Members of the Avilas in the Diocese of Cleveland gathered this week for their annual Day of Prayer at the Center for Pastoral Leadership. The highlight of the day was a Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic on Oct. 16 in the newly rededicated Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd Chapel.
The bishop expressed his gratitude to the group for their “devotion, tireless prayer and your commitment to fostering vocations in our diocese.” He reminded them their work is guided by the Holy Spirit and that “we are all called to ‘Serve the Lord with gladness,’ the very motto I have taken as my own.”
The motto encapsulates the heart of Christian discipleship, the bishop said, noting we are called not just to serve, but to serve joyfully. And this joy springs from knowing that “we are participating in God’s plan and working alongside him in building his kingdom,” the bishop said. For the Avilas, founded in 1972, that means prayer for vocations for seminarians, priests, deacons and religious and for the young people who are discerning their call to discipleship.
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“What greater service can there be than to lift up the future laborers in prayer, asking the Lord to guide them by the Spirit?” the bishop asked.
Being guided by the Holy Spirit brings a freedom that bears fruit in love, joy, peace, patience and all other fruits of the Spirit for those who are discerning God’s call in their lives.
“We pray that their hearts may be open to the Spirit’s promptings and that they may joyfully serve the Lord, following him with gladness, no matter where he leads them,” he added.
The bishop used an analogy of a tree being sustained by running waters to illustrate how prayers, including those from the Avilas, are a sustaining force for vocations, helping to nourish the Church and bring forth the next generations of priests, deacons and religious. “Through your faithful devotion, the soil of our diocese is tilled and the seeds of vocation are given a chance to take root and flourish,” he said.
“One of the greatest joys of my ministry as bishop is seeing how vibrant the culture of vocations is here in the Diocese of Cleveland,” the bishop said, noting this culture is built by families, parishes, seminarians, priests and groups like the Avilas. He said the Avilas are dedicated to “prayer, sacrifice, service and study, making an indelible mark on this culture of vocations.” Their patroness is St. Teresa of Avila.
Praying for vocations is a sacred task of asking the Lord to send laborers to the vineyard, the bishop said. “We do not view this as an obligation, but as a joyful service, knowing that our prayers are heard and that they bear fruit in due time,” he added.
The Avilas are an integral part of the fabric of the diocese because their prayers “help sustain a culture where young men and women can hear God’s call and respond with gladness. You are partners in this joyful mission of building up the Church, not through programs or events, but through prayer’s quiet, powerful work,” Bishop Malesic said. “Your prayers help sustain a culture where young men and women can hear God’s call and respond with gladness.
On their Day of Prayer, he encouraged the Avilas to ask the Holy Spirit to renew them in their sacred work.
After Mass, the bishop greeted group members and enjoyed lunch with them.
Click here to learn more about the Avilas.