Rob Colquhoun

Sometimes we conceive that something is what it is not. Eventually our inaccurate notions collapse as we are forced to reconsider our original understandings. Our conception of love and God can easily be constructed onto figments of our imagination. In periods of transition and crisis moments- our models collapse and we are forced to reconsider our beliefs and understandings. The child who has the image of God as the man upstairs with the beard must at some point renew his vision of who God is. If we consider love to be something it is not, we shall eventually be confronted with the truth and be challenged to deepen our understanding. Those resilient to change are left with the same stony cold images of their original concepts. The process of elimination- finding out what something is by what it is not is a slow but sure way to come closer to the mysteries of the world.

John Paul famously once said that democracy can come to resemble a thinly disguised totalitarianism (Centesimus Annus n.46). When human rights and human dignity are trampled on by democratic institutions it means that we have surpassed moral boundaries. The HFEA (Human Fertility and Embryology Authority) is an organisation in Britain that systematically decides new bioethical principles with scant regard for morality. In other words the organisation has the power of life and death and is happy to dispense this authority to scientists willing to play with human life. Membership of the organising committee is confined to those that agree with its principles. Any pro life candidate is immediately excluded from membership of the HFEA. The authority is allowing some of the most permissive bioethical standards in the world in order to get ahead in the bioethical game and for the sake of financial profit. Yet at the same time they are trampling on the dignity of the human person, creating embryos as commodities to be bought and sold in a fertility supermarket of choice. Harvesting human eggs for fertility treatment has dire implications for women and can lead to problems with their health (according to the WHO). Yet the HFEA, in its consultations to its decision making process is thoroughly undemocratic and has yielded a position which is dangerous – one in which it is unaccountable.

In light of the impending fertility crisis about to hit Britain- we need authorities that will not succumb to the whim of people so desperate for children they are willing to desecrate their own health and other peoples. Experts suggest that couples with fertility problems will increase from 1 in 7 today to 1 in 3. This is likely to cause a very strong market for human eggs – resulting in the exploitation of poor women who will be selling their eggs as the expense of their sexual health. IVF is a lucrative market in which women undergo a gruelling process of over stimulating their ovaries. This causes considerable stress and has damaging implications. Naprofertility is a method which is natural, has a good rate of success and does not involve the destruction of human embryos.

The totalitarian aspect of the HFEA, IVF and the sale of human eggs is that decisions are being made for individuals where no such consent has been given. This cannot be considered proper practice for a democracy. For the poor women forced to sell their eggs out of poverty- nobody has consulted them or told them of the disastrous effects it will have of their body. For the woman undergoing IVF, nobody has told her that the cycle doubles her chances of an ectopic pregnancy or a disabled child and further pregnancy complications. For the thousands of human embryos, nobody has reminded them of their intrinsic right to life rather than their commodification and obliteration. The harvesting and destruction of human life for the sake of desperate couples who are past their reproductive sell by date is profoundly immoral. Unless it can substantially be proven that life does not begin at conception any medical process fiddling with life in the first 14 days should not be allowed. To play God with human life, creating life in order to destroy it, under the utilitarian pretence that it might be serving humanity is to be deluded.

Transcendence means to be beyond the grasp of human experience and reason. We can catch a glimpse of heaven when we think in a transcendental manner. To think of the gift of eternal life, the mortality of human existence, the universal destination of material goods and the immortality of the human soul are ways of thinking that put the present in perspective and does not let our hearts sink at the loss of a true horizon. God is far beyond and behind our human reasoning as God’s ways bear little resemblance to human thinking. To God a thousand years are like yesterday (Psalm 89 (90)), and our lives pass swiftly from dust to dust as we attempt to gain wisdom of heart.

Transcendence can also mean excelling or surpassing. As a consequence of post-Enlightenment thinking, scientific proof has been emphasized in order to verify truth. In the modern age, factual information has trespassed into the realm of faith and attempted to discard belief as medieval claptrap. However, many of the world’s philosophical mysteries are beyond reason and are articles of faith. We can only glimpse the mysteries of the world in reality- our own existence, the existence of the world, the nature of suffering, the purpose of existence and our own origin and destination. But if we can put on our hat of transcendent thinking we can realise that this world is temporary – to be in and not of the world. Money has no value beyond the grave, property cannot be owned beyond the funeral. Ownership itself is brought into serious question taking into account our own mortality and our inability to know our origin. Our entire existence is not in our own hands but we are in the cradle of the creator whom we can either ignore, or acknowledge and worship. Without the gift of transcendent spectacles we cannot see beyond the grave and our eyes become consumed with the trivialities and intricacies of the irrelevant facts of everyday living as if they were the creed of existence. To be without a vision of eternal life is to be consigned to Gehenna in one’s thinking, in other words to be in spiritual poverty and bleakly unaware of the wonders of God’s existence and miraculous presence in the world.

What does Vocation mean: To be called. A calling in life, strong feeling of fitness for a particular occupation (in religious contexts a divine call).

Every single person is called to holiness. Not just religious people, every single person.

Pope John Paul said: “Do not be afraid to be the saints of the new millennium!”

Cardinal Newman: helped established Oratory of St Philip Neri in England.

God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission – I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do his work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending it- if I do but keep his commandments. Therefore I will trust him. Whatever, wherever I am. I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends; He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me – still He knows what he is about.

Newman says that every single person has their own talents in life which no other person is capable of bringing to the world. St Paul All have different skills- make up the one body of Christ. A remarkable thought.

We may never discover our task in life- especially if we do not listen to God. But if we listen to God’s commandments, listen in the depths of our hearts and consciences we can have greater hope of grace and obedience.

