The Vocations Office has this month hosted its first morning tea engagement.
The special event brought together more than 60 men and women from across the Archdiocese – including a number of youth, those interested in ordained ministry and religious life, married couples, seminarians from both St Charles Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Seminary and members of the Perth Catholic community from various parishes and groups.
The aim of the morning tea included the opportunity to introduce the vital work of the Perth Vocations Office and their key message of “Life to the Full” (Jn 10:10) guiding the Vocations work and to provide an opportunity for attendees to explore ways and nurture their vocations to serve and care for others, answering God’s unique call to love.
Vocations Director Fr Israel Quirit said the initiative aimed to encourage the community to take part in the nurturing and cultivating of the culture of vocations in their family and parish community.
“The occasion was an inclusive gathering where participants had the chance to engage in meaningful conversations with clergy, religious sisters, and Catholic lay leaders,” Fr Israel said.
“We welcomed a diverse group of attendees, including those who had previously participated in the Inquiry Day at St Charles Seminary, reflecting the growing interest in vocations within the Catholic community,” he said.
The day commenced at 10am with morning tea, offering attendees an opportunity to mingle and connect with fellow participants.
During this time, guests also had the opportunity to view the Vocations Office’s new Strategic Plan, prayer booklet, and other important materials.
The heart of the event was the two breakout sessions, each lasting 30 minutes, where attendees could engage in storytelling and question-and-answer sessions with guest panel members.
One meeting room hosted a session which looked at “Vocations in Ordained Ministry and Religious Life.”
In this session, participants had the privilege of listening to and interacting with panel members that included Cathedral Dean Fr Sean Fernandez, Vocations Office Director, Fr Israel Quirit and Schoenstatt Sr Luka.The discussion was skillfully facilitated by St Charles Seminarian, Vivek Joseph.
In the other meeting room, attendees participated in a discussion themed on “Vocations in Everyday Life.” This session focused on how we can serve and act upon God’s unique call in our work, schooling, day to day activities as a member of the laity.
Adam Phillips (Director of Catholic Youth Ministry) and Grace Kurniawan (Project Officer for the West Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office) were the guest panelists. St Charles Seminarian Jhee Baguinat adeptly facilitated this session, encouraging attendees to explore their unique callings within the context of their daily lives.
