January 16, 2009

Guests: Fr. Chris Fontanini, Vocations Director for the Diocese of Des Moines
Fr. Jim Kubicki, Director of the Apostleship of Prayer
Featured Saint of the Day: St. Berard and Companions

Today, Deacon Rick spoke with Fr. Chris Fontanini, the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Des Moines. Fr. Chris told us that a focus of this year's efforts to encourage vocations is to get the priests involved in the process more. He told us that 77% of men in the seminary were influenced by priests that they'd known. To help with this, the diocese has been hosting Andrew Dinners, where the young men share a meal with other priests and the Bishop and talk about vocations. The next Andrew Dinner is January 26 from 6-8pm at St. Theresa's Catholic Church. There are thirteen young men in the seminary for the Diocese of Des Moines right now, Bishop Pates hopes to have thirty. Fr. Chris asks that we all pray for vocations as well as being bold and speaking with those who may have a call from Christ to come and follow him.

Deacon Rick and Jenny also spoke with Fr. Jim Kubicki, Director of the Apostleship of Prayer. Fr. Jim shared a bit of his vocation story, which started when he was introduced to religious life throught he Jesuit High School he had attended. Fr. Jim shed some light on Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI's intentions for the month of January.

Pope Benedict's general intention for January is "That the family increasingly be a place of formation in charity, personal growth, and transmission of the faith." Right now, members of the faithful are gathered in Mexico City for the World Meeting of Families. The World Meeting of Families was started in 1994 by Pope John Paul II and meets every three years. The topic of the meeting is "Family Teacher of Human and Christian Values." Our Holy Father's intention stems from this conference.

Pope Benedict's misison intention is, "That Christian denominations may strive for full unity so as to be a more credible witness of the Gospel to a world in need of a "New Evangelization." For the past 101 years the week of January 18-25 has been dedicated to prayer for Christian Unity. This stems from Christ's words in John 17, "May they be one as we are one, so that hte world may believe..." Wihtout unity, the world will dismiss Christians. The world needs the Gospel, so we must always strive for Christian Unity.

For more information you can go to their website: www.apostleshipofprayer.org
Or you can call them at: 414-486-1152