Thursday, February 25, 2021
Vocations Essay Contest Winners 2020
Southern Cross, Page 9
2020 FORMATION PROGRAM WINNING ESSAYS
Lucas DeBry—1st Place
St. Anne Catholic Church
Richmond Hill
If I were a parish priest, I would begin my
day with fervent prayer in front of a crucifix.
As a priest, my most important job is cele
brating the sacraments for the people, so I
would celebrate daily Mass in the morning.
Later I might spend more time praying a
rosary in front of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Afterward, I would visit the sick and elder
ly in the nursing homes and give them the
Eucharist. I would listen to them and talk
with them. Later, I might speak to a couple
who needs advice on getting married in the
church. I would also help people that are
interested in joining the church, because
then they can learn the Catholic faith. When
people needed it, I would celebrate a funeral
Mass, comfort the family, or baptize a baby.
In the afternoons, I might hear confessions
to absolve people’s sins. This is a great gift to
be able to help people in this way. It reminds
me that as a priest, I stand in for Jesus here
on earth.
A parish priest’s work is very important,
and it seems like they must be busy all the
time. Besides the sacraments, I would also
have business work to do in the parish. But
if I could pick, I would rather help out with
Youth Ministry or host a bible study. I would
also let people know about the adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament and make sure the
church was open so people could come pray
in front of Jesus. Lastly, I might go to din
ner at the house of a parishioner and do a
blessing of their home at the same time. At
the end of the day, I would pray some more,
thank God for his blessings, and think about
my next busy day!
Every vocation is a gift from
God which must be explored
by prayer and merited by the
witness of a holy life. POPE
JOHN PAUL II
Rhesa Hicks— 2nd Place
St. Anne Catholic Church
Richmond Hill
“Be faithful in small things because it is
in them that your strength lies.” - Mother
Teresa. If I were a religious sister, I would
teach others about the Catholic faith, vol
unteer at various places where I’m needed,
and pray to God. All these are important
jobs that need to be fulfilled, and I want to
help my community and provide support for
others.
How would most people find out about
God and his teachings if no one were there
to spread the word? Educating others and
spreading the word of God is essential to
the faith. Volunteering at religious private
schools, churches, CCD classes, and other
events allows for others to learn about God
and the importance of his son, Jesus Christ.
In CCD, we’re learning about divine sal
vation and everything that has led history
up to where we are today. Religious sisters
can help others to pray, learn, and spread
the word of God.
If I were a sister, I would definitely vol
unteer for missionary work, and if not, I
would volunteer at places like orphanages,
local churches, elderly homes, and soup
kitchens. This would give me the experi
ence and knowledge of the world around us
and allow me to pray for more people I’ve
been in touch with. Helping my community
before myself is tied to the vow of poverty.
This means that I would live a simple life
and dedicate it to helping others. Showing
compassion towards others and your com
munity shows that you take your role as a
sister seriously.
Prayer and devotion to God are crucial
to the Catholic faith. Prayer brings people
closer to God and others around them. This
is because you can pray for those in purga
tory to help them go to Heaven faster and
use it as a direct link to speak to God. We
can also use prayer to ask for forgiveness of
our sins.
If were a religious sister, I would pray to
God, volunteer wherever I’m needed, and
spread the word of God by educating others.
“You were created by God to love and serve”
- Sr. Yelitza Ayala. This is why I would
spend time as a religious sister.
Bode Leduc
St. Anne Catholic Church
Richmond Hill
Hello, I am Father Bode Leduc, and I
would like to walk you through a day in my
life. As soon as my eyes open, I thank the
Lord for waking me up another day, then
crawl out from under my covers, stretch
my arms wide, and make my way over
to the cross standing in the corner of my
room. I kneel in front of the cross and say
my morning prayers. After praying, I get
up, dress in my cassock, and get ready
for the day. Once ready, I depart from my
house and go to the church to celebrate
Mass. At the church, I walk to the sacristy
to get dressed for confession and Mass. I
will have to put on many layers of clothing.
They include in order from inner to outer,
soutane, amice, alb, cincture, stole, and
finally the chasuble. Once dressed I go to
the confessional to wait for parishioners
to arrive for confession. After allowing the
Lord to work through me to forgive the
parishioners’ sins, I return to the sacris
ty to prepare for the celebration of Mass.
Following Mass, I enjoy checking in on
some catechism classes to not only see
what our youngest Catholics are learning
about our faith but teach them somethings
they might not already know.
To prepare for the second half of my day,
which is usually spent helping people in
need, I go back to the church and pray
a rosary in front of the tabernacle. This
Sunday, I am heading to the hospital to
check in with and give blessings to the
sick. I hope my blessings give them com
fort. Later, I go to a food drive for people
who are struggling, and help hand out food.
Finally, I return to the church for a bible
study and a potluck dinner with some of
the older members of our parish. I enjoy
this part of my day because I get to spend
time with people who enjoy our faith as
much as I do.
At the end of my day, I go home, boil
a pot of water, and make tea. I sit down
and write my homily for the next day’s
Mass. Then I get into my pajamas, say my
prayers, and, climbing into bed, I read for
a short while. Lastly, I turn the lights out,
say my final prayer, and fall asleep.
0 God, hear my prayer and let my cry come unto you.
Bless our Diocese of Savannah with many vocations to the
priesthood, diaconate, and religious life. Give the men and
women you call the light to understand your gift and the love
to follow always in the footsteps of your priestly son. Amen
