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Follow us: Home Page Prayer for Vocations Calendar of Events Links Archbishop Gomez Answering God's Call In this time of mission To pray for priests and promote vocations Five priorities for the Year of Faith Vocations are born from a Catholic culture The world awaits holy priests Our Seminarians Real Stories Priests > Class of 2018 Class of 2017 Class of 2016 Class of 2015 Class of 2014 Class of 2013 Class of 2012 Class of 2011 Class of 2010 Class of 2009 Class of 2008 Lives of the Saints More Young Men Choosing Priesthood Multimedia Photos Videos Resources Vocations Resources Poster Contest Discernment Articles Contact Us Blog Priesthood Ordination Mass 2019 As diverse as the city they serve: Meet our #NewLAPriests Consider Your Vocation. Consider Priesthood. Follow Me:  Journeys  to Pri  esthood Oct.  2  013  - Produced by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Featuring LA seminarians, priests, and the Archbishop Follow us! Spread the word (of God). Start the movement (of the Spirit). Visit us today at www.diocesanpriest.com May God bless you and please continue to pray for vocations, Mrs. Rosemary Sullivan Executive Director, NCDVD NEWS AND EVENTS Monthly Discernment Groups: Is God Calling You? “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a]you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” From the womb God had a plan for you. He equipped you with specific gifts and strengths to impart upon his Church. He endowed you with a vocation and a mission from your earliest moments, and is only waiting for you to start the daring adventure of finding your call. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles invites you to find your calling. We invite you to dare to ask the question, “What was I made for?” And we’re here to help you persevere through the trials of discerning your future. We invite any man in the archdiocese discerning priesthood to join us for our monthly meetings for prayer, guidance, reflection, and fellowship to discern God’s call in one’s life. The meetings have 5 locations to choose from: OLA/San Pedro Regions: St. Anthony of Padua - 7:00pm every 4th Thursday of the month San Gabriel Region: Trinitarians of Mary Convent - 7:00pm every 1st Wednesday of the month Santa Barbara Region: Our Lady of the Assumption - 3:30pm every 3rd Sunday of the month San Fernando Region: St Charles Borromeo - 7:00pm every 2nd Friday of the month Each group is facilitated by a priest who has been where you are. Consider attending the next discernment group night in your area. To RSVP, please email men@calledla.org . 2018 Message of Pope Francis World Day of Prayer for Vocations: Vocations, Witness to the Truth The Fifty-fifth World Day of Prayer for Vocations once again proclaims this good news to us, and in a decisive manner. We are not victims of chance or swept up in a series of unconnected events; on the contrary, our life and our presence in this world are the fruit of a divine vocation! Even amid these troubled times, the mystery of the Incarnation reminds us that God continually comes to encounter us. He is God-with-us, who walks along the often dusty paths of our lives. He knows our anxious longing for love and he calls us to joy. In the diversity and the uniqueness of each and every vocation, personal and ecclesial, there is a need to listen, discern and live this word that calls to us from on high and, while enabling us to develop our talents, makes us instruments of salvation in the world and guides us to full happiness. Click here for full story >> ​The Orphans of Nicaragua: The Place Where I Found Christ ​My encounter with Christ in Nicaragua was one of service and love. The kids showed me so many different facets of God that I had previously heard of, but had not experienced. I had heard that God could never be outdone in generosity. As representatives of Christ, my new friends exemplified that idea. If I smiled at the kids for 5 seconds, they would smile for 30 seconds. If I would give them a hug, they would shower me with even more hugs. They would respond to love. I realized that this is how God is with me. Whatever I do to God, He always out does me in generosity. The whole trip, I felt that the kids gave me much more than I could give them. One of strongest encounters I had with Christ was in an encounter with a boy in Managua. Throughout both places, there is a spectrum of disability. There are individuals who have mental disabilities where they may not be able to talk, others have impaired speech, or some individuals are just like other kids but with only minor cognitive impairments. However, here in Managua this boy was not able to talk or move. He had deformities and physical disabilities that resulted in him being permanently in bed. I felt a movement in my heart when I him. I sat down and found myself not knowing what to do. With other kids, I was running and hugging them. I would ask them questions, try to teach them english, or simply play with them. Yet I found myself uncomfortable in not being able to do anything. I would ask him a question and since he could not speak or move there was no answer. I suddenly clearly saw Jesus in him. There he was, unable to move, vulnerable, but slowly breathing in and out. Tears started to trickle down my face. There was some form of suffering, but his love was greater. I felt myself calming my desire to want to do something, and felt peace in simply being in the moment with him. There was something so powerful in looking him in his eyes and not saying anything. In enjoying one's presence. I started to dialogue in silence with him without words. As I held his hand, I felt his soft peaceful bet. I genuinely wanted the best for him, and felt he wanted the best for me. He had his mission in this contemplative state, while I had my mission as a potential priest serving the people. I felt I needed him, and he needed me. This willing the good of the other and encounter taking place in silence was of the moments that really helped me see an intimate level of Christ. Another powerful experience I had was having the opportunity to sing with the kids. I picked up a guitar and thought how fun it would be to play songs with the kids. We had an opportunity to partake in the holy sacrifice of the mass in what was a very memorable moment. I started to play “el Espíritu de Dios esta en este lugar,” (“the spirit of God is in this place”) and everyone started to sing. It was not typical singing along, but this loud deep singing from the heart. All of us were out of tune, but the passion that our new friends demonstrated was such a beautiful thing to experience. I thought about all the suffering in this world due to our sins. All the pain that our Lord Jesus Christ endured in his passion, but it was moments like these that allowed our Lord to take up his cross and fulfill his mission. Jesus being God, felt all the weight of the world on his shoulders. He genuinely felt like he could not continue. However, God spoke to me and showed me that at his difficult moments He looked in the future and saw his children at the orphanage singing for him. It kept him going, pushed him, and gave him the strength to continue. What precious insight. I firmly believe that the sound of his children singing their hearts were what contributed to our salvation. I feel as if God has allowed me to go to Nicaragua to see some of his most precious creations. Just as a proud dad who’s eye shine when he shows a picture of his children, God’s proud eyes shine in the ministry of Mustard Seeds and his children. Having been in Nicaragua, I can also join the children and with confidence say the spirit of God truly is in this place. - Daniel Ojeda First the Heart then the Work Brian is a stand up dude, and with 14 years of professional experience he knows what he’s talking about. And to top it off he is becoming a priest. I ask him about life in the industry, how he found his calling, and how to make good work. So gr...