Scottish Catholic Observer

Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury has encouraged young adults considering vocations to seek the will of God by praying before the Blessed Sacrament.

Giving the Homily at the annual Mass at the Invocations festival in St Mary’s College in Birmingham on Saturday, Bishop Davies told the congregation how praying to the Blessed Sacrament helped him to answer questions in his life.

“In the clear, gentle light of the Eucharist I dared to ask what the Lord had in mind for me and found the courage to say: ‘Yes’,” Bishop Davies said. “I would like to say to each of you that where the Holy Eucharist is found, you will also find the answer to the greatest question of your lifetime. Here you will find your true vocation.”

During this homily, the bishop reminded the congregation that Blessed John Paul II asked these same questions before the Blessed Sacrament at a time when he too was seeking to understand God’s intentions for him.

The annual Invocations Mass coincided with the anniversary of the dedication of St Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham. In his homily, Bishop Davies reflected on the importance of the Blessed Sacrament in the Cathedral.

“Today Birmingham celebrates the dedication of the cathedral church found amid the swirling traffic and towering buildings of the city centre,” the bishop said.

“Like every Catholic church on earth whether a makeshift church in a shanty town or a vast cathedral or this Victorian college chapel it is the place we make for the Holy Eucharist.”