We invite parishes to join us in building a culture of vocations through prayer, awareness, and support. Below you’ll find practical tools, prayer resources, and ideas to help your community encourage and affirm vocations in everyday parish life.
SERRA SPARK
Serra Spark is a free online collection of resources including retreat agendas, vocations talks, social media, vocations promotion…and more, curated by Serra US.
VISITPRAY WITH US
With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones…
Ephesians 6:18
NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK
Celebrated annually, this is a week-long celebration dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life.
LEARN MOREPARISH VOCATIONS COMMITTEE
If you would like to start a Vocation’s Committee and would like some ideas on how to get started, complete the Contact Us form and we’ll be in touch.
CONTACT USBULLETIN ADS
There are many events annually that support vocations in the Diocese of Joliet. We provide graphics and information that you can share with your parish!
LEARN MORESEMINARIAN PRAYER BOOKS
Request copies of our annual Seminarian Prayer Book to join us in prayer for the men in formation in our diocese. Share them with your friends and family.
ORDERPray with Us!
Below are a few prayers that support vocations. You may also pray the Global Rosary for Vocations with us every last Saturday of the month. Click below to learn more!
LEARN MORE
Serra Prayer for Vocations
O God,
Who wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, grant we beseech You through the intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Saint Joseph, her spouse, Saint Junipero Serra, and all the saints, an increase of laborers for your church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls, through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer for Perseverance of Vocations
O God,
You have constituted Your only begotten Son supreme and eternal Priest for the glory of Your majesty and the salvation of mankind: grant that those whom He has chosen ministers and dispensers of his mysteries may be found faithful in fulfilling the ministry they have received.
Amen
Prayer for Openness to God’s Call
Lord Jesus, once You called the first disciples in order to make them fishers of men. Continue to let resound today Your sweet invitation: “Come and Follow Me.” Grant to young men and women the grace of responding promptly to Your voice.
Sustain our bishops, priests, and consecrated souls in their apostolic work. Give perseverance to our seminarians and to all those who are fulfilling the ideal of a life of total consecration to Your service.
Enkindle in our communities a missionary zeal. Send, Lord, workers into Your fields and do not let mankind be lost because of a lack of pastors, missionaries, and people dedicated to the cause of the Gospel.
Mary, Mother of the Church, Model of Vocations, help us say “Yes” to the Lord Who calls us to collaborate in the divine design of salvation.
Amen.
Prayer for the Children of our Parish
We pray that, if it be God’s will, there might be vocations to the priesthood and religious life from our parish and that they be supported through our encouragement.
Lord Jesus Christ, we bring to You in prayer the young people of our parish. Give them hearts open to hear Your voice. Help them to be generous in responding to Your call. Give them the grace to persevere in overcoming all the pressures in our world that keep them from embracing and truly living their vocation.
Graciously grant to parents a living faith and an ardent love, which will inspire them to encourage their children to live holy lives. May parents genuinely encourage and foster the God-given vocation of their children and help them to respond generously. Let them rejoice when a child of theirs is called to be a priest or religious.
May the example of Your life and that of Joseph and Mary encourage parents and children to form holy families and let Your grace sustain them.
Amen.
St. Therese of Lisieux’s Prayer for Priests
O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Your holy love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown.
Amen.
Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church
We pray that we might grow in our love and devotion to Mary.
We turn to you, Mary, Mother of the Church. Through your “yes,” you have opened the door that makes Christ present in the world, in history, and in individual lives. In humble silence and in total availability, you welcomed the call of the Most High.
May there be many men and women in our day who respond to your Son’s invitation: “Follow me!” Grant them courage to follow Christ along the road that He walked.
Mary, Queen of Apostles, pray for us and for an increase of priestly and religious vocations.
Amen.
National Vocations Awareness Week
National Vocation Awareness Week, celebrated November 1-7, 2026, is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.
If you would like ideas how to promote this in your own parish, contact the Serra Club of DuPage County.