NEWS ANALYSIS - Vocation Day: In Bangladesh Catholic families foster priesthood vocation

Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) - In Bangladesh, as many as 26 deacons were ordained AS priests in 2020. It is the highest number ever recorded in the history of the country. There is an important role of Catholic families in order to share Christian faith and values and thus promote vocations, says Father Patrick Simon Gomes, Rector of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary, the only national seminary in the country, to Agenzia Fides. In 15 years, a large number of boys entered in the Seminaries. Out of the 26 newly ordained priests, 18 are diocesan, 6 are from the Congregation of the Holy Cross, one is a Jesuit and one is from PIME. However, Fr Gomes mentioned that, if in one year a height number priesthood ordination took place, there is always a need for "new workers in the Lord's vineyard". He explained: "In a certain time much number of boys entered in seminary and we got its fruits. The height number priests ordination makes us happy, by an individual years number does not says that religious vocation has increased".
In the Atharogram and Vhawal region of Dhaka, priestly and religious vocations are from the tribal areas, reports the Rector. He also informed that from instead of Dhaka diocese they are getting religious vocation from Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Dinajpur, diocese where tribal Christians and most of them are new believers live. Many needy families do not send their children to the Seminary, as the children represent a concrete help and workforce for the family. However, it is precisely the boys who choose to enter the seminary in Bangladesh who do so thanks to vocational promotion in the family. He clarified: "For those boys who are in seminary, I surely can say that family played a keyrole. They obtained formation from family first. I listen to the testimonies of the seminarians and they said that their families provided them with teachings on faith and values. To increase the vocation to the priesthood, families are very important". (...) (continues)

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