Year for Priests

It has been busy here in the Vocation Office. We have accepted four more men into the priesthood formation program for the Archdiocese of Louisville. One of our men has also decided to leave the program and we wish him and his family well as he continues to follow where God may be leading him. We will have 17 men in formation come this fall and we are grateful that God continues to call people to follow him in the priesthood and religious life.

Pope Benedict XVI has announced the Year for Priests. The USCCB website for the United States is here. And I know at least one blog has been started, if you want to search for it.

Unlike many other "years" (i.e., Father, Son, Spirit, Jubilee, Saint Paul, etc.) this year seems focused on the interior conversion and holiness of life of the Church's priests. It is not primarily a year of prayer for and appreciation of our priests (although those things are REALLY good), but rather a call for priests to more closely follow Jesus (in persona Christi) in the model of Saint John Vianney. I have found it both exhilarating and just a little bit daunting. What is God going to do? I can't wait to find out.

Discernment Group

Our discernment group will begin again on September 16. This is a very benefitial tool for those who are trying to figure out God's call. I am excited to get started again. If you wish to be part of this group, you must first have a meeting with me, Fr. Jeff Shooner, the Associate Vocation Director. The best way to catch me is usually at jshooner@archlou.org

I look forward to hearing from you. May the Master of the Harvest continue to provide workers for his harvest.

Seminary Begins Again

Prayers and best wishes go out to all the guys starting or returning to seminary this fall. We have an ordination to priesthood on Sept. 6, 12 men in seminary formation, one in formation on a pastoral year, and one man under the pastoral provision doing part time studies at St. Mienrad while working in a parish. That's 15 total (soon to be 14 because of the ordination, praise God). We also have three men who have completed the application process and are currently affiliates with the Archdiocese of Louisville that will, God willing, be entering the seminary next fall.

New Guys

Hey Everybody! It seems like the Spirit keeps moving. Pending some unexpected difficulties, we have accepted two more gentlemen into the priesthood formation program for the Archdiocese of Louisville. Jay Blandford and Adam Carrico were welcomed as Seminarians this evening. Please congratulate them on this achievement. See you all at Clergy Day on Monday.

Wow...Video Too?

Yes, that's right. We now have a Channel on YouTube.

www.youtube.com/LouisvilleVocations

There's even a video up. We used it last year at the Dinner With The Archbishop event. Enjoy!

Hello Blogosphere

Perhaps it has been long overdue, but the Archdiocese of Louisville Vocation Office is taking the plunge into the dynamic content world wide web. We have had a website (www.archlou.org/vocations) for some time (and, yes, it too is undergoing a major update), but we are now venturing into the unknown with our facebook page and now our very own blog. "Do not be afraid."



Thanks for checking out this blog. Hopefully, it will become a source of inspiration, contemplation, and information for those trying to figure out what God is calling them to. Please look back often to see what's happening next.

Peace.