Dear brother Knights,

Advent blessings to all of you!  It is with great joy that I begin my regular column in your newsletter, bringing a special focus on how we, as Knights, can promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  This past year, a “Vocations Handbook” was published by  Supreme Council, (http://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/vocations/vocations.pdf), encouraging us once again to be promoters of God’s call, in the lives of our young people.  I would invite you to use this handbook in your council, as it offers some great advice and ideas for promoting vocations as brother Knights.

The time of Advent is now upon us.  Each year, the season of Advent, in a very discreet way, reminds us of the person of St. Joseph.  St. Joseph is a great example for us Knights, and also shows us how to foster God’s call in the lives of our children, grandchildren and parish families. 

St. Joseph is noted for having a deep sense of sacrifice and obedience to God’s will.  St. Joseph had to set aside his own plans and desires, over and over again, so that God’s plans could be realized, and that Jesus, our Saviour, would be able to respond to His Father’s plan of salvation. 

Joseph had to leave his carpenter’s trade in Nazareth, for a time, and head to Bethlehem, and then to Egypt, because of bad government decisions.  He then returns and lives out his life hidden from the public eye, but ensuring that the Christ-child has all that He needs for growth in faith and love.  So often, young men are deterred from considering a call to the priesthood, because their fathers, or mothers, may have other plans and desires for them.  If we are ever tempted with such thoughts, let us turn to St. Joseph and ask for his intercession, so that we too may have the same spirit of sacrificial love, so that Christ may continue to be born upon our altars at each and every Mass, through the hands of a Catholic priest.

With my prayers,

Fr. Patrick Beneteau

Director of Vocations and Seminarians

Diocese of London