When I meet with men considering entering the seminary to become priests, I always ask them one question: Have any parishioners ever told you that you would make a good priest, that you should go to the seminary, that you have the qualities they would like to see in a priest? The resounding response is almost unanimous: Yes!

This simple insight can bring about an enormous increase in the number of men and women considering whether God is calling them to serve the Church full-time as an ordained or consecrated minister.

So, for all of us it is really important for the promotion of priestly and religious vocations to keep our eyes open, to note those men and women with qualities that would make them fine priests or religious, and then to SPEAK this message to them.

When you speak to prospective candidates, you are really sharing in God's call to that person. You have been led by the Holy Spirit to see positive and favorable Christian virtue in a person, and you share in becoming "God's voice calling" for that person. God truly speaks through us frequently, and I believe that God's voice is very strong in calling people to serve as priests and religious.

I am grateful to those parishioners who are already noting such qualities and speaking to the possible candidate. But are we all speaking? Are we all looking about to see those candidates who participate frequently in the Eucharist, who are involved in the community of the parish, and who are giving some leadership in the ministries of the Church?

This one practice alone can make an enormous difference in the lives of those whom God is calling. Your speaking words of encouragement validates their hearing God's call in other ways. I encourage all of you to take up this very important practice in your parishes.

The second question then follows the first: Are YOU listening? Are those men and women in our parishes who are hearing these words of support and encouragement really listening? Do you truly believe that these comments from parishioners are really part of your call by God?

Given the fact that so many of our seminarians and religious candidates have listened to God speaking to them and have entered seminaries and houses of formation, it is evident that deeply listening to God in personal prayer can be greatly enhanced by listening to God speaking through others, especially those in the parish who may or may not be known to you.

Please take seriously these many voices --- they are part of the web of graces that lead to a firm vocation decision. It is no accident that parishioners, out of nowhere, will approach you and speak words of hope and confidence in your faith journey. This is part of God's plan, God's way to get your attention.

Are you listening? All of us need to continue to offer words of encouragement, but those hearing the words must listen ever more deeply.

I truly believe that God is calling forth many men and women to serve the Church in self-giving love and ministry. But you and I have a key role to play in the communication of that invitation by God. The vast majority of us must more creatively speak words of support to those men and women we witness in our parish living out lives of generous prayer and service, and speak to them. And those who hear the words of support, must listen deeply --- because it is our loving God who is causing both the speaking and the listening.