Vocations Monstrance scheduled to visit Detroit

A monstrance blessed by the late Pope John Paul II to encourage prayers for vocations to the priesthood and religious life will be returning to the Archdiocese of Detroit for exposition and adoration at parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit from Thursday, September 5 through Tuesday, September 17, 2013.

The monstrance is one of six originally blessed by Pope John Paul II to promote Eucharistic adoration during the 2004-2005 Year of the Eucharist. In addition to the one blessed for use in the United States and Canada, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific each received a monstrance as a symbol of the connection between the sacrament of the Eucharist and priestly vocations.

Given by the Vatican to the USCCB, the monstrance travels to various dioceses throughout the United States and Canada for use in cathedrals, parishes, campus/youth ministry programs, and seminaries/religious houses to facilitate prayer for vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life.

This will be the fourth visit of this special monstrance to the Archdiocese of Detroit. The first occurred in 2006 to celebrate the beginning of a special Year for Vocations declared by then-Archbishop Cardinal Adam Maida; in 2008 the monstrance returned as part of the celebration for the 175^th anniversary for the founding of Detroit as a Catholic diocese; in 2010 the monstrance was present to coincide with the closing of a Special Year for Priests that was announced by Pope Benedict XVI in June 2009; and now in 2013 as part of The Year of Faith celebration.

All the faithful in the Archdiocese are invited to travel to a host site to pray for vocations, especially to the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament* on Saturday, September 14, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. until noon as part of the 6^th Annual Vocations Convocation sponsored by the Office of Priestly Vocations. Registration for the Vocations Convocation may be done online at www.detroitpriest.com. This schedule lists all the host sites.

*The Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament is one of eight churches designated by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron where you may make a pilgrimage to obtain a plenary indulgence after having also received the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion, and having prayed for the intentions of the Holy Father.