The fostering of our talents help us to bring meaning and purpose into our lives, which remains with us however useless our position appears.

Every single person is uniquely called by God for some particular purpose.

Each of us has God given talents. Even through the difficulties, God is with us.

There is a temptation of those with fewer talents to bury and hide their talents out of jealousy and poor self esteem. The parable of the talents.

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-The call of – God’s prophets and Saints (they were not perfect yet!)

Abraham – Gods asks Abraham to put aside everything and promises him great things. As Abraham set off, he embarked on a journey that he knew virtually nothing about, anything could have happened. He was called to embark on a new way in life which would bring great reward. Abraham once again is called to put his trust in God when the Lord asks him to sacrifice his son.

Samuel – takes a while to realise that the Lord is calling and is helped by Eli. God calls him 3 times and young Samuel thinks that Eli was calling him.

Peter – makes mistakes, lies about knowledge of Jesus

Mary – is scared at first of God’ messengers. Christophobia.

We need those with good strength and intention to respond to the call to Priesthood.

God guides men, yet leads them free to act. God does the calling, we do the responding.

The two wills: My will/ God’s will         

Unity of the two wills. God promises that his tasks are not too burdensome.

To be a priest today is to be a midwife to most of the profound aspects of human existence. Every priest is a steward of the mysteries of God. (1 Cor 4:1)

The gift of our lives to others, the true discovery of our very selves. Not through the assertion of self.

The priesthood and religious life is the biggest challenge of all! Jesus told us that there were few labourers in the vineyard and we need to pray that he would send more labourers into the vineyard. Priesthood is for the majority a very rewarding and satisfying vocation - and a life-long one too.

How do we discover our Vocation and what God is calling us to do with our lives???

Through prayer/self understanding/use of our abilities/spiritual direction

Danger of Pier Pressure influencing our Vocation. “Whatever Minger”

Afraid of being Christian.

3 philosophies of the age that may obscure your calling:

1/ Individualism- prodical son. Only discover our vocation in relation to others.

2/ Hedonism- pleasure as the highest good and mankind’s proper aim.

3/ Materialism- belief that material values are more important than spiritual values.

What should I be?

Everyone is called to a vocation: a place or state of life in which God wishes a person to work. To know one's particular vocation is often difficult. One's good inclinations, the opportunities of the moment, the needs of the Church and society, one's talents and accomplishments - these and many other  factors may be indications from God of a vocation. Only with prayer for light and with good spiritual direction can the decision about one's vocation be made prudently.

For a certainty God calls you, and calls strongly. With hindsight your life's work will seem obvious. Enjoy your searching. Do not be frustrated or hurried. Be aware that your calling will often include suffering and personal loss; all life does. Be courageous. Renew your vocation with thanks in prayer every day. Immitate Pope John Paul II to whom the looking for, revealing and the living of his vocation was a blossoming love affair with God. Like him find your joy and sustenance in the Eucharist; it does reside there.

St Paul:  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

-         Letter to Timothy- noble work with impeccable character.

-         Letter to Titus: never an arrogant or hot-tempered man, nor a heavy drinker or violent, not out to make money; but a man who is hospitable and a friend of all that is good: sensible, moral, devout and self-controlled, so that he can be counted on for both expounding the sound doctrine and refuting those who argue against it. (Titus 1. 7-9).

Give me the priest these graces shall possess:
of an ambassador the just address,
a father’s tenderness, a shepherd’s care,
a leader’s courage which the cross can bear,
a ruler’s arm, a watchman’s wakeful eye,
a pilot’s skill, the helm in storms to ply,
a fisher’s patience and a labourer’s toil,
a guide’s dexterity to disembroil,
a prophet’s inspiration from above,
a teacher’s knowledge and a Saviour’s love.

Thomas Ken (1637 - 1711), Anglican Bishop in 17^th Century.

Real disciples would be looking in these areas.

• a real love for God, a living relationship with Jesus Christ
• an established and developing life of prayer: you are still learning, stumbling, perhaps even struggling, but a man of prayer all the same
• a love for the Eucharist as something really central to your life
• a living commitment to Jesus shown by your way of life, your keeping of the commandments as a sign of your love, living a life worthy of your Christian vocation
• an eagerness to serve Jesus in his Church, a deep and settled zeal for bringing the Good News of Jesus to others
• some experience of sharing your faith with others
• some active involvement in the worship, life and mission of your local Catholic community (parish or chaplaincy)
• a reasonable understanding of your Catholic faith, and of what it means to be a priest
• a real love for the Catholic Church: whatever criticisms you may have of it, as we all do, you should be someone who feels at home in the Church as it is, ready to serve from within
• a real personal desire to be a priest, truly free, settled and tested by time
• a readiness to offer your whole life in God’s service, holding nothing back: not worrying too much about your natural worries and hesitations
• a willingness to let Jesus work through you and use you as he chooses

“Heralds of the Gospel are needed who are experts in humanity,
who have penetrated the depths of the heart of people of today,
who share in their joys and hopes, their anguishes and sorrows,
and who at the same time are contemplatives in love with God”.

If you only remember 3 points from the talk today-

1/ God calls people to vocation, and some to the priesthood- our task is to respond to his call wholeheartedly and be true to oneself

2/ Priest acts in the Person of Christ, as we are all to imitate Christ, “Every vocation, every path to which Christ calls us, ultimately leads to fulfilment and happiness, because it leads to God, to sharing in God’s own life.”

3/ When we give once to God he gives us one hundred fold in return.

Glory Be