Every year, the Church in Brazil celebrates vocations in the month of August. Dioceses, parishes and communities seek ways to celebrate God\�s call expressed in different ways. Each Sunday of the month, a specific vocation is commemorated. The first one is celebrated as the day of the priest, the priestly vocation; the second is devoted to father and celebrates the matrimonial vocation; the consecrated life is celebrated on the feast of the Assumption of Mary, so the vocation to the consecrated life is celebrated on the third Sunday. To conclude the vocational month, the lay vocation, emphasizing catechists, is remembered on the fourth Sunday. Prayers for vocations, rosaries, vocational encounters, masses, among other actions, are organized to mark the month of August, to pray and reflect on the call that God makes to each person. The following describes one of the actions undertaken.
In the Diocese of Dourados in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the traditional vocational fair took place on August 31, 2019, at the Immaculate Conception School. This year, the theme chosen was "The call". Several religious from male and female congregations, as well as new communities of life, secular consecrated life, family pastoral workers, diocesan priests and permanent deacons attended the fair. Each religious family had prepared a tent with vocational materials and other creativity to present to visitors. One of the objectives was to make the charisms visible to young people and to mark the closing of the vocational month.
The event, attended by approximately 400 people, counted on a full schedule: performances of dances and Catholic musical groups, theater presentations by youth groups, catechism classes and altar boys and gils. In addition, there was also the witness of representatives of all the charisms present. It concluded with the Eucharistic celebration, chaired by Vicar General, Father Otair Nicoleti, followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, with the participation of the diocesan coordinator of the Diocesan Vocational Animation Service (SAVD), Father Éverton Manari.
Among the religious participants at the event were Sisters Alice Soares, Neusabete Santana Freitas and Gema Menegat, representing the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry.
Sister Alice Soares
