Our “Vocations Cross” will be in the church vestibule with cards hanging on it throughout Lent.  Each card has information about a seminarian of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.

Choose one or more cards and pray for that man each day during Lent. Make it a beautiful offering to the Lord this Lent to pray for those whom He calls to give their lives in service of His Church in our archdiocese.  Let's not let any of them go without our prayers!  You might be praying for someone who will someday serve you as a priest in our parish!

If you are unable to get a tag in church, please let us know and we'll get one to you by email or postal mail.

Thank you for supporting the men called to serve our Church with your prayers.

By the way, did you notice each seminarian’s card lists his year of formation? Did you wonder what it meant?

Archdiocesan seminarians go through many years of formation before ordination! Seminarians who have just graduated from high school work on earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy (First College, Second College, Third College, Fourth College). Then they study graduate-level theology (First Theology, Second Theology, Third Theology, Fourth Theology). Men who have already earned a bachelor’s degree before coming to the seminary may need to spend two years in a pre-theology program (First Pre-Theology, Second Pre-Theology) before advancing to graduate-level theology. Before ordination, a seminarian may spend a year at a parish (Pastoral Year). Usually a seminarian is ordained a transitional deacon the year before he is ordained a priest. If you picked a deacon, pray for him in a special way: he is preparing for ordination in June, God willing!

O loving and gracious God, Father of all, you bless your people in every time and season and provide for their needs through your providential care. Your Church is continually in need of priests, sisters and brothers to offer themselves in the service of the gospel by lives of dedicated love. Open the hearts of your sons and daughters to listen to your call in their lives. Give them the gift of understanding to discern your invitation to serve you and your Church. Give them the gift of courage to follow your call. May they have the spirit of young Samuel who found fulfillment in his life when he said to you, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening." We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Thank you for calling [name] to discern his call to your Holy priesthood. Teach him humility and fidelity to unselfishly help others. May his devotion to Our Blessed Mother, Queen of Vocations increase, enabling him to do your will. Grant him the grace to grow closer to You through daily prayer. Help him form his personality as a credible witness to others. Bless him while he studies Your word and the teachings of the Church, and give him a generous heart to follow in Your son’s footsteps and serve Your people. We ask this through Christ your Son. Amen.

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Heavenly Father, since the time of the Apostles you have inspired the Church to commission certain members to assist in a special way in the pastoral mission of Christ. Thank you for calling [name] and all who are preparing for their vocation in your Church. Bless them that they may be humble and faith-inspired in their service to your people. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.