Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury home scheme for potential priests

Plans for a new home where men considering a calling to the Catholic church can live in peace and harmony have been unveiled for Shrewsbury.

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The Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, has announced his plans for a house of discernment, to be opened at Shrewsbury Cathedral from September 2015.

It will offer men a place where they will be able to carefully discern, over a period of a year, if they are being called by God to become priests. Bishop Davies was formally announcing the plans today.

during the Mass of Sacred Chrism today being held at Wythenshawe, Manchester, an event at which the priests of the diocese annually renew the promises of their ministerial priesthood.

The house of discernment provides the opportunity for men to prayerfully discern a life devoted to God without giving up a career right away or while continuing their studies at a local college.

At the Mass, the Bishop was also making available prayer cards for vocations – including a prayer he has composed himself - which will be sent out to all parishes in the Diocese over the coming weeks.

"If we truly open our hearts in prayer within our families and parishes, I have no doubt this gift of new vocations will be given us," said the Bishop.

He added that a 'crisis of vocation' in the priesthood, religious life and also in marriage, and compared such changes in the life of the Church to changes in the

natural environment.

But he explained that the crisis is neither inexplicable nor irreversible and will suggest that it can be overcome by prayer, by encouragement and by a renewed love for the priestly vocation.

And he urged Catholics to support those who have a calling to the church. He said: "Each of us have a role in encouraging, offering courage to the young in responding to their calling.

"At Shrewsbury Cathedral we are going to establish as a diocese a 'house for discernment' for men considering a vocation to the priesthood. This house will

formally open its doors in September 2015 creating a community at the heart of our diocese where the vocation to priesthood can be actively discerned and supported within a year-long programme."

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