MERRILLVILLE – “I think you would make a good priest.” Such a message delivered to a Catholic man may, over time, bear out, but only if it was delivered in the first place.
To help facilitate better communication among Catholic faithful and foster support for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, members of the diocesan vocations office are set to debut the Called By Name initiative.
The program’s launch on the weekend of Nov. 2-3 coincides with the start of National Vocations Week. The endeavor – crafted for all diocesan parishes – multiplies the efforts of individuals who wish to “challenge” and “lift up” the younger set and encourage the discernment process.
“It’s my hope that as we’re trying something new like this, it will bring about a lot of fruit for the Diocese of Gary and get young people on the map a little bit more,” said Father Nathaniel Edquist, diocesan vocations director and pastor of Holy Family Parish of LaPorte. “Maybe this could get our parishioners to consider young people in their parishes who they think may have vocations, to have a little bit more awareness of that.”
Called By Name invites parishioners across the diocese to submit names of young men who they believe should consider the priesthood or young women who may be potential candidates for sisterhood. It strikes a balance between passive and imposing.
A parishioner may note the intelligence, prayerfulness, reverence or willingness of a teen or young adult Catholic to live their faith in the public arena. But Father Edquist imagined that some may not be bold enough to approach a fellow church member out of the blue. Enter handy Called By Name referral cards, which will be distributed at Masses.
“It is proposing to a young person; they don’t have to feel compelled to pursue a vocation,” Father Edquist said about Called by Name. “It (asks), ‘Have you thought about this?’ So, rather than pigeon-holing a few young people in the parish, it kind of widens the net a little bit.”
From career consultants to real estate agents, communications professionals have long hailed personal referrals as the most effective way to make connections. In a trial run of the program at a limited number of parishes, Father Edquist said Called By Name generated many nominations and made for a greater number of inquiries to vocations officials.
The full roll-out of the initiative is expected to produce a windfall of responses from participating parishes. A database of prequalified candidates will be organized and a letter of encouragement will be written by Bishop Robert J. McClory and sent to each potential discerner.
Father Edquist, who still believes a pastor is the primary “vocations director,” explained that there are many advantages to this new approach, including the many-hands-make-light-work maxim.
“I can’t go around preaching at parishes throughout the diocese on Sunday, because I’m at my own place,” Father Edquist explained. “I have to be able to come up with creative ways to make it possible for me to do my job ... This is one of those ways that puts the ball in the court of pastors and their staffs.”
Recalling his own journey from a teenage discerner to bilingual priest serving the churches of LaPorte, Father Edquist remains grateful for the support that those in his life provided about the calling “that kept coming back to me.”
Seminarian Gianni DiTola is in the middle of his senior year of college (minor) seminary and was in the middle of a drive to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minn., when he spoke about his journey of discernment.
That path was fortified by the strong Catholic faith of his family and the mentorship of his pastor. Yet the St. John native said he had a host of other pursuits and secular college experiences before he came back to a possible priestly calling.
Early on as a student at St. John the Evangelist School, DiTola recalled conversations with Father Sammie Maletta, his pastor, who encultured him with the service of the Church.
“In my case, the most influential (factor) was myself being affirmed by priests,” DiTola said. “When priests start to take someone under their wing, there can be a lot of grace.”
He added, “As I reflect on my senior year and getting ready to make a more public affirmation to the Church of my discernment, I (appreciate) seeing more of what he saw and kind of grow in confidence.”
DiTola endorsed the approach of the Called By Name initiative.
“My initial thoughts are I think it is a great idea – a might be a little biased because I would not be where I am if I did not have people who I trusted being persistent in calling out of me this vocation,” he said.
DiTola believes that with Called By Name, some may be surprised by the level of love and support there is for those who answer the Lord and follow a path to a professed vocation.
“It’s impactful … when (a discerner learns) that not just one person said this, but a lot of people said this about you and they thought so surely about you that they wrote to the diocese,” explained DiTola.
Father Edquist and staff members created a resource packet with promotional posters featuring images of men and women happily engaged in their religious vocations. A preaching guide offers suggestions for homilists to extrapolate vocational themes from the day’s Scripture readings.
The second reading set for Nov. 3 is from Heb. 7: 23-28. An example of a recommended vein of preaching is: “Our true high priest is Jesus Christ, who has a priesthood ‘which does not pass away.’ The priest is called to be another Christ and mediate the grace of God through the sacraments.”
As the Called By Name initiative takes root in the diocese, Father Edquist hopes the assertive but non-imposing approach to vocations promotion and the availability of discernment support resources will help inspire those seeking to best serve the Lord to be confident and “let the Spirit work.”
For more information, email Jo Anne Rosenow, vocations office administrative assistant, at jrosenow@dcgary.org.
Caption: Discerners including Colin Cyzon (center), 17, of Our Lady of Grace parish, participate in Eucharistic Adoration during the Vocasti Me gathering at St. Paul in Valparaiso on July 14, 2023. Diocesan vocations director Father Nate Edquist recently announced a new initiative named Called By Name, which, like the discerners gatherings, promotes vocations to the priesthood, but asks other church-goers to note and nominate young men who they observe may prosper in a priestly calling. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)