Vocations
Vocations Video | 8
Ways to Encourage Vocations | Today's
Priests |Religious Communities of Men | Representation of Women Religious in the Diocese | Seminarians | Vocation Services Unit
FOCUS 11
Images from our Focus 11 event.
U.S. CATHOLIC BISHOPS FOCUS ON LANDMARK VOCATIONS STUDY
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, gathered in Baltimore for their annual meeting, invited Holy Cross Brother Paul Bednarczyk, Executive Director of the Chicago-based National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC), to present the results of the NRVC’s landmark Study on Recent Vocations to Religious Life, published this past August.
Bednarczyk outlined the study’s key findings including the need for collaborative efforts with dioceses, Catholic educators, and families in creating a culture of vocation within the Church. He asked for the bishops’ help “in promoting consecrated life as a viable, joyful, and grace-filled option for the men and women in your dioceses” and suggested three practical ways the bishops could do this:
- Meet with the major superiors and religious priests, brothers, and sisters in their dioceses to discuss the results of the NRVC’s vocation research
- Make vocation promotion to all forms of ordained and vowed religious life a priority and speak often about vocations, especially to young people
- Provide a component in their diocesan vocation offices for the promotion of religious priesthood and consecrated life in addition to diocesan priesthood
Bednarczyk cited Pope John Paul II’s Vita Consecrata, in which bishops were asked to give religious priests, brothers, sisters and others in consecrated life a “place in the pastoral plans of the Diocese.” He added: “If religious life, like priesthood, is a gift to the local church, clergy, religious, and laity all need to share in the responsibility for its promotion.”
The bishops received an outline of the major findings of the NRVC’s Study on Recent Vocations to Religious Life in the United States, conducted by the Center for the Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a Georgetown University-based research center. Key among the findings is the dramatic 65 percent drop in religious vocations since their peak in the mid 1960s. The study also showed that new members bring increased ethnic and cultural diversity and a strong desire for communal living, prayer, and Catholic identity.
“Despite the challenges presented by the changing demographics,” said Bednarczyk, “our study affirms that the Holy Spirit continues to inspire and guide the Church as evidenced by the founding of new religious institutes, the multitude of charitable works established by religious, and most encouraging, the zeal and passion for the gospel and hope for the future embraced by our newer members.”
Fostering vocations to priesthood and religious life is one of the stated priorities of the Bishops’ Conference, and Bednarczyk noted that the invitation for him to address the bishops was “an affirmation of the priority this Conference is giving to religious life and its future in this country.”
Br. Paul Bednarczyk’s address to the bishops and the NRVC vocation study are available at www.nrvc.net, and you can download the pdf version of the study by clicking here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Click here to view photos of a previous vocation awareness weekend!
Also visit:
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary - http://www.svdp.edu
St. John Vianney College Seminary - http://www.sjvcs.edu
National Conference of Diocesan Vocations Directors - http://www.ncdvd.org
National Federation of Priest's Council: www.nfpc.org
RELIGIOUS LIFE FOR MEN AND WOMEN
Download an information packet regarding Religious Life for Men and Women and upcoming retreats in pdf format. This packet has answers to many of your questions about the consecrated life and offers unique insight into the process of becoming a priest, brother or sister. Click here for an Informational packet.
DOWNLOADS
Download a copy of the Vocations Brochure and the Vocations Prayer Card in pdf format by clicking on the images.
Vocations Brochure |
Vocations Prayer Card
|
THE ORDINATION OF FATHER VILAIRE PHILIUS - MAY 30, 2009
ORLANDO | Archbishop Thomas Wenski welcomed Father Vilaire Philius into the brotherhood of priests at his ordination ceremony May 30, 2010at the Cathedral of St. James in Orlando. “My friends, today we give God thanks for having called Vilaire to the priesthood; and we thank Vilaire for freely accepting this call — and all that it entails — with great generosity and love,” said Archbishop Wenski in his homily. Photo by Valeta Orlando - printed with persission from the Florida Catholic Newspaper.
