The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
Most people are amazed at Bishop J. Peter Sartain's ability to remember their names after just one meeting. Father Matt Garrison recalled that the bishop knew his name even before the two first met.
"He celebrated Mass at St. John's (Center in Little Rock) with all the seminarians the day before he was to be ordained and installed as our bishop. We were all standing around talking to each other, patiently waiting for Father Sartain to arrive and discussing what the new bishop would be like," Father Garrison said. "When he came in the door, he immediately came over to us. He already knew us each by name and where we were attending seminary. We were all amazed and knew that he would be a great bishop for our diocese."
Obviously, then-Father Sartain had done his homework in learning the seminarians' names, a clear sign that he had already determined a priority for his time as bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock: to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
"I believe Bishop Sartain has helped many young people to explore the possibility of a vocation in their lives simply by being himself," Father Garrison said. The former associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament in Jonesboro will become pastor of St. Mary in Paragould July 1. Bishop Sartain ordained him in 2004.
"When he is talking with people, he makes them feel like the most important person in the room," he said. "That goes a long way when talking to young men about the priesthood. The encouragement that he gives plays an important role in helping the seminarians to understand that they are important to the diocese and that God uses all of us in different ways to minister to his people."
Sister Kimberly Prohaska, OSB, vocations director at St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, echoed Father Garrison's words.
"He was always very supportive of me and my ministry. He told me that he would support us with daily prayer. When I or anyone else talks to the bishop, he is completely in that person's presence, with no distractions," she said. "He is Christ-like in his demeanor. He's a good example of how I want to be in my role as vocations director."
Sister Kimberly's counterpart at Subiaco Abbey is Brother Francis Kirchner, OSB. He is just as enthusiastic in praise of Bishop Sartain's efforts in fostering religious vocations.
Brother Francis, Sister Kimberly and Sister dePorres Polk, OSB, of Little Rock, currently host vocations days for up to 900 fifth graders each year at Subiaco Abbey.
"Bishop Sartain has been to several of our Fifth Grade Vocations Day events. He is always eager to say Mass and walk down between the pews and talk with the kids when giving his homily," Brother Francis said.
Bishop Sartain was not scheduled to attend the most recent vocations day at Subiaco, but according to Brother Francis, "He just showed up."
Brother Francis also talked about the bishop's support of the candidates and novices at Subiaco Abbey, even though most of them come from out of state.
"I remember when he first became bishop. We had four or five candidates. He asked if he could talk to them," he said. "He is always asking me how they're doing. He calls them by name. It is always a morale boost when Bishop Peter takes the time to talk with those who are new to religious life.
Msgr. Scott Friend, diocesan vocations director since June 2005, said the diocese has 19 seminarians, six of which are Hispanic. He gives the credit to Bishop Sartain.
"Bishop Sartain is the vocations director. I just kind of help him out," Msgr. Friend said.
Msgr. Friend said he owes this success to two important aspects of the bishop's life. "First off, the most important thing to him is his relationship with Christ. Out of that everything else comes. That affects everyone who comes in his presence.
"Second, the bishop is very open. He's very approachable. He has remained essentially a pastor. He takes every person seriously. That (quality) draws young people to him," he said. "They e-mail him. He will correspond with them. They will go to him before they come to me. He is good at guiding them to the vocation and to me as vocations director."
Msgr. Francis Malone said Bishop Sartain "never missed an opportunity at Mass to announce to young people that they should listen to the voice of the Lord in a vocation to the priesthood or religious life."
Msgr. Malone served as the diocese's vicar general under the bishop.
"I have always noticed that when Bishop Sartain made such an invitation he always did so with a smile, and a noticeable peace in his face," he said. "It was as if he was saying, this is 'fun,' not in a silly or shallow way, but fun in the sense that God brings joy to the hearts of those who seek him and to those who listen to his voice."
Msgr. Malone, pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, said the bishop's support did not stop once a commitment was made.
"Bishop Sartain demonstrated to us, as the priests and religious of Joliet will soon experience, that when you are in a room with him, he is listening to you only," he said. "He has your best interests at heart, and he continues to encