The parish priest lit the candle of each child who then made a promise
Our Arusha Community celebrates Vocation Day in the St. Simon the Apostle Parish, in Arusha, Tanzania
“I am the good Shepherd, I know my own and my own knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for them
Jn 10, 11-18”
It was a tremendous and beautiful morning of Good Shepherd Sunday for our community and the Vocation Club ‘Chama cha miito’ which was begun by our postulants in previous years. We had been preparing how we could make the day colorful since it is Vocation Day. So we and the vocation club shortlisted our suggestions such as having a thanksgiving Mass, a meal together, entertainment, a fashion show, and having all the members of the club make a promise during Mass.
At the beginning of the Mass, we entered the church in procession with the choir, priests and the children of the vocation club. In the
homily, the parish priest emphasized vocations in general and said that no vocation is better than another, thus all of them complement each other. He also invited the parents to let their children choose their vocation, not to force them to get married as they have been doing. Before reciting the Creed, the members were called to stand in front of the altar with their candles.
After the Creed, the parish priest lit the candle of each child who then made a promise as follows:
“Lord Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world, the light of our life. I ask you, as I make this promise to accept to be called, to listen and to be the light, that I will stay closer to you, and receive your light as I walk with you, and follow your light so I can be the light everywhere around me. I choose you and I dedicate myself to you. Amen”.
The parents and the Christians present were touched and impressed by the commitment of the children.
At Offertory time, the members of the club walked in procession to bring their offering; this was really amazing to see. After the thanksgiving hymn, one of the members of the club gave a speech thanking God for enabling them as a vocation group to continue for one year and thanking the parents for allowing them to join the “Chama cha miito”.
She also expressed that so far they are twenty-one members, and they mostly face the challenge of not having enough materials for games as well as not having uniforms for their group, and arriving late for the programs of the club since some members are loaded with work at home.
She requested the parents to let their children choose by themselves which movements they wish to join.
After mass, we took some photos for remembrance. In the afternoon, we had a feast where we received other new members who were touched by the commitment of their friends in the Church. The parish priest and the other priests of our parish were also there. The members performed different entertainments and put on a fashion show about different ways of dressing of different vocations.
As a community with Sister Scholastique and postulant Oligah, who are in charge of the vocation club, we participated actively by offering a cake to the children for the celebration. Thereafter we had lunch and the ceremony of cake cutting and sharing, and then each one went home happy.
We thank God for calling these young people. May they continue to listen to Him and live according to their commitment:
to be light, to choose Jesus daily and to remain with Him.
