Passionist Order begins advertising for vocations today

A national advertising campaign aimed at increasing vocations to the Passionist Order is to begin today.

It will run on Dublin's 98FM, Today FM and Cork 96FM radio stations until June 22nd, with ads at bus shelters in the first two weeks of June.

Father Martin Coffey, Provincial of the Order, said that over the past few years it had just five new recruits and one ordination.

"We hope that as many as five or six new vocations will result from this ad campaign," he said.

Acknowledging that seemed a small number, he pointed out the order is asking people to give their lives.

"There are men, young and mature, who have a calling and who may be considering the priesthood as a career choice. "We want to let them know that the Passionist Order is open for business, and that we would welcome any discussion on how they think our order may suit their career choice," he said.

While various dioceses had employed advertising previously to generate interest in vocations, it has been a few years since this occurred, he said.

"This ad campaign was specifically developed to be innovative in its approach to encouraging recruitment. We want to bring our beliefs to those who may be interested in the religious life, rather than wait for potential recruits to come to us," he said.

The Passionists have a total of 2,700 brothers and priests world-wide, with 76 in Ireland and Scotland and missions in Botswana.