Mass and Holy Hour for Vocations at Holy Name Cathedral

By Fr. Jim Berning, SDB

(Chicago, IL – May 16) – A Mass and holy hour at Holy Name Cathedral were held by the Archdiocese of Chicago on Friday, May 10, to promote vocations to the consecrated life, priesthood, and diaconate. The event anticipated the archdiocesan ordinations to the diaconate that took place on the following day, Saturday, May 11.

Eight different religious groups participated in the event. Mr. Louis Marques; Mr. Angel Hernandez; his mother, Emma, and Fr. Jim Berning, SDB, represented the Salesian contingent from St. John Bosco-St. James Parish.

Auxiliary Bishop Mark Bartosic presided at the Mass and holy hour. In his homily, he referred to his own vocation. When he was 14, a religious sister mentioned he should consider a vocation to the priesthood. The same sister continued to prod him by telling Mark’s parents that he would make a fine priest. While a vocation was not on his radar at the time (which was more about his image as an adolescent), he credits the sister for paving the way to help him warm up to his vocation. Additionally, Bishop Bartosic emphasized that both good spiritual direction and an authentic prayer life were indispensable for following a vocation.