His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has designated today, Good Shepherd Sunday, as the 45^th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. His Pastoral Letter for this occasion entitled "Vocations for the Church on Mission" stresses the need for the Church to understand herself as missionary. The Pope writes that "this one characteristic needs to be present in every Christian since it is through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation that every Christian is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel". The Pope places particular emphasis on this same missionary spirit which witnesses to the Gospel in a special and intimate way in the life of the ordained priest or consecrated religious.

The invitation to live out a missionary calling invites all Christians to co-operate in the work of evangelisation. Vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life can only flourish in a spiritual soil that is well cultivated with a spirit of mission and service. Christian communities that live this missionary life should never be inward looking. Christian communities that live this missionary life should be happy to encourage their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, to consider that the Lord may be calling them to share the ministry of the ordained priest or consecrated religious. Parishes need priests to celebrate the sacraments and offer pastoral care. The Church needs the witness of men and women who live the consecrate life and are dedicated to faithful service in the Church.

Many young people today are searching for a life that will offer satisfaction and fulfilment. Many feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit urging them to something new, to a new and different way of living. I would invite them to consider ordained ministry or religious life in this diocese as that kind of life. Through the work of the Priests for Scotland, a commission of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, and through the work of our own Diocesan Vocations Director advice and support is readily available for anyone who may be contemplating this life. Please feel free to contact them through the Priests for Scotland website at www.priestsforscotland.org.uk.

Last year eleven men started their seminary formation for the dioceses of Scotland. This is a larger number than we have experienced for some years. Please pray for them and pray also that the Good Shepherd will call many others to care for the flock of Christ.

Currently our Diocese of Argyll and the Isles has only one seminarian preparing to be ordained priest in 2011. Thereafter we have no more aspirants to the priesthood. Any man applying for acceptance for the priesthood this year would not be ordained until 2014.

Parishioners must confront the reality that there may not be Mass every Sunday in every parish of this Diocese. We need priests to officiate at Funeral and Nuptial Masses. I cannot over stress the serious and urgent nature of the crisis of vocations that confronts us.

Please us this Day for Prayers for Vocations to ask the Good Shepherd to send to send us shepherds after His own heart.

Given at Oban on the 19^th March 2007 and to be read in all he churches and chapels of the Diocese on Good Shepherd Sunday.

+ Ian Murray

Bishop of Argyll & the Isles