Juan Real, 16, came to the Quo Vadis Days 2025 vocation retreat on June 26 for a “spiritual check-up.”
A Passaic Catholic, Real enjoyed some activities offered during Quo Vadis at Shiloh Bible Camp in the Hewitt neighborhood of West Milford. He tried indoor rock climbing with several of the more than 50 other high-school-aged young men who attended the retreat. But Real, who is discerning the priesthood, admitted to The Beacon that he came to Quo Vadis to strengthen his relationships with God, fellow retreatants, and priests and seminarians in attendance.
“I feel peace. I’m growing in silence and faith through prayer. It’s a spiritual check-up,” said Real of Our Lady of Fatima/St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic. This year, he attended his third Quo Vadis, an annual retreat by the Paterson Diocesan Office of Vocations. “I meet like-minded individuals serious about their faith and discerning their vocation. We pray for each other. The priests and seminarians encourage us on our vocations journey.”
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These young men took the first step toward their vocation — to married, religious, or single life — by asking Jesus, “Where do you want me to go?”
Quo Vadis — Latin for “Where are you going?” — gave the retreatants time to socialize with one another and with priests and seminarians and to enjoy meals together, including lunch provided by the Knights of Columbus. The young men also listened to seminarians’ vocations talks. They attended a Mass led by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The retreat also included Eucharistic adoration and a hike.
Retreatants also swam, played basketball or volleyball, or tried an outdoor zip line or indoor rock climbing at the non-denominational Christian camp, nestled in the bucolic northern part of Passaic County. Quo Vadis ended with small-group discussions, a campfire, and communal prayer.
During the Mass, Bishop Sweeney urged the young men to listen to God and his word “attentively and actively” and “put it into practice.” He asked them to stay close to Jesus in the Mass, adoration, service, and sacramental life.
“I thank you for your ‘yes’ being here today and asking God to show you his will,” Bishop Sweeney told the retreatants in his homily. “It takes hard work.”
In a talk before the Mass, Victor Parraga, a diocesan seminarian, said he avoided prayer and ignored God’s call when he first felt a vocation to the priesthood. He said he felt at peace when he took responsibility for his vocation. He went to confession, prayed for his vocation, and contacted his pastor and the Vocations Office.
“Take account of your weakness in this Jubilee Year of Hope and be mindful of what it means to be a pilgrim of hope,” Parraga said.
In another talk, Eric D. Hasenbein, also a seminarian, noted that Jesus chose 12 Apostles — men with no special qualities — to spread his love, mercy, forgiveness, and healing throughout the world.
“What they have in common is that they answered the call, and they put their faith in him [Jesus] who called them,” Hasenbein said. “Rely on God and ask him if he needs more laborers for the flock. Ask yourself how you would respond if God called you to work in the vineyard with his son, Jesus. If Jesus called the 12, why can’t he also call you and me?”
The next day, on June 27, Bishop Sweeny posted on social media, “Yesterday, we had a wonderful Quo Vadis Vocation Day with more than 50 young men, mostly High School age, spending the day at Camp Shiloh in Hewitt, in prayer, reflection, recreation & fraternity.”
“Thanks to Charlie Lana, our vocations director, and all the priests and seminarians who worked very hard to prepare the day and were present giving talks, accompanying the young men and encouraging them to be open to God’s call. We also thank our Knights of Columbus who prepared and cooked a delicious barbecue lunch,” Bishop Sweeney posted. “Let us continue to pray for all of our priests, seminarians, and those discerning God’s call, especially today on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.”
For more information about vocations in the diocese, call Father Charles Lana at 973-777-8818, ext. 715, and visit patersonvocations.org
