Is a little book responsible for a drastic increase in vocation inquiries? Well, that and prayer too! In this letter from June 2012, Mother Aimee of the Poor Clares of Santa Barbara shares how the booklet, “Lord of the Harvest,” which they placed in their chapel has drawn many Catholic women towards discerning a vocation with their community.
We try to keep something with substance in the back of the chapel for our friends and visitors who come to pray. I really liked this booklet when IRL sent us a sample copy. I ordered about 100 copies. We have a little table in the back of our chapel. I put a small box on the table with a sign, Pray to the Lord of the Harvest, with about a dozen of these booklets in the box. People who visited the chapel scooped them up. In a very short time they were all gone so I ordered about another 100 copies. These also soon disappeared, so I ordered once again, this time a larger quantity. Our friends know that whatever is on the table in the back of the chapel they are welcome to take. Some return the booklets after using them but many people take them home. We just keep replenishing the supply in the little box, trying to keep about a dozen in the chapel.
After we put this booklet out for people to use freely, our vocation inquires increased incredibly. One day alone we had four women contact us. That was the day it dawned on us what was happening. When you really ask the Lord for vocations, and many ask and keep asking, He answers. Every Sunday we have solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, from the conclusion of our 7:00 am Mass until 4:00 pm. People are in and out of the chapel all day. They have this booklet available if they desire to use it. Presently we have two applicants and several writing who are in various stages of discernment. I had two young women here last week for interviews.
God bless + you.
Mother Aimee Marie, PCC
You can order this booklet from the Institue of Religious Life.
