Jesus himself told us to pray for vocations: “The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.” Every Catholic can answer that call by praying for priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, missionaries and holy marriages, and by asking for light about his or her own vocation. Below are Catholic prayers for vocations, a prayer for discernment, an indulgenced prayer of Pope Leo XIII, and when the Church prays especially for vocations.
Jesus’ command to pray for vocations
Then he saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few.
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.
A prayer for vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Written for this page:
Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd, you call each of us by name.
Send holy priests to our parishes, deacons to serve,
religious sisters and brothers to pray and to love the poor,
and missionaries to bring your Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Give courage to those you are calling,
and joy to those who have answered.
Mary, Mother of priests, pray for them. Amen.
A prayer to discern my vocation
Written for this page:
Lord, you made me for a purpose and you know the way I should go.
Show me how you want me to love and serve you:
in marriage, in the priesthood, in religious life or in single life.
Quiet my fears, purify my desires,
and give me the generosity to say yes when you call.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. Amen.
Leo XIII’s prayer for laborers in the harvest
This prayer to the Holy Trinity, indulgenced by Pope Leo XIII in 1894, asks God to send laborers into his harvest and to spread the faith everywhere:
Eternal Father, by thy infinite mercy and by the infinite merits of thy divine Son Jesus, make thyself known and loved by all souls, since it is thy will that all should be saved. Glory be to the Father.
Through the sacred mysteries of human redemption send, O Lord, labourers into thy harvest, and spare thy people.
Eternal Word incarnate, Redeemer of the human race, convert all souls to thyself, since for them Thou wast obedient even to the death of the Cross. Glory be to the Father.
Through the merits and intercession of thy most holy Mother, and of all the Angels and Saints, send, O Lord, labourers into thy harvest, and spare thy people.
O Holy Spirit of God, by the infinite merits of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, diffuse thy most ardent and all-powerful charity in all hearts, that there may be one Fold and one Shepherd throughout the world, and that all may come to sing thy divine mercies in Heaven for ever. Amen. Glory be to the Father.
A prayer for families and parents
Written for this page:
Lord, bless our family and make it a home of prayer and love,
where our children can hear your voice.
If you call one of them to the priesthood or religious life,
give us the faith to rejoice and to let them go,
and give them the courage to follow you. Amen.
When does the Church pray for vocations?
- World Day of Prayer for Vocations, on Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter (April 18, 2027), established by Pope St. Paul VI in 1964.
- National Vocation Awareness Week in the United States, in early November.
- Every Thursday, the day of the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood, in many parishes and holy hours.
- At every Mass, in the Prayers of the Faithful.
Patron saints of vocations
- St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests. See the St. John Vianney prayer.
- St. Joseph, model of fathers and of every vocation. See the St. Joseph prayer.
- St. Ignatius of Loyola, master of discernment. See the St. Ignatius prayer.
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who prayed constantly for priests. See the St. Thérèse prayer.
Frequently asked questions
What is a vocation?
A vocation is God’s call. Every Christian is called to holiness; in particular, God calls each person to a state of life: marriage, the priesthood, consecrated life, or the single life lived for God.
How do I know my vocation?
Pray daily, receive the sacraments, talk with a priest or spiritual director, serve others, and pay attention to the desires God places in your heart. Discernment takes time and peace.
Who is the patron saint of vocations?
St. John Vianney for priests, and many also turn to St. Joseph, St. Ignatius and Our Lady.
More prayers for the Church
- St. Charles Borromeo, patron of seminarians
- Psalms for guidance
- Prayer for priests
- Prayer for the Church
- Holy Hour
- Catholic wedding guide
- Prayers of the faithful for priests and religious
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Matthew 9:37–38, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- Leo XIII’s prayer: The Raccolta (Burns and Oates, 1910), no. 462 (1894), public domain (archive.org).
- The other prayers were written for this page.