Invocations

I was sent this article by our diocesan vocations director about Invocations, the vocations festival at Oscott Seminary last weekend:

Invocation 2010 was an inaugural festival for young catholic adults who gathered to deepen their faith and hear God's call. They were offered advice, workshops, and time for prayer by the priests, religious sisters and brothers, nuns and monks who attended the event. Oscott College in Birmingham hosted the event in which over 400 attended. Keynote speakers were Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Fr Christopher Jamison, Dr Andrew O'Connell, and Sr Gabriel Davison.

A good number attended from our diocese including Andrew Penson and Rowena Grunwell who have written of their experience.

''Invocation was a marvellous event, with hundreds of clergy, religious, seminarians and young people gathered together for a time of discernment and prayer.. Holy Mass was celebrated by Archbishops Bernard Longley, Peter Smith and Vincent Nichols in the college's beautiful Chapel. The Pope sent a special apostolic blessing to all present, he was evidently aware of what a large scale and unique vocations event this was, and asked for our prayers for the success of his forthcoming visit. The weekend was a total success and enjoyed by all.'' (Andrew)

“Invocation was an eye-opening event, not just because I had never seen so many priests and religious but because of the energy and enthusiasm of all the young people there. I went to the festival to ask questions of people who had already chosen to dedicate their lives to God, and I was not disappointed! I found that everyone was eager to share their own experiences and listen to others in a comfortable, safe environment, and it was refreshing to see that a lot of young people today are searching for a greater meaning to life and taking their faith seriously. It was also so much fun that I would gladly go again if given the chance! “ (Rowena)

For more information about Invocation 2010 go to http://www.invocation.org.uk/