ST. CHARLES—An evening enriched with prayer, food and discussion was the focus of the During Your Vacation Discern Your Vocation dinner hosted at St. Patrick Parish in St. Charles, Dec. 30.

More than 40 young men in high school and college joined Bishop David Malloy; Father Keith Romke, diocesan Director of Vocations and parochial vicar at St. Bridget Parish in Loves Park; Msgr. Stephen Knox, pastor of St. Patrick Parish; and a number of priests and seminarians from the diocese to understand, explore and discover their vocation to the priesthood.

“Pray to open your hearts and receive the grace to receive His call,” said Father Romke as he began the Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration in the church.

“Priesthood is good,” he said. “Smile at God for He has great things in store for you.”

Following quiet meditation and prayer, the group joined together in the recitation of the rosary and the Liturgy of Hours evening prayer.

Social time was next on the agenda as the group met for conversation and fellowship while enjoying a hearty beef stew dinner prepared and served by the Knights of Columbus Council 12497 of St. Charles.
Bishop Malloy was appreciative of the large group and asked each person to “make faith a part of your whole life, not just at Sunday Mass.”

He gave voice to what have been inner thoughts of those considering priesthood, such as wondering if they could still have a normal lifestyle as a priest, such as watching football and listening to music or even running a marathon.

Bishop Malloy said their lives would be full and that in fact, “We have just experienced the three elements of priesthood together with prayer, food and laughter.

“A rich prayer life is friendship with Christ,” he said. “It’s inside of you and not a burden or obligation.

As Jesus said to the 12 Apostles, come with me.”

He added, “Getting together with food is always good and as tonight, laughter is part of camaraderie and joy. The Gospel doesn’t record laughter, but life is real with all of the highs and lows.”

When deciding upon a vocation to the priesthood, Bishop Malloy stated, “We don’t recruit. We help you to think and discern if Christ is calling you. Pray for clarity and grace and ask if you are being called. Go to Mass and confession. Build a spiritual life. You will be happy.”

Bishop Malloy invited those interested in priesthood to talk to Father Romke or another priest to talk about what they were feeling inside.

When does a young man hear the call to priesthood? “The answer is as individual and distinct as each person’s life,”  Father Romke said. “I didn’t even think about the priesthood until I was in high school. The biggest change for me came when I attended vocation camp.”

Diocesan seminarians, Jack Reichardt, Robert Flood and Jhonatan Sarmiento and Deacon John McNamara, who will be ordained by Bishop Malloy in May, each enthusiastically shared their experiences of discovering their vocation and the joys of a normal seminary life.

“We all have gifts to share,” Deacon McNamara he said. “I enjoy the peace of being with my brothers.”
Reichardt of Holy Family Parish, Rockford, is in his third year of college at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. “I had the final calling while at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, not even knowing they had a college seminary. It’s a beautiful experience kneeling and praying with 130 other seminarians and living a normal life. ” He added that with the big cities near the seminary, “there is never is a lack of things to do”.

Flood of St. Bridget Parish, Loves Park,  emphatically stated his vocation story began in the third grade and as he got older he listened to the call and prayed about it.” Now in the 4th College at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, with 48 other students, he joked that his environment is different than in St. Paul. “We have cornfields and a Walmart,” he siad. “But, seminary life is joyful and not a sacrifice. Do not be afraid. We pray for you all of the time for us to be priests together.”  He added that “prayer in the seminary’s beautiful chapel is a daily inspiration to me.”

Born and raised in Columbia, Sarmiento came to the seminary in St. Paul five years ago. While he spoke little English at the time, he spoke confidently and fluently about seminary life. “We pray, study, sing, work and have time to go to the movies and have fun,” he said. “Studying philosophy was difficult, be I did it in English,” he proudly stated.

Among the attendees at the event were Father Timothy Mulcahey, parochial vicar of St. Rita Cascia Parish, Aurora, with parishioners Rafael Barraza and Saul Rubio, who came to learn more about the priesthood.

Barazza, 15, a student at Aurora Central Catholic High School, helps teach the confirmation class at St. Rita Cascia Parish. He said, “I’m thinking of the future and a career but it’s important that I listen to God to find my way”.

Father Mulcahey, a native of Rockford, said “you never know when the seeds are planted”.  He was influenced by the Sisters of Notre Dame that taught him at St. Peter School, but entered into the religious life after college. “Deep down my mother always knew I would become a priest,” he said.

A wide variety of information, including Father Romke’s personal vocation story and daily blog,  current seminarian biographies, and the First Call Vocation Retreat details, is available on the revamped vocation website at www.rockvoc.org