Our Faith Formation Programs will play an integral role in raising vocations awareness in our diocese. Our Vocations Director, Fr Greg Gerhart, with the support of Bishop Vasquez and the priests of the Diocese of Austin, has launched a Vocations Plan for the Diocese of Austin. Fr. Greg has asked that our Faith Formation efforts in the parish, at all levels, include a session devoted to vocations each year, preferably during Diocesan Vocations Awareness Week.
Beginning with Called By Name Sunday, and continuing through the week, RE sessions will be devoted to vocations awareness. To assist with the lesson content, the Vocations Office has arranged for all parishes within the diocese to have access to vocations lessons through Vianney Vocations. {TEACHER Portal Login: AustinVocations787} For lessons in Spanish, click here. The Password is Austin2023
Catechetical leaders are asked to familiarize themselves with these lessons and communicate to their catechists the information needed to access the lesson for their grade level. Login below for access to ready-made materials for all elementary, middle, and high school students.
If you have questions please contact Maryrae at 512-949-2469 or email maryrae-stein@austindiocese.org.
On September 30, 2019, Pope Francis announced that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be celebrated as the Sunday of the Word of God.
“Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world. Here, we are reminded of the teaching of Saint Ephrem: “Who is able to understand, Lord, all the richness of even one of your words? There is more that eludes us than what we can understand. We are like the thirsty drinking from a fountain. Your word has as many aspects as the perspectives of those who study it. The Lord has coloured his word with diverse beauties so that those who study it can contemplate what stirs them. He has hidden in his word all treasures, so that each of us may find a richness in what he or she contemplates,” (Francis, Aperuit Illis, 2).
For 2023 the date for that celebration is Sunday, January 22, 2023
To assist you in planning your celebration and in providing ongoing catechetical formation around the Word of God, a number of resources are available: