“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” In these words from St Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus calls all people to serve him. There are many different ways in which one may respond to this universal call. One special way is to consider life in the service of the Church as a priest. The priesthood is not the easiest path to follow, and just like any other major commitment, it involves a great deal of thought, prayer and plenty of dedication before embarking upon such a demanding but rewarding way of life.

As you are aware, there is something of a crisis in the number of those offering themselves for the priesthood; so what can be going wrong here? Has God stopped calling men to the priesthood? The simple answer is no, God is still calling men to the priesthood! The question is whether they are hearing his call? God speaks to the heart in a still, small voice of calm. To hear the gracious calling of the Lord can be difficult in such a fast-moving and busy world and so some help is needed. I wish to propose a few very simple ways in which we can all do our part.

As a young Catholic, I missed out on the tridentine mass period, when mass was offered in Latin. All I have ever known is the current missal that we all use today. It’s something I have grown up with, and has been a great source of guidance for me. So when I heard of a new translation, I was very intrigued, and was keen to find out what it all really meant for us.

Last year, the pope asked us to use this moment for genuine renewal. He said. ”I encourage you now to seize the opportunity that the new translation offers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration. The more lively the Eucharistic faith of the people of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples” Benedict XVI
This is not just a renewal of the holy mass; it’s a renewal of us. The holy mass is at the very heart of our lives, and if that changes, so do we. This is not simply a translation we are being handed, but it’s an opportunity. One that is encouraging us to discover what our faith is all about and the richness offered by the Church that Jesus Christ handed over to us.