Inspirations
Needed: Carriers of HOPE By S. Mary David Hydro, OSB
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love!" —it's an old song and still quite true, but it seems to me also that what the world needs now is Hope.
"Our hope is in God who loved us and sent his Son to redeem us," Pope Benedict XVI says in his latest encyclical, "Spe Salvi" God is ultimately the foundation of our hope and the One who can be trusted to keep his promises.
Christians must be persons of Hope, carriers of Hope. It is too easy to look at the war, violence, hunger, poverty and disease in our world and to want to give up in despair–or treat it like some do global warming–something that doesn't exist, or if it does, to explain that these conditions are just cycles we pass through.
Signs of distress do exist: hunger/famine, the AIDS pandemic, lack of education and health care, homelessness, racism, senseless violence, abuse, severe poverty, the cost of war–in lives and dollars... We cannot deny that they are all around us if we open our eyes.
In our society, we find many today seeking material prosperity through consumerism or self-aggrandizement. At the same time, however we see others who are seeking "meaning" in their lives by turning or returning to religion/spirituality for an inner life and a connection to God. We need to see this spiritual hunger as a sign of Hope.
We each can be a sign of Hope by living our faith and welcoming the seekers. (St. Benedict says in his Rule that we are all seekers, beginners and learners on the Christian path.) Here are some ways I think each of us can seek to be a sign of Hope:
- Counter the difficulties, disunity and injustice of our time with a positive attitude & good actions
- Pray instead of getting discouraged or worrying
- Do something to solve a problem –don't complain about it
- Love people and use things (Note. not love things and use people)
It is through our words, and especially our actions, that we will be carriers of Hope. What we say and do infects and affects others' words and actions for better or worse.
People of prayer are persons of Hope. Prayer nourishes and makes grow the seeds of Hope God has planted within us. In our difficult times there is a special need for prayer and finding our strength, our Hope in God.
"May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in Hope" Rom. 15:13
In the course of history and to the present, many have become witnesses to the importance of prayer by giving themselves wholly to the praise of God and the life of prayer/service in monasteries. If you feel called to give prayer first place and to seek a renewal of your spiritual life, visit Holy Name Monastery, St. Leo, FL– become a carrier of Hope. Come for a few days or a lifetime.
See <www.floridabenedictines.com> for varied ways to share Benedictine
life: Retreatant, Volunteer, Oblate, vowed Sister.
VOCATION VIDEOS
Watch the video by choosing a connection speed below. Quicktime is required.
VocationVidEnglish.mov - 56k Modem
VocationVidEnglish.mov - 256k DSL/Cable
Follow the link below to get the Quicktime plug-in. 
Bishop Wenski with Seminarias
Eight
Ways to Encourage Vocations
- Be faith-filled people.
Pray for guidance in decisions, and
seek to deepen your relationship with
God.
- Let Christian values
guide you. Be generous and of service
to others.
- Pray. Let the children
see you pray and pray with them in ordinary
and extraordinary circumstances.
- Share faith. Talk with
children about how faith affects your
life.
- Make and demand sacrifice.
Help children see both by example and
by what you expect of them that a holy
and happy life involves sacrifice.
- Stay in touch. Get to
know priests and religious by interacting
with them as opportunities arise so
that you are comfortable with them and
understand their commitment.
- Educate. Teach children
you know about the option of a call
to religious life or priesthood as well
as the call to marriage or single life.
- Support. If a child or
young adult speaks of a desire to be
a priest, deacon, brother or sister,
be supportive.
TOP OF PAGE
 And
a Whole lot More!
Today's Priests Live
Full Lives, But Their Main Role is to
Lead the Church
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why does the Church
need priests?
A. The Eucharist
is the source and summit of the life of
the Church. Without the Eucharist, there
is no Church. In a sacramental way, Christ
is present to the Church in the person
of the priest. All of the sacraments offer
a personal encounter with Christ, and
the priest is the one who offers the sacraments.
Q. How do I know
if God is calling me to the priesthood?
