Vocation, Vocation, Vocation

11 April 2008

Vocations Sunday is celebrated this Sunday (13 April) by Catholics around the world and here in the Clifton Diocese our Vocations Director, Father Robert King, has taken an innovative approach to promoting the occasion.  He’s overseen the production of a video series and there will radio interviews across the diocese on Sunday.

The Clifton Diocese ‘Vocation Conversations’ series tells the story of three men seeking to discern and answer God’s call to service.

Father Robert has also written to all parishes.  He has asked Parish Priests to pass on this message in this weekend’s newsletter.

“Narrative is essential to how we understand ourselves and how we relate to God and others. At the heart of narrative is someone's story. Often that story can evoke something within ourselves. An innovative ‘Vocations Conversations’ video series tells the story of three men seeking to discern and answer God’s call to priesthood in the Clifton Diocese.  They are available on cliftondiocese.com.

“Thank you for your prayers and support. Our need for priests is great and the cost of formation considerable. Please continue to be generous.”

The Holy Father's message for Vocations Sunday is available on the excellent Vatican website.

Two of the students for the priesthood for our diocese will be talking about their lives on the radio this Sunday.

At around 7.50 am Matt Anscombe will be talking with Mark Jones on BBC Radio Wiltshire and BBC Radio Swindon.  

Then at about 8.15 am Tom Dubois talks the short stroll from St Peter’s Church in Gloucester (where he’s on a pastoral placement) to the BBC studios to join Richard Atkins on BBC Radio Gloucestershire.  

Meanwhile, at approximately 8.20 am, Matt’s back on air.  This time - on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset’s ‘Sunday Starts’.  Matt will talk with presenter Trevor Fry - who’s hopefully thawed out from his snowy start to his programme last week on Bishop Declan’s roof!

You can also listen to Father Robert preview the ‘Vocation Conversations’ series in a podcast we brought you a couple of weeks ago.

The news of the Clifton Diocese ‘Vocation Conversations’ has received coverage in many newspapers including, The Wiltshire Times, Bridgwater Mercury, Gloucestershire Echo and Bath Chronicle.

BBC Gloucestershire’s website provides an in-depth report and shows a couple of the videos.

The series was produced for the Clifton Diocese by top local studio, the Swindon-based Utopia Audiovisual.  Juan Jose Lopez oversaw the project.

How do I find out more information?
Ask your parish priest or contact our Vocations Director, Father Robert King who will be happy to answer any questions or to help explore a possible vocation to serve as a priest in the Clifton Diocese.   You can write to him at 103 Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LL or call 0117 914 0003.

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