On Saturday, 1 August 2026, Sr. Immaculata Lui and I had the privilege of representing our Congregation at the “We Are Called” Vocation Expo held at the Australian Catholic University (ACU), Melbourne and co-hosted by ACU Campus Ministry and the Archdiocesan Vocations Office. The Expo welcomed more than 150 participants who gathered to explore God’s call to religious life, priesthood, marriage, and the single vocation.

A highlight of the Expo was the panel discussion facilitated by Fr John Vespa, featuring representatives from different vocations, including a married couple, a religious sister, a priest, and a lay missionary. Their personal witness beautifully demonstrated that every vocation is a unique response to God’s loving call and an invitation to serve others with generosity.

The event also featured an inspiring Q & A session with Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli, who encouraged participants to make time for silence and prayer so they could hear God’s voice. The archbishop invited everyone to ask themselves, ‘’Do I have three minutes to spare? How can I give those three minutes to God in silence?’’ He reminded that discerning God’s will begins by creating space to listen, rather than simply following our own plan.

For us, it was a great joy to introduce to the participants the life and mission of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master. We were blessed to meet many young adults who were sincerely seeking God’s plan for their lives. Their openness, thoughtful questions, and desire to know more about consecrated life were truly encouraging.

A special feature of our display was a basket of vocational scripture cards and a prayer intention box. Partcipants were invited to pick up a scripture verse as God’s personal message for them and to write their prayer intentions. Many entrusted to the Lord their hopes, families, studies, work, discernment, and personal struggles. After the Expo, we brought all the prayer intentions back to our community, placed them before the Blessed Sacrament, and prayed together for each person and their intentions. It was a beautiful reminder that our mission is not only to promote vocations but also to accompany people through prayer and the living Word of God.

The Expo brought together a rich diversity of vocations within the Church.  It was a joyful atmosphere of faith, encounter, and hope, where young adults were encouraged to ask questions, deepen their discernment, and listen to God’s invitation. We are deeply grateful to the organisers for creating such a meaningful event.  We pray that the seeds of faith planted during the Expo will continue to grow and that many young people will respond with courage and generosity to God’s loving call.

May Jesus, the Divine Master, and Mary, Queen of Apostles, guide and accompany all who are discerning their vocation.

Sr. Anita D’SOUZA