A. Today,
many people look to the future and ask: "What
do I want to do with my life?" The
proper question is: "God, what
do you want me to do with my life for
you?" To know if you are being
called, you must have a prayerful relationship
with God, since God is the one who calls
us to a specific vocation. Often, when
someone senses that God is calling them
to the priesthood, there is a negative
reaction. This is normal, but do not
think that it means you are not meant
to be priest. Very often, it is a positive
indicator!
Q. What qualities
are looked for in a priest?
A. A desire to serve
others - love for the Church - deep faith
- man of prayer - leadership ability -
one who relates well with people - and
one who is a builder of the community.
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 Q.
What do I do if I think I am being
called to the priesthood?
A. Speak to people
you trust and get their feedback. You
may also wish to speak to your pastor
or any other priest you know. Most of
all, speak with the vocations director
of the diocese, because he can answer
many of your questions.
Q. Do I have to know
for sure that I want to be a priest
to enter the seminary?
A. No There are two
levels of seminary formation, college
and theology. In both cases, seminary
is not only a place of education and formation,
it is also a place for continued prayer
and discernment.
Q. What is the process
for entering the seminary?
A. There is first
an application process for the diocese.
Once the student is accepted by the diocese,
then there is another application process
for the seminary.
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 Q.
Where would I attend the seminary?
A. Currently, the
Diocese of Orlando uses St. John Vianney
College Seminary, Miami and St.
Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary,
Boynton Beach. Once a student has been
accepted as a seminarian by the diocese,
then the student is assigned to the seminary
by the bishop.
Q. What are the academic
requirements to enter the seminary?
A. To enter seminary college,
a student must have completed high school
with a GPA of 2.0 or better. For the final
five years of theology, a student needs
a four-year college degree with a GPA
of 2.0 or better and some basic philosophy
requirements. Generally, the education
process requires nine years after high
school.
Q. If I were ordained
a priest for the Diocese of Orlando,
where would I serve?
A. Most diocesan
priests serve as parish priests, However,
some do serve in other roles, such as
high school chaplain, hospital chaplain,
or in offices at the Catholic Center.
Q. How much does
seminary cost and who is responsible
for the expenses?
A. For college seminarians,
the student and the family are responsible
for the expense. However, there are numerous
financial aid packages available through
the school, and the diocese will do everything
it can do to see that no one is turned
down on the basis of financial need. At
the theology level, the diocese covers
the basic expenses of room, board, tuition,
books, and health insurance premiums.
The theology students also receive a monthly
allowance to help defer other personal
expenses.
DIOCESAN VOCATIONS SERVICES — NEWS BRIEFS
Statistics Up-date
We now have 25 parishes with operational Vocations Committees and 28 more "in progress"...some parishes have not yet responded to the survey. We have asked the Deans to help us up-grade/verify our information for their Deanery.
Great Ideas
This one is from "up North"... Conduct a vocations essay contest for the 5th, 6th and 7th grade boys and girls on the results of the students’ interview with priests, sisters, brothers, or seminarians. This accomplishes both academic and vocations objectives. The boy and girl winner from each grade (total of six) receive their paid registration to the boys and girls summer Leadership Camps. Several parishes raise the money as a Parish Vocations Project for National Vocations Week in January. The Parish Vocations Committee recruits the priests, sisters, brothers, and seminarians to come to the school to meet with the students. The program is in its 9th year. (This might be a great project for the K of C...???)
(Note: how about sending your GREAT IDEAS to: Motzellw@earthlink.net...so that we don't have to rely on them Yankees for GREAT IDEAS.
Parish Vocations Library
No new items. Please let us know of any materials that you find that would be appropriate and we will pass it on. (send to: Motzellw@earthlink.net)
HELP NEEDED
Vocation Services is a group of volunteers supporting Fr. Gonzalez in the Vocations Office.
We need more volunteers to join us in exploring various vocations related issues and initiatives to determine their potential for our Diocese. Bring a friend and work as a team...no experience necessary, work at home on your schedule. For more information, contact Bob Grudzinski at sbia4U@msn.com or Bill Motzell at Motzellw@earthlink.net (386 676 7766) |
