For Parents Calling all Parents... While this is God’s decision, parents play an important role and have a moral responsibility to create a supportive home environment in which a decision about a vocation is made. The response to God’s call is made within family and among friends who indicate through what they say and do whether they value and support a religious vocation—a vocation that is a life of service to God and his people. God has entrusted you, as a parent, with the responsibility of teaching your son that God should be the biggest influence in his life. The role of family is expressed in the prayer of the Church at the end of the Baptismal Liturgy— “… parents should, by their word and example, be the first preachers of the faith to their children. They should encourage them in the vocation which is proper to each of them ... fostering with special care any religious vocation.” Through prayer, a Christ-centered home, and with sympathetic and honest support, families can create a climate in which the grace of God can work freely. Parents should seek help along the way from priest or other trusted advisor. In faith, parents need to understand that their son’s true happiness depends on their generous response to God’s call and that God is never outdone in generosity and love. “God is faithful and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength.” (1 Cor 10:13) Prayers for Parents Parents FAQ © Archdiocese of Newark 2011