition in life, I told her, "I want to become priest. " And that was it; it did not change, from Grader to High School; from High School into College; with or without girlfriend, my response stayed the same.
   
   
2. After you planted the “seed” you have to nurture it. You have to dig the soil and water it everyday. I remember my mom asking me the same question everyday, and I will always answer, “I want to become priest” she will smile and go to work. If I want her to have a good day, I just say “yes” everyday. And in the afternoon she will come bringing me hamburger.  Before she gave me the hamburger, she would ask me again the same question. After answering “yes.” then she will be the sandwich. Even if don’t hear her words, at least I am looking at the burger.
   
   When I decided to enter the seminary I enjoyed every moment of it. All our activities had a big impact in my life, from prayer, to studies; from games to laundry, all simply roll into one big happy affair in my life.
   
   
3. As time goes by, the shepherd becomes so close with his sheep that they become friends. They feel so connected, that they can feel the pain and joys of his sheep. Same is true with priesthood. A priest rejoices in his parishioners’ baptism and weddings, while he feels the pains of the family in every funeral mass. They become so connected that he “uncovers the mystery of himself” in the lives of his parishioners. Ironically, a priest has to lose himself in the service of the people, in order to find himself again.
   There could be ups and downs, but I enjoy my life being a priest. The beauty of a religious vocation is when the graces of sacraments are shared to the people. By the power of the priests' hands, Christ is made present to all the people. When I became a pastor in a simple parish in the Philippines, I lived with the people visit them every day, and talk with them. If I know a family that does attend Sunday mass, I dine in their housses and while eating I try to listen to their stories, and I tell my stories too. If I did not see them again the next Sunday I visit them again and eat again. I remember the third time I did that, I saw a boy bringing a message from his parents: "don't come to us tonight father, we will go the church this Sunday, that's for sure."