Caracas, Venezuela, Apr 28, 2009 / 19:13 pm
The Archbishop of Caracas, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, said this week that consecrated men and women “bear witness that only God satisfies the aspirations of the human heart.”
The cardinal’s comments were part of his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life, which will be marked on Sunday, May 3. In his message the cardinal recalled that “because Jesus has desired to make use of human cooperation in order to carry on his presence, we need many vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.”
Responding to the Pope’s invitation to pray for vocations, Cardinal Urosa said, “We raise our prayers to the One and Triune God, that He may grant that many young people in Caracas, from our Catholic families, our parishes and schools, will hear and follow His call to be messengers of peace and reconciliation, of life and salvation, missionaries, heralds of the risen Christ, ‘the way, the truth and the life.’”
Cardinal Urosa continued by describing the work of priests and religious.
“The priest is the center and motor of all pastoral action, of the life of the Church, from the proclamation of the faith, to the celebration of the Eucharist, to the encouragement of communities, to the formation of lay apostles. The consecrated bear witness that only God satisfies the aspirations of the human heart. Without priests there is no Eucharist, without the consecrated the Church is weakened. We risk the future of the Church in this area: vocations to the priesthood and to religious life,” he said.
Referring to the “Great Continental Mission” that the bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean initiated at their last gathering, Cardinal Urosa said, “The carrying out of the Continental Mission of Evangelization is a great project of renewal and revitalization of the Church in all of Venezuela.” He added, “It is a true necessity and, at the same time, it will lead to a growth in the number of young people who want to dedicate their lives to the Lord in this beautiful and luminous way that is the priestly and consecrated life.”
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