U.S. Bishops to Hold Vocations Fair at World Youth Day

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will host its first-ever Vocation Fair at a World Youth Day (WYD) on Wednesday, August 17. The Vocations Fair will be held at St. Francis Borgia Parish (Parroquia San Francisco de Borja) located just across the street from the U.S. Embassy in Madrid. The fair is co-sponsored by the USCCB Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV) and the Secretariat for Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to invite our youth to open their hearts to Christ and respond to his call to the priesthood and the consecrated life,” said Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis, Missouri, chairman of the CCLV Committee.  Recent surveys of the newly ordained and those making their final religious profession indicate that at least 20 percent of them participated in a World Youth Day at one time or another. “We are very grateful to the pastor, Father José Antonio Vitón, and to the Jesuit community and parishioners at St. Francis Borgia for allowing us to hold the Vocations Fair at their home,” he added.

The fair will open with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Evening Prayer, led by Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, and will continue in the auditorium with featured speakers, opportunities for the youth to interact with bishops and other activities.  Read more

 VOCATIONS FAIR SCHEDULE

 St. Francis Borgia Parish
Wednesday 17 August 2011
4:00 - 11:00 pm

AUDITORIUM                                                                                                                             CHAPEL 

4:00 pm- Exposition/Evening Prayer: Cardinal Sean O'Malley, OFM, Cap.

4:30 pm- Speaker: Young Discerner’s Story Danielle Rose                                             Exposition Opens

 5:00 pm- Concert

 5:30 pm- Social with Bishops / Music

 6:00 pm- Fr. Robert J. Barron: Catechesis on Vocation

 6:30 pm- Social with Bishops / Music

 7:00 pm- Speakers: Young Religious Sister / Young Religious Brother

 7:30 pm- Social with Bishops / Music

 8:00 pm- Game Show: Vocations Linguo (seminarians, young religious)

 8:30 pm- Ice Cream Social with Bishops / Music

 9:00 pm- Speaker: Fr. Joe O’Connor (Vocation Director, Diocese of Syracuse, NY)

 9:30 pm- Social with Bishops / Music

 10:00 pm- Fr. Robert J. Barron: Eucharist and “the call”

 10:30 pm- Night Prayer / Benediction: Bishop Kevin Rhoades                                                   Exposition Ends

11:00 pm- END