In encountering the Lord, some may feel the attraction of a call to the consecrated life or to the ordained priesthood.\u00a0 It is a discovery that can excite and at the same time frighten us, since we feel called to become \u201cfishers of men\u201d in the barque of the Church by giving totally of ourselves in commitment to faithful service of the Gospel and our brothers and sisters.\u00a0 Such a decision carries the risk of leaving everything behind to follow the Lord, to devote ourselves completely to him, and to share in his work.<\/em>\u00a0(Message of His Holiness for the World Day of Vocations<\/a>)<\/p>\n The purpose of the\u00a0World Day of Prayer for Vocations<\/strong>\u00a0is to publically fulfill the Lord\u2019s instruction to, \u201cPray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest\u201d (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As a climax to a prayer that is continually offered throughout the Church, it affirms the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life.\u00a0 While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates its attention this day on vocations to the\u00a0ordained ministries<\/em>\u00a0(priesthood and diaconate), to the\u00a0Religious life<\/em>\u00a0in all its forms (male and female, contemplative and apostolic), to\u00a0societies of apostolic life<\/em>, to\u00a0secular institutes<\/em>\u00a0in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life, in the particular sense of\u00a0mission \u201cad gentes\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n