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Happening ... in the Local Church
By Father Brian Doerr
For The Catholic Moment
The Diocese of Lafayette continues to be blessed with good and worthy vocations to the priesthood. These young men are being educated and formed at the expense of the diocese, with your support through Fruitful Harvest and the annual seminarian appeal.
As I travel the diocese accomplishing the work for which I have been appointed, many approach me with accolades and praise for the number and quality of seminarians currently studying for the priesthood. Genuine and kind, but perhaps misplaced.
Yes, we have a good number of candidates for the priesthood. Yes, they are solid, excited, eager and, with both feet planted firmly on the ground, are reaching for excellence. Yet, it is not a program, a vocation director, or even a bishop or pope that inspires vocations to the priesthood, consecrated life or marriage. The real vocation director is the High and Eternal Priest, Jesus Christ.
This should be reassuring for all of us. No matter how lost we feel, or anxious, or apathetic, or confused, or disoriented by the current cultural chaos, Christ never stops calling us to be a part of our Father’s divine plan. The plan exists. The plan is unfolding before us every day. And, most importantly, we are a part of his plan — every last one of us.
The problem today is the endless distractions, temptations and negativity which engulf our thoughts and sense of well-being. Many have wandered far from the real purpose of their life, a purpose which was actually designed for them from the beginning of time. The result: People are dissatisfied, bored, restless and depressed. This can be more clearly seen with the words of Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who recently said, “… the vocation to life is in crisis … Without vocation, a person cannot live, because life stops having a meaning, loses its value. When one lacks God, nothing remains to fill him up.”
There is only one way. There is only one response adequate to this current situation: Push back. Even though we may have lost our way, or wandered from the real purpose of our existence, the Eternal High Priest never really stops calling, directing, encouraging. As a matter of fact, there really is no such thing as “missing a calling.” If you believe that may be the case, the Eternal High Priest easily adapts and offers new and fresh opportunities for involvement in his Father’s plan. Push back!
This has been discovered by the 22 men now studying to serve you as priests in your parishes, schools and homes. In spite of the many difficulties and challenges, I truly believe they hear the voice of the High Priest. I have watched them struggle to “die to self” and to extract themselves from the ugly and inhuman portion of our culture. They are sincere in their desire to serve. They have sacrificed much. They strive for academic accomplishment. They are men of the people and of the poor. I know they are men of prayer. They are men united in the love of the Sacred Heart. As each of us should and do, they are responding to the call of God.
Pray for them. They pray for you.
Father Doerr is vocations director for the Local Church.