
For now, St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester is subtly creating a “vocations culture” that invites young people to consider God’s call for them to religious, married, single, and especially priestly life.
Since last fall, a new Vocation Ministry has been driving St. Lawrence’s efforts to reach young people at regular activities. It sponsored pumpkin painting at the parish picnic. It coordinated the making of a spiritual bouquet for the parish’s permanent deacon on Deacon Sunday and a spiritual bouquet, a poster, and cards for its priests on Priesthood Sunday at Masses. Members also “talk up” vocations with parishioners and distribute information.
“We want to raise awareness and pray for vocations at St. Lawrence,” said Lissette Howell, who coordinates the parish’s ministry with Kaity Paniconi and Ali O’Shay. “We want families to come back to church. We want young people to see priests in an informal light to see who they are and maybe think, ‘That could be me one day.’ We want to help the Holy Spirit plant the seeds.”
St. Lawrence is one of 12 parishes in the Paterson Diocese that formed Vocation Ministries last year. They already made strides in promoting vocations. These outreaches work under the leadership of their pastors and with the diocesan Vocations Office. The diocese is urging its 109 parishes to establish Vocation Ministries to help promote vocations throughout the Church of Paterson.
“We hope parishes create a vocations culture, which we’ve seemed to have lost, and that it bears fruit: to help more young people consider God’s call,” said Father Edward Rama, Vocations Office director. The diocese, he said, currently has 10 seminarians and five men in the application process.
These ministries also publicize Vocations Office events, such as Project Andrew adoration and dinner for men high school age and older with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The next dinner will be held this Friday, Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. St. Lawrence will hold a Project Andrew event on Friday, Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m. The diocese sponsors other vocations activities, such as First Saturday Day of Discernment and Quo Vadis Days retreats.
The Vocation Ministry of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township created a page on the parish website dedicated to vocations resources. It includes testimony by Father Vidal Gonzales, pastor, and interviews with two seminarians from Notre Dame, Eric Hasenbein and Lucas Folan. The parish celebrated Deacon Sunday and Priesthood Sunday and holds a first Friday adoration for vocations.
“Our mission is to inspire, enlighten, and empower the faithful to discern God’s will for their vocational journey. Our vision is to nurture a prayerful desire to respond to God’s call to holiness through sacramental marriage, holy orders, and religious and single life,” said Erwin Dsouza, the ministry’s coordinator.
Members of participating parishes were inspired to start ministries after attending workshops about vocations — one for priests and another for laity — by Rhonda Gruenewald, founder of Vocation Ministry, last spring. She urged parishes to work to reverse the sharp declines in vocations and marriage by creating an engaging, faith-based “vocations culture.”
Father Charles Lana, assistant vocations director, said, “We need priests. It’s good for the Church. We need to be more proactive in calling people to think about vocations. People can have a big impact by giving a little time to Vocation Ministry.”
The Jan. 17 Project Andrew still has openings.
Information: call Father Rama at 973-777-8818 ext. 715; email Vocations@Patersondiocese.org; or visit PatersonVocations.org.