Want more vocations? Nurture faith in home, parish for first 18 years

Published: May 12, 2012

By Msgr. Scott Friend
Vocations Director

Msgr. Scott Friend

The Diocese of Little Rock has seen quite an increase in the number of seminarians over the last several years, and we will see four of them ordained to the priesthood this summer. Thankfully we are not the only diocese that is experiencing growth. It appears that across the nation there are more young men entering the seminary, but it is in missionary dioceses like our own that have seen the biggest increases.

Often people will say to me that numbers don't matter, and then follow with the question, "So, how many seminarians do we have?" What makes vocation ministry difficult is that numbers do matter especially when we face a critical shortage of priests, but we also need every bit of that quantity to be quality.

That is why the seminary formation process takes from six to eight years before someone is ordained. But even more critical than this, is the formation that occurs in the home and the local parish since these two places are where the foundation of any vocation is laid. In fact, at least the first 18 years of a seminarian's formation for the priesthood occurs at his home and at the parish where he attends Mass, is catechized and formed in his faith. This is also true for any vocation whether it is priesthood, religious life, the single life or marriage.

Our homes and families have to be centered in our faith in Jesus Christ and the Church. First and foremost that means that the Catholic home has to be a place of prayer. Children need to see their parents praying, and they need to know that prayer is an essential part of their lives. Why? God respects our free will, and the relationship God wants with us through his son, Jesus,

has to also be freely chosen by us. God will not force us into a relationship with him.

When we pray, we are also making a choice about what kind of relationship we want with Our Lord. If we want the Lord to be close to us and part of our daily life, then our prayer must be daily and intimate. If we want the Lord to be present in our home and part of our family life, then prayer must be part of the routine that our family lives day in and day out.

If children grow up in a home where every decision is made based on discerning the Lord's will, then when they come to the time to discern what they are to do with their life, they will have learned to make that decision based on what is God's will for their life.

Both my nephews, Patrick and Joseph, are applying for the seminary this year. As their uncle I am very proud of them for taking the next step pursuing God's will in their lives. But I especially admire their parents, my brother and sister-in-law, who have instilled in their children the habit of prayer and discernment. My nephew wrote in his autobiography about his father, "From day one, he has told us that no matter what happens or if you feel like you have nothing, always live a life devoted to God and things will be good in the end." My sister-in-law, who was diagnosed with cancer last May, has also witnessed to her children about her faith life. Joseph writes, "When I was hiding from her sickness, she was embracing it. My mom grew very devout in her prayer life and turned to God and family for strength." Joseph said that, "through my family, I have found that God's love is always attainable under any circumstance." Joseph also sees in his sister, Katherine, a quality that he would want to bring to his priesthood should he be ordained. He writes, "If I could take any quality from her it would definitely be the way she sees good in others."

The seminary is where young men are formed to be priests, but it is really the family, the domestic church, where a foundation is laid for any vocation, but especially the priesthood. We have to make our homes places of prayer and discernment if we hope to have solid candidates for the priesthood in the future.

Msgr. Scott Friend is the vocations director for the Diocese of Little Rock.

Click here to see the index of stories in Arkansas Catholic's Vocations 2012 special section.

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