Priestly vocation is a mystery - the mystery of a wondrous exchange". In the words of Pope John Paul II a man offers his humanity to Christ. In exchange Christ makes him into another Christ so that he may be used to become a means of God's saving love to other human beings. That is why someone, hearing the words "come, follow me", is able to leave all to follow Christ in the sure knowledge that if he follows that road he will find complete personal fulfilment.

God made His Son, Jesus, the One Supreme and Eternal Priest for the glory of His name. However He has chosen others to share in the task of preaching His word, celebrating His glory and dispensing His love. Priests exist in every time and place to prolong the presence of Christ, the one High Priest.

The model is Jesus Christ the good shepherd. All priests are called to live out and imitate His saving and self-sacrificing love. It is indeed a wondrous mystery.

I hope that many young men and those who have greater experience of life will visit this site and find it useful. It is my prayer that those who feel that the Lord may be calling them to the priesthood, even if the call at this stage seems unclear and uncertain, will find here food for thought and inspiration for prayer. Life is a pilgrimage for all Christians and I hope that those considering priesthood might find something helpful to them in their own pilgrimage of faith and commitment to the Lord. It is also my desire that those who actively promote vocations to the priesthood and indeed all those who love the priesthood will find this site of interest.

It is fitting that the priesthood of the Archdiocese of Armagh should have a presence on the worldwide web. I am very happy that we are employing the very latest and most sophisticated technology in bringing the idea of priesthood as a vocation to the world in this way. I am very grateful to the Armagh Diocesan Vocations Commission and their expert IT team who have worked so hard to make this site a reality.

Pope John Paul II has spoken many times on the use of the internet, encouraging local Churches throughout the world to avail of the web as a tool of evangelisation. In a recent message for World Communications Day the Holy Father said:

"What is ……. needed in our time is an active and imaginative engagement of the media by the Church. Catholics should not be afraid to throw open the doors of social communications to Christ, so that his Good News may be heard from the housetops of the world!"

I am very happy that the Archdiocese of Armagh is engaging with the modern world concerning priesthood in this most up-to-date of ways. I pray that this site may inspire and assist many men to be generous in the exciting vocational journey of answering the call to follow Christ in the ordained priesthood.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest" (Mt 9, 37-38; cf. Lk 10, 2). "What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops" (Mt 10:27). I pray that there will never be a lack of labourers in the Lord's harvest in this diocese but that boldly and joyfully the truth of Jesus may be preached from the housetops so that all men and women throughout this diocese may intimately know the love which the Father has revealed in his son, "the same yesterday, today and for ever" (Heb 13:8).

I invite all who visit this site prayerfully to spend a while saying the following prayer for vocations of Pope John Paul II. Fittingly it takes up the theme of pilgrimage:

"Holy Father, eternal source of existence and love, who, in living man, show the splendour of your glory, and who put in his heart the seed of your call, let no-one, by reason of our negligence, ignore or lose this gift, but may everyone walk, with wholehearted generosity, towards the realisation of your Love.

Lord Jesus, who in your pilgrimage along the roads of Palestine, chose and called the apostles and entrusted to them their task of preaching the Gospel, feeding the faithful and celebrating divine worship, ensure that today, too, your Church may not lack numerous holy priests, who can bring to all the fruits of your death and resurrection.

Holy Spirit, who sanctify the Church with the constant pouring out of your gifts, place into the hearts of those called to the consecrated life a deep-rooted and resolute passion for the Kingdom, so that with a generous and unconditioned "yes", they may place their entire existences at the service of the Gospel.

Most holy Virgin, who without hesitation offered yourself to the Almighty for the carrying out of his plan of salvation, pour trust into the hearts of young people so that there may always be zealous pastors who are able to guide the Christian people on the way of life, and consecrated souls who may know how to witness, in chastity, poverty, and obedience, to the freeing presence of your risen Son. Amen."


+ Seán Brady
Archbishop of Armagh