Delegation of Australia

43^rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations

On the 7^th May, as part of the celebration of the feast of Jesus Good Shepherd, Sr Nelia Llanto sjbp organized a Vocation afternoon for young people in St. Luke’s parish, Lalor, with the cooperation of other members of the Pauline Family, Scalabrinian Fathers, a Claretian Sister and a diocesan seminarian.

The program included a Vocation forum divided in two parts:

1) short talks on the mystery of Vocation in the Church, and the specific call to the Priesthood or Religious life and,

2) a time for young people to ask questions and have the opportunity of sharing their own experience in following Jesus in their lives.

Although we were hoping for a greater attendance, we were delighted with the active and enthusiastic participation of those who came.

            The forum was followed by an hour of Eucharistic adoration and concluded with the celebration of the Eucharist which was well attended. We continue to pray: Jesus, eternal Shepherd of our souls, send good laborers into your vineyard! 

St. Luke’s Church, Lalor

The two young people

who coordinated the Vocation forum

"Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift…"

(St. Gregory of Nazianzus)

In preparation for the feast of Jesus Good Shepherd, the Pastorelle communities of Bundoora and Lalor and a small group of Pauline Cooperators, came together on 6^th May, for a recollection day on Baptism led by Sr. Doreen Bentley sjbp. It was also a response to the line of action of the 7^th General Chapter that commits us to “re-visit and gain a new understanding of the roots of our faith in a life-giving encounter with Christ the Shepherd, Way, Truth and Life”.

For her presentation Sr. Doreen drew on Sacred Scripture and the practice of Baptism among the early Christians, and also on the Didache and the early Fathers of the Church. 

The input was very rich and it enhanced our appreciation of the gift of Baptism which is the basis of our whole Christian life, our new creation in Christ. The following is one of themany insightful quotations used from the early Fathers:

“Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift…We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal and most precious gift. It is called gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly ad royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God’s Lordship”

(St. Gregory of Nazianzus, AD 330-389,

Orations on Holy Baptism 40:3-4; PG 36, 361C cited in CCC [1216]).

Pastorelle Sisters and Pauline Cooperators

after the renewal of their Baptismal promises.

St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne: flowing water

as a reminder of our Baptism

Sr. Doreen also presented the understanding of Baptism in other Christian Churches and touched on some of the concerns expressed by the World Council of Churches which sees “the need to recover baptismal unity at the heart of the ecumenical task as it is central for the realization of genuine partnership within the Christian communities” (WCC, commentary B6).

Our prayer at the end of the day was based on the Baptismal symbols of water and light and it included the renewal of our Baptismal promises.