4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER : CHRIST OUR GOOD SHEPHERD AND CHURCH VOCATIONS AWARENESS AND DISCERNMENT 2011...........

The 4th Week of the Easter Season ios anchored for us, as Catholic-Christian Disciples - on Jesus The Christ, as the Good Shepherd; calling, gathering, leading His Flock, who are the sheep of His fold; and authentically Hear the Voice of the true Call of the Good Shepherd and are not fooled by the false prophets, who are marauders and usurpers, and who will only lead the Risen Christ's sheepfold astray.  The Good Shepherd tends His faithful and fervant, Flock gently, yet firmly.  He Calls each one of us, personally, and by name, - to Come and Follow Him.  Those who would seek to mislead and manipulate the Good Shepherd's Sheepfold, have been notrorius over the centuries for preaching falsehood, prophesying awry, and being selfishly, sinfully, wrong.  Whether it be enticing away, the followers of the Risen Christ, Who alone is the eternal, Shepherd of Souls; or predicting the end times of the World, and Creation as we know it; only to have the dates and times they have propheised arrive and fade, without occurring.  Only the Supreme Living and True God of the Universe, knows the time and the day, of the inauguration of the Kingdom of Eternity; and the Divine GodHead, who includes the Co-Eternal Son, Savior, Redeemer, the Good Shepherd; is able to determine and bring about the Second Coming of the Risen, Ascended, Christ - and bring it about.  Anyone else is a, "thief and a robber", - false prophets, not to be heeded.  During this 4th week of the Pasch, we also make a familial, and community priority of Prayer, Discernment, Discussion, and Promotion, of Church Vocations; as we seek to open the doors of families and parish community, to encouraging, and underscoring, the possibility of God's Call to our children, grandchildren, and young adult parishioners, to seriously consider and pursue, answering God's Call to the Priesthood, Religious Life, Diaconate.  The Call to Church Vocations is no less than ever , and even more important than ever.  As your families prayerfully discern and become more aware of potential priestly, religious, and diaconal, vocations within you homes, OLOL Parish, and all in the community of believers, must be committed to prayer, action, and support, for the Church Vocations prospectively among us.  No one by themselves can answer and make a commitment to becoming a priest, sister, brother, or deacon.  What we do in our homes and churches, maqke an invaluable contribution to achieving ordained and consecreted Catholic-Christian Vocations.  Additionally, here at OLOL, I am inviting college students and university graduates, who feel that you are possibly hearing God's Call to follow this path, to contact me, Father Pius, Sisters Felicity, and Teresa, of the Cannosian Sisters, to discuss the possibility of a Church Vocation in your lives.  Take time this week to ponder the potential vocations in your circle of families, friends, and fellow believers.  God continues to Call, all of us must remain open to Hearing and Answering the Divine Call...........In The Paschal Mystery Discipleship Of Christ The True And Good Shepherd,   Rev. Fr.  Troy David Powers