Bishop’s Message
Dear Fathers, Sisters and Brothers, Greetings of the Season!
It has been the cherished annual grace of our diocese to celebrate priestly ordinations on Mercy Sunday, the Sunday following Easter. With hearts full of gratitude, we, as the Diocese of Kottar, thank God for the gift of seven new priests to our diocese this year. It is truly a grace-filled moment for our diocese made possible by the loving sacrifice of their parents, the exemplary life and guidance of the parish priests, the dedication of formators and all those who accompanied them on their journey to the altar of the Lord. As they begin their sacred ministry, we assure them of our priestly fraternity and encouragement that their lives may bear abundant fruit in the vineyard of the Lord (cf. Jn 15:16). We also pray that the Risen Lord who called them by name may bless them richly and make them faithful shepherds after His own heart.
Thinking about the number and need for future priests as well as their formation at this crucial juncture, I believe, must be one of the foremost concerns of our diocese. It is true that God has abundantly blessed us with a considerable number of priests over the years. However, the present situation suggests that the once widely held belief of Kottar being a fertile ground for priestly vocations is gradually fading. The years ahead may witness a significant decline in the number of ordinands along with a noticeable reduction in vocations to the priesthood in our diocese. This emerging reality calls for a renewed sense of responsibility among all of us, clergy, religious and laity alike, to foster a culture that nurtures and supports vocations. I think that we must invest more intentionally in the spiritual, pastoral and human formation of young people. It is indeed a sign of the times that calls us to read the present reality with discernment encouraging them to listen attentively to God’s call and to respond with generosity.
In light of the above, it is fitting to recall the words of Pope Leo IV in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on the 4th Sunday of Easter – April 26, Sunday. He said: “I invite everyone, in families, parishes and religious communities, as well as bishops, priests, deacons, catechists, educators and all the faithful, to commit themselves more fully to creating conditions that allow this gift to be embraced, nourished, protected and accompanied, so that it may bear abundant fruit. Only when our surroundings are illumined by living faith, sustained by constant prayer and enriched by fraternal accompaniment can God’s call blossom and mature, becoming a path of happiness and salvation for individuals and for the world. By embarking on the path that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows us, we come to know more deeply both ourselves and the God who calls us.” As he cautions, we cannot lament over or remain complacent by merely explaining away or justifying the decline of vocations in our families and parishes. Rather, the real challenge lies in our failure to take responsibility for fostering such conditions. We are therefore called to renew our commitment with sincerity and urgency to actively promote and support genuine vocations.
All of us must be aware of the diocesan vocation camp held last weekend. The selection of new seminarians took place on April 27, Monday. It was disappointing and disheartening to note that only eighteen candidates attended the selection, most of them in the tenth standard. To best of our knowledge, this may be the lowest number of candidates so far. What does this indicate? Is it a lack of interest among the youth in the priesthood or is it due to the decreasing number of children in families? It is also noteworthy that, among those who attended, except for two, the others came from families with only one or two children. How are we to understand this situation? At the same time, many of the boys mentioned that their parents were supportive of their choice of priesthood. Hence, it is clear that what matters most is the proactive involvement of families, parish priests and the faithful in fostering vocations.
It is important here to highlight the vital role of the parish priest in fostering vocations. As Pope John Paul II reminds us, “Every priest is responsible for promoting vocations through example, word and prayer” (Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 1996). Likewise, Pope Benedict XVI offers a practical insight: “Priest must cultivate a special sensitivity to recognise the seeds of vocation in young people and help them to grow.” In a similar spirit, Pope Francis emphasises that a good shepherd knows his young people and patiently accompanies them in discovering God’s plan for their lives (Address to the Parish Priests, 2018).
The above reflections underline that vacations do not emerge in isolation but are nurtured through attentive pastoral care, authentic witness and prayerful support. Therefore, dear brother priests, let us renew our commitment to encourage and promote vocations in our parishes, through our lives, our ministry and our closeness to the young, remembering always that every vocation is God’s gift, a blessing of His grace entrusted to our care. To conclude, we entrust our prayers to Blessed Virgin Mar, Mother of priests, asking her to intercede for an abundance of vocations in our parishes. May she inspire many hearts to say “yes” to God’s call, for every vocation is truly His blessing and grace!