Members of ‘Vocations Ireland’ with Bishop Denis Nulty and His Excellency Archbishop
Luis Mariano Montemayor at the ‘Vocations Ireland’ stand. Fr Bryan Shortall can also be seen in the background. Photo: Vocations Ireland Religious communities have been a key presence among retailers, farmers, and businesses participating in the retail section of the National Ploughing Championships for many years. It is held annually over the course of three days and typically draws an audience of around 250,000 people. These attendees come from all corners of Ireland and beyond, from a wide range of ages, faith traditions, and some with no religious affiliation at all.
It might seem surprising that members of Vocations Ireland were present at the largest ploughing event in Europe. This major event took place in Ratheniska, Co. Laois, from September 17 to 19.
In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis reminds us that “wherever there is life, fervour, and a desire to bring Christ to others, genuine vocations will arise.” At the National Ploughing Championships, ‘Vocations Ireland’ witnessed exactly that: life, fervour, and a sincere desire to be Christ-like.
Anne-Marie Whelan, the Evangelisation and Vocations Officer for the Sisters of Bon Secours Ireland, shared with The Irish Catholic that, “Our goal in attending is to promote vocations, offer a listening ear, and engage with people of all ages. While the task of promoting vocations may seem daunting to some, those who represented their congregations this year had no difficulty sharing their stories, hoping to inspire interest in religious life.”
On Wednesday, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, visited the vocations stand, accompanied by Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin. Bishop Nulty even joined in a game of Jenga with the Carmelite friars and some young visitors.
Anne-Marie Whelan said, “The ‘Faith and Fun’ we brought to The Hub was clearly appreciated, by the smiles, laughter, and positive feedback from those we met. Some of the encouraging comments were, ‘We are so glad to see you’, ‘Thank you to the religious for their years of service to society. We seem to have forgotten the good work they’ve done’, ‘We are so happy to see you among all the business stands’, and ‘It’s wonderful to have a visible religious presence here’. Many people expressed sadness that religious congregations have left their regions and are deeply missed.”
Commenting on the event, Anne-Marie Whelan shared with this paper, “From the very first day, when people helped us carry tables and boxes to set up our stand, to the final day when someone kindly brought us coffee, we were warmly welcomed by everyone we encountered,” Mrs Whelan added, “Over the course of the three days, members from various congregations distributed prayer cards, shared gifts, provided information about religious life, and engaged with young visitors through games. We also offered a space for prayer requests, which will be passed on to our contemplative communities for their prayers. Additionally, our Capuchin friends provided blessings using a relic of Carlo Acutis and Padre Pio’s mitten.”
To find out more about the work of Vocations Ireland go to www.vocationsireland.com or follow their accounts on social media.
