Sunday, May 3, is the Fourth Sunday of Easter — Good Shepherd Sunday and the Word Day of Prayer for Vocations.

Parish

EPriest.com offers “Best Practices” from parishes.

Father Brian Higgins at Southern Catholic College in the Archdiocese of Atlanta says a simple seminarian “adoption” program sparks active discernment among parish young people.

“Imagine the response of a congregation who sees their former altar server on a poster talking about how his parish helped to foster his vocation,” he says. Find details of his ideas at the EPriest website.

Catechism

Every family has (or should have) the Catechism in their home. So, each family should have the Catechism logo: a fascinating pagan image of the Good Shepherd. Says the Catechism:

“The design of the logo is adapted from a Christian tombstone in the catacombs of Domitilla in Rome, which dates from the end of the third century A.D. This pastoral image, of pagan origin, was used by Christians to symbolize the rest and the happiness that the soul of the departed finds in eternal life.

“This image also suggests certain characteristic aspects of this Catechism:

“Christ, the Good Shepherd who leads and protects his faithful (the lamb) by his authority (the staff), draws them by the melodious symphony of the truth (the panpipes), and makes them lie down in the shade of the tree of life, his redeeming cross, which opens paradise.”

Media

We watched Rocky II (not Rocky I or III) for Catholic movie night recently. Part of the persona Sylvester Stallone built into the Rocky character is his respect for the Catholicism of Philadelphia Italians. Rocky II includes Catholic decorations in the Balboa home; Rocky praying in front of a tabernacle for extended periods of time; and Rocky insisting on getting blessed by a priest before his fight. Rocky II also shows our hero’s humbling search for work, perfect for St. Joseph the Worker day (May 1). Warning: It’s a Rocky movie, so there is some salty language and, of course, boxing violence. Preview it to see if it’s okay for your family.

Readings

Acts 4:8-12; Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 21, 29; First John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18

EPriest.com offers free homily packs for priests.

Our Take

Pope Benedict XVI’s message for today’s World Day of Prayer for Vocations ties Good Shepherd Sunday to May, the month of Mary. He says that our Yes to the voice of the Shepherd must be repeated throughout a lifetime. His words follow:

An emblematic human res-ponse, full of trust in God’s initiative, is the generous and unmitigated Amen of the Virgin of Nazareth, uttered with humble and decisive adherence to the plan of the Most High announced to her by God’s messenger (Luke 1:38).

Her prompt Yes allowed her to become the Mother of God, the Mother of our Savior.

Mary, after this first “fiat,” had to repeat it many times, even up to the culminating moment of the crucifixion of Jesus, when “standing by the cross of Jesus” as the Evangelist John notes, she participated in the dreadful suffering of her innocent Son. ...

She is especially the mother of priests and consecrated persons. I want to entrust to her all those who are aware of God’s call to set out on the road of the ministerial priesthood or consecrated life.

Dear friends, do not become discouraged in the face of difficulties and doubts; trust in God and follow Jesus faithfully, and you will be witnesses of the joy that flows from intimate union with him.