Day of Prayer for Dehonian Vocations in the Generalate

On Saturday, March 14, in communion with all Dehonian communities, the confreres living at the Generalate celebrated the 177th anniversary of Father Dehon’s birth. Despite a change from the original plans, due to the coronavirus, the memory of the birth of our founder was well celebrated and characterized by Dehonian spirituality.  

At noon, the confreres experienced a prayer vigil for Dehonian vocations. The service with biblical texts, prayers, passages from Fr. Dehon, interspersed with silence and songs, led the confreres to contemplate the Heart of Jesus, to give thanks for the gift of the vocation of Fr. Dehon and each confrere, and to ask the Lord that others may live this great charism. 

A festive lunch completed the first part of the day. 

The initial plan was to continue the feast with the parish of Christ the King in the afternoon, marking the Centenary of the laying of the foundation stone of Cristo Re Basilica and presenting a new book about Father Dehon.  

The situation created by the coronavirus confined us to our home, so the community gathered once again in our church to celebrate Mass to conclude the day of prayer for Dehonian vocations. 

Since it was also Father Victor Barbosa’s birthday, he was asked to preside over the Holy Mass. In his homily he reflected on the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, saying that the thirst for God allows us to grow in the knowledge of Jesus. He also recalled the symbolism used by Fr. Dehon: «Jacob’s well is a symbol of the Sacred Heart, the source of living water and the grace that saves us».

We continue on Jesus’ path in the confidence that our prayers will bear fruit.