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Pray
and recruit — recruit and pray
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
This week marks the 30th annual observance of National Vocations
Awareness Week. It is celebrated in conjunction with the feast of the
Baptism of the Lord, which normally falls on a Sunday, but this year is
on Monday, Jan. 8. If you are asking yourself why we have such a thing
it is because, in Catholic belief, each one of us is “called” to
holiness. Holiness is our primary vocation. That holiness is to be
achieved through one of four lifestyles: married life; the single
celibate life; consecrated religious life; or ordained ministry. So,
Vocations Awareness Week is directed to the entire Catholic faith family
because each one of us has been “called” to become holy.
Priesthood is a matter of special concern to me, of course. That should
surprise no one. As diocesan bishop it is my responsibility, working
with a Priests’ Personnel Board, to provide staffing for our 63
parishes. When I was ordained to the priesthood in 1959, the number of
priests available for parish assignment was significantly larger than
today. My home parish (St. Mary, Anderson) had three priests. The
neighboring parish (St. Ambrose) had two priests. A priest was also
chaplain at Anderson’s Catholic hospital. Today, two priests minister to
the Anderson community. A similar story could be told of parishes in
Marion, Muncie, Logansport and Lafayette.
Times clearly have changed. Families are smaller. Society is more
secularized. The number of men entering the seminary, while showing some
increase in recent years, is not what it once was. The core of ordained
priests is aging. All this at a time when demands on ordained leadership
are increasing.
To help put the need for vocations to the priesthood in perspective,
here are some statistics. This diocese of roughly 100,000 Catholics has
63 parishes, the largest (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Car-mel) lists 3,036
households or 10,580 people, while the smallest is St. Margaret,
Montpelier, which lists 21 households and 27 people.
Fifty-six diocesan priests are available for parish assignment. Of those
56, six are 70 years old or more. Thirty-five priests, (62.5 percent)
are 50 years old or up, while just 21 (37.5 percent) are under age 50.
Fourteen of our parishes do not have a resident pastor. In three cases,
a single priest has responsibility for three parishes. In six cases, a
single priest cares for two parishes. It is estimated that we could
bottom out at 44 pastorates.
This is the grim side of the picture. But, it is not time to wring hands
or rush for the life boats. Dominicans staff St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
in West Lafayette, which serves the Purdue University community.
Precious Blood priests staff five of our parishes. A Benedictine priest
from St. Meinrad is pastor of St. Augusta Parish, Lake Village. And, we
have three priests from the Diocese of Orlu, Nigeria.
There are also permanent deacons. Eight of our 12 permanent deacons were
ordained elsewhere, but we now have a permanent deacon program of our
own. In 2005, I ordained five permanent deacons, one of whom has since
been called home to God. Five additional candidates for the permanent
diaconate are currently in formation. While deacons are not substitutes
for priests, they do have the charism of ordination and bring that
charism to a variety of ministries.
In the meantime, lay ministry is flourishing. Place a phone call to any
of our parishes and it is unlikely a priest will answer. Multiple
ministries are run and supervised by laity. Great effort has been made
to provide quality formation for these lay leaders. The Ecclesial Lay
Ministry Certification Program (ELM) was initiated back in 1998. There
are three segments to the process: core academic classes, spiritual
formation, and in-services in professional skills. Currently, 225 people
from 47 of our 63 parishes are enrolled in ELM. Certification is an
expectation because one who ministers represents the Church and the
Church is responsible for calling, forming, resourcing, supporting and
evaluating those who assume the role of lay ecclesial ministries. In
fact, much of the non-sacramental work that once fell to priests is now
done, and done extremely well, by laity.
Having acknowledged all this, priests are crucial to Catholicism.
Needed, therefore, is a determined commitment on the part of the
Catholics of our Local Church to pray for vocations to the priesthood.
It is also important to recruit potential candidates.
When I was in grade school and high school, I did not appreciate it when
people asked me if I had given thought to the possibility of priesthood
or when they suggested that perhaps I might make a fine priest. It was
embarrassing. It was also recruitment. The Sisters were recruiters
par excellence. But, other people suggested priesthood as well.
After a while, I began to think about it and pray over it. Behold, a few
years later I was a priest. I will forever be grateful to the people who
encouraged me.
Recruitment isn’t difficult. Look for those men you think have priestly
qualities. Ask if any thought has been given to priesthood. Offer to
pray for them. And, mention it more than once. Don’t expect a great “thank
you.” Your task is to plant an idea. Once planted, if God wants that
person to become a priest, the seed will germinate.
As Vocations Awareness Week is celebrated, I urge you to commit yourself
to daily prayer that God will choose someone from your family, immediate
or extended, for the priesthood of our Local Church. Pray and recruit.
Recruit and pray.
If we all take this seriously I do not doubt there will be a sufficient
number of priests to staff our parishes where, together with lay
ecclesial ministers, the ministry Catholics expect of their Church will
be provided and the salvation of souls will be advanced. |
