Vocations
Vocations Video | 8
Ways to Encourage Vocations | Today's
Priests | Links to other Religious Orders | Religious Communities of Men | Representation of Women Religious in the Diocese | Seminarians & Articles
 
For more information contact:
Fr. Miguel Gonzalez
Director of the Office of Vocations
(407) 246-4875
E-mail:
mgonzalez@orlandodiocese.org
Sister Kathleen Power, SSJ
Associate Director of Vocations
(407) 246-4928
E-mail: kpower@orlandodiocese.org
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Download an information packet regarding Religious Life for Men and Women in pdf format. Click here.
Continue below for information regarding the diocesan priesthood.
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VOCATIONS VIDEOS
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VocationVidEnglish.mov - 56k Modem
VocationVidEnglish.mov - 256k DSL/Cable
Follow the link below to get the Quicktime plug-in.
Answering God's Call: Two different men, sharing the same faith. Two different styles of ministry, facing the same challenges. "Answering God's Call" brings viewers into the daily lives of two priests: Fr. Mitch Rozanski, pastor of two parishes in Baltimore, and Fr. Pat Smith, pastor of a church in rural Maryland. As we journey inside a church steeple and through parishioners' homes, we see that there's much more to the priesthood than celebrating Mass on Sunday. Funded by the Catholic Communication Campaign, "Answering God's Call" tells the story of two devoted men who have committed their lives to serving God's people. The following are some clips from this program. Click here... |
UPCOMING EVENTS
Click here to view photos of the recent weekend!
Click here to see other retreat opportunities.
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
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 Bishop Wenski Ordains Three Priests:
Diocese receives “gift of three new fathers” - On Saturday, June 16, the day before Father’s Day, God gave the Diocese of Orlando the gift of three new “fathers.” In a moving ceremony whose roots stretch back to the Acts of the Apostles, I ordained three good men to the Ministerial Priesthood. By the “laying on of hands” in the sacred rite of Holy Orders, Gilbert Medina, Jeremiah Payne and Anthony Welle were configured to Christ the eternal High Priest and, joined to the priesthood of the Bishops, they were consecrated as true priests of the New Testament to preach the Gospel, to shepherd God’s people, and to celebrate the sacred Liturgy, especially the Lord’s Sacrifice. I am confident that, with the continued help of God’s grace, each one of them will be a good leader and a good shepherd of God’s people. Read more...
What happens during an Ordination? |
On the Road to Vocations - Father Miguel Gonzalez, the Director of Vocations, and many young men participated in Vocation Awareness Weekend. More than 70 men, nearly half from the Orlando Diocese, gathered at St. John Vianney College Seminary to experience a little bit of seminary life. In a retreat-like atmosphere, the visitors participated in Mass eucharistic adoration and the Stations of the Cross, and took time for sports and fellowship. The young men learned about the academic program of the seminary and talked with the seminarians about their experiences. Click here to see the pictures of the event. Photos are by Carol Ferrazzano. |
Click here to know read about Bernard Nglia
Seminarias with Bishop Wenski
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.
Click here to view a video titled "ANSWERING GOD'S CALL."
TOP OF PAGE
 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.
TOP OF PAGE
 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.
Religious Communities Outside Our Diocese
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker- www.ssjw.org
Conventional Franciscans - www.franciscans.org
Upcoming Retreats
DISCERNMENT RETREATS
Women's 3rd Thursday Discernment
Are you looking for a group in which you can feel free to talk about God's call to religious life? Do you need some help with your discernment? Do you want to hear the stories that Sisters have to tell about their vocational calls? "Women's 3rd Thursday ", sponsored by the Srs. of St. Joseph, will begin meeting on Thursday, May 15th (6:00 - 8:30 pm) at St. Joseph Convent, Orlando. Light supper provided. For information and registration email Sr. Kathleen at ssjflvocations@bellsouth.net or call her at 904-610-9228.
Sisters of St. Joseph – “Sisters: A Life of Love”
A Vocation Discernment Retreat for Women 18 – 35 yrs.
Friday April 25 (4:30 pm) – Saturday, April 26 (3 pm)
Do you ever wonder whether God is inviting you to consider a life of love as a religious Sister? If so, this retreat is for you! Prayer, meals, Mass at the Cathedral and sharing with the Sisters of St. Joseph as well as time for personal prayer before the Blessed Sacrament are all included in this retreat! Suggested donation: $10 (but don’t let cost keep you away). To register or obtain information, contact Sr. Kathleen Power at ssjflvocations@bellsouth.net, 904-610-9228, or www.ssjfl.org. Deadline for registration: April 14th.
Sisters of Life - Three day, silent directed retreats for 12 women.
Monday evening, June 2 through Wednesday morning, June 5, 2008
Where: Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat House; Stamford, CT
What: silent, directed retreat
Cost: donation requested to help cover the cost of the retreat.
Sr. Mary Gabriel, SV, 718.863.2264, srmarygabriel@verizon.net.
Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George
Who: Single Catholic women, 17-30 years of age who are discerning a call to religious life
Arrival: Monday, May 19 -- 6:30-7:00 pm
Departure: Thursday, May 22 -- 9:00 am
If you have any questions, or need to make arrangements to come earlier than the arrival time, feel free to contact Sr. M. Beata!
Place: St. Francis Convent
1 Franciscan Way
P.O. Box 9020
Alton, IL 62002-9020
Phone 618-463-2757
Email: vocations@altonfranciscans.org
Cost: $20.00 (make checks payable to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George)
Bring: Bible, Rosary, dresses, skirts or slacks, and most importantly, an Open Heart!
Registration forms at: www.altonfranciscans.org - Please send by May 7, 2008
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