EUROPE/SPAIN - Native Vocations Day: "although these are not easy times for vocations, we should make the effort not to let ourselves be overcome by discouragement and anxiety"

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - "Native Vocations Day helps us to be realists and live with a greater sense of responsibility towards others...in a society that is contaminated by secularism and oppressed by consumerism, the consecrated life becomes an ever stronger sign of hope and a point of reference that offers a clear testimony of the transcendental dimension of life and of our existence," said Archbishop Francisco Perez Gonzalez of Pamplona, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Spain, in his message issued for the Native Vocations Day that will be celebrated in the Spanish Church this Sunday, April 27. The day's theme is: "Everyone's Responsibility" because, as Archbishop Perez explains, "cultivating the vocational interest among the youth is an important task for us all." He also recalls that "all those of us who exercise the office of educators have the obligation to awaken consciences and foster vocations, so that the same individuals that come into contact with us may find the most appropriate path in life and take up their responsibility before God and the Church, in service and self-sacrifice." The National Director of the PMS also points out that, "the consecrated, like the yeast in the dough, are called to make holiness visible in the midst of society; thus, our world would steadily weaken and decline without their presence." Furthermore, he said, "society itself demands such vocations, even when it does not understand its lifestyle or the nature of the self-sacrifice it implies."
With this in mind, "although these are not easy times for vocations to a unique consecration, as the tyranny of licentiousness and of ideologies characterized by a practical materialism leads astray many young people who live their lives without this experience of faith, we must make the effort not to let ourselves be overcome by discouragement and anxiety." The Archbishop concluded saying, “on Native Vocations Day, we will ask the Lord of the harvest to send us vocations, in abundance.”
According to the statistics from the PMS in Spain, the newly ordained priests proceed mainly from Africa and Asia. In the last 25 years, the number of seminarians has tripled in the African continent and in Asia, there has been an impressive increase of 125% in seminarians. The rise in numbers is especially remarkable among vocations to the consecrated life. There are currently close to about 150,000 religious women in missionary territories, 31,000 more than 15 years ago. In this same stretch of time, the number of religious men has increased by 38,000 and is now over 51,000.
Since 2003, the Holy See has established 69 new dioceses worldwide. Of these 69, 17 are located in Africa, 15 in the Americas, 23 (one-third of the grand total) in Asia, 12 in Europe, and 2 in Oceania. In 2007 alone, a total of 81,323 seminarians received aid; 31,193 were major seminarians and 50,130 were minor seminarians. The Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle offered support to 942 seminarians worldwide, as well as 3,534 novices (men) and 6, 018 women novices.
The Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle in Spain is also launching a special campaign to offer vocational scholarships and for years has promoted campaigns among contemplative monasteries, in order to intensify prayers for “native vocations.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 24/4/2008 righe 42, parole 542)