Serra Club vocations essay

Priests, deacons and religious invite others to come and see Christ

By Brittany Ables (Special to The Criterion)

In the Catholic religion, individuals are able to convey their love of Christ and their love for the people of the Church.

In addition, some are called to invite others to be a witness to the love of Christ and find their own vocation in life.

Priests, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters live lives that reflect a calling to teach others of the goodness of God as well as allow God to use them to reach out to others through service.

Individuals within the Catholic Church—such as priests, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters—invite others to come and see the awesomeness of the Christian lifestyle through their teaching. Priests spread God’s word at Mass every Sunday morning. They share God’s love with the Church community.

Religious brothers and sisters are teachers at various local schools. They spread the word of God to the children of the schools. Through this teaching, the children learn about their beliefs and are led to understand their own personal callings.

Not only do these individuals teach, they also minister to people. They serve others because they are inclined to do it, not because they feel like they have to. They reach out to others and have a desire to help them. They allow God to use them to reach out to others in their time of need. Through God’s word and prayer, these individuals lead others toward God and eternal life, and away from sin and death.

In addition to their ministry, priests, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters know how to invite others to come and see Christ because they have grown close to Christ. Through many hours of studying the Bible and talking to God, they have come to know what it takes to come and see Christ. Their intimate relationship with the Father allows them to show others what they are called to do in life.

In conclusion, many aspects of the lives of priests, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters highly qualify them to invite others to come and see Christ and discover their own vocations. They have a desire to reach out to others, no matter the circumstance. God has given them a heart to teach and minister to others. God has called these particular individuals to convey his word to others.

(Brittany and her parents, Darryl and Risa Ables, are members of Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish in Indianapolis. She completed the 12th grade at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis last spring, and is the 12th-grade division winner in the Indianapolis Serra Club’s 2010 John D. Kelley Vocations Essay Contest.) †