One of the favorite sayings of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s vocations department is “don’t discern alone.”
More than two dozen potential candidates for the seminary had a weekend-long opportunity Jan. 9-11 in a supportive group setting to consider their vocational calling at the archdiocese’s annual men’s discernment retreat.
Thirty men from 29 parishes attended the retreat at St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park, according to the archdiocese’s Director of Vocations Father Steven Roth.
The retreat focused on several bullet points:
- How is God calling you?
- Each of us has gifts that God has given us. What are these gifts?
- How is God asking us to use these gifts in service to Him and His Church?
- The adventure of discernment is an adventure of inviting God into your personal decisions, especially discovering and pursuing your vocation.
Father Roth called the event the “biggest retreat yet.”
“A variety of priests offered great sessions on helping the guys discern a call,” he said in an email.
In addition to seminars and talks, Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated an early-morning Mass Saturday and then proceeded to have one-on-one meetings with the discerners.
“He stayed all day until 6 p.m. to chat with each man,” noted Father Roth.
Father Matthew Himes, outgoing associate vocations director, also introduced the new associate vocation director, Father Lenin Suarez, to the discerners. Father Himes now will focus on his ministry as chaplain at UMBC.
“It was an amazing retreat thanks to the hard work of Father Matt and the seminarians,” Father Roth said. “What impressed me the most is that each discerner is talented and equipped to do anything he sets his mind to. Yet, putting all ambitions aside, each man spent the weekend prayerfully not asking ‘what I want to do.’ Instead, they were seeking ‘what is God’s will?’.”
In his homily to the young men, Archbishop Lori said: “To see so many of you here is very encouraging and I pray that you will experience the presence of the Lord as you reflect on how to give your life in love to him and to others.”
The vocations department’s next significant events will be Quo Vadis retreats this summer – June 18-19 for men who recently graduated high school and July 6-9 for young men entering ninth through 12th grades. Visit archbalt.org/vocations/quo-vadis/ to register.
To read Archbishop Lori’s homily from the discernment retreat, visit https://www.archbalt.org/archbishop-loris-homily-discernment-retreat/
Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org
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