Vocation Sunday Reflection 2025
On Sunday, November 5, the Universal Church celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday, also known as Vocation Sunday, which focuses on promoting religious vocations. The Vocation Promotion Team received invitations to participate in various activities at several parishes in the Archdiocese of Jakarta (KAJ) and the Archdiocese of Semarang (KAS). Jesuit scholastics, brothers, and priests participated in live-in experiences, informal meetings like ‘Ngopi Bareng Jesuit,’ interactions with young people, and gave homilies during Eucharistic Celebrations.
In Jakarta, the activities took place primarily at Kolese Hermanum. More than ten parishes, including the Cathedral and Kramat, invited Jesuits to engage in activities like live-ins, choir, and providing vocation talks for youth. They also helped distribute communion and shared personal vocation stories in their sermons.
In the Archdiocese of Semarang, activities were centered at the College of Saint Ignatius in Yogyakarta. Jesuits participated in events across ten parishes, including Babadan and Warak. They engaged in various events, like live-ins at parishioners’ homes, environmental cleaning initiatives, pilgrimages, and assisting priests with communion and homilies.
Several participants shared their positive experiences. A parishioner from St John Paul II Parish in Yogyakarta expressed gratitude for meeting Jesuits, hoping it would inspire more local interest in religious vocations. A child from Christ the King Parish in Solo Baru also shared joy in meeting Jesuit Brothers and receiving promotional items, expressing a desire to become a priest. Sr. Colleta from Wedi Parish highlighted the Holy Spirit’s role in inspiring attendance and praised the Jesuits for enhancing their community activities.
Fr. Arturo Sosa emphasized the significance of promoting the Jesuit vocation in a letter to Major Superiors in 2021. During a session about Priesthood Month 2025, Fr. Benedict Hari Juliawan stressed that parishes play a significant role in fostering vocations. He noted the ongoing collaboration between the Society of Jesus and various dioceses, which often leads to new vocations for the Society.
Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium (EG 107), points out the decline in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, often due to a lack of enthusiasm within communities. He emphasizes that fostering fraternal life and community in parishes can inspire young people to dedicate themselves to God. Vocation safaris seem to present religious figures for observation, yet they serve a deeper purpose. These events allow religious individuals to engage with youth and encourage them to be open to God’s call, particularly towards religious life. The approach taken influences how vocations are promoted, especially within the Society of Jesus. In a time when the call to vocation is often overlooked, Jesuits participating in these safaris can inspire young people to consider their life vocation. Thus, creating a culture of vocation promotion is a crucial pastoral effort, helping to develop sensitivity to God’s voice amidst distractions, as the Society of Jesus works to prepare hopeful young Jesuits.
Contributor: Sch. Tomas Becket Pramudita, S.J. and Ignatius Dio Ernanda Johandika, S.J.
