New Bangladeshi Diocese Helps Young People Discern Vocation

The newly established Diocese of Joypurhat in northern Bangladesh organized a diocesan vocation seminar for young people, encouraging them to listen to God’s call and discern their vocation in life.

Held at Chandpukur Parish on September 4, the seminar brought together about 210 participants, including boys and girls from Grade 6 through college, as well as priests, religious sisters and brothers from different parishes.

The gathering was held under the theme “Jesus’ Call: Come, Follow Me” and aimed to help young people reflect on their faith and consider the different ways they might serve God and the Church.

Joypurhat is one of Bangladesh’s newer Catholic dioceses and serves communities in the northern part of the country, where Catholics are a small minority. As the local Church continues to strengthen its pastoral structures, promoting vocations to priesthood and religious life remains an important part of its ministry to young people.

The seminar began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, presided over by Fr. Anthony Hansda, vicar general of the Diocese of Joypurhat. In his introductory remarks, he reminded the participants that the call to a vocation can already be present within them.

“The seed of vocation is hidden within our hearts. We must always strive to discover it,” Fr. Hansda said.

During the homily, Fr. William Murmu of the Diocese of Rajshahi shared his own vocation journey and spoke about the experiences that led him toward ministry. His personal testimony encouraged the young participants to remain open to the possibility of consecrated and religious life.

Fr. John Mintu Roy reflected on the theme “Jesus’ Call: Come, Follow Me,” drawing on examples from both the Old and New Testaments. He spoke about the call experienced by the prophets Samuel and Isaiah, John the Baptist, the disciples and Mary.

“A vocation is a gentle call. To hear it, we need to become a little silent,” Fr. Roy said.

He encouraged the young people to cultivate an interior life that would enable them to recognize God’s call.

“By walking in the light of the Beatitudes, we can discover our true vocation,” he said.

Sr. Mary Chandra, SMRA, spoke on “Ways and Challenges of Discovering One’s Vocation,” emphasizing the importance of preparing one’s heart to receive and nurture the call of God.

She compared vocation to a seed that needs good soil in order to grow and bear fruit, encouraging the participants to develop a deeper spiritual life.

“When we give less importance to worldly things and greater importance to spiritual life, we can better understand the call to religious life,” Sr. Chandra said.

Representatives of various religious congregations also introduced the charisms and missions of their respective communities. They shared their experiences of religious life and encouraged the young people to consider serving the Church as priests, sisters or brothers.

The vocation seminar concluded with a vote of thanks, leaving the participants with an invitation to continue discerning how they can respond to Jesus’ call in their own lives.

For the young Catholic community in Joypurhat, the gathering was also part of the diocese’s continuing effort to accompany a new generation of Catholics as they discover their gifts, deepen their faith and consider how they can contribute to the life and mission of the Church.