The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. MT 9:36
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." MT 4: 19/MK 1:17
The whole Church is a priestly people. Through Baptism, all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. This participation is called the "common priesthood of the faithful." Based on this common priesthood and ordered to its service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ: the ministry conferred by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community.
The ministerial priesthood differs in essence from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teaching, divine worship, and pastoral governance.
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate.
Anyone who feels called to serve God and His Church through Holy Orders or the Religious Life is encouraged to speak with Fr. Joe Molloy by calling (217-483-3772) or the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois Vocation Director, Fr. Brian Alford (217-698-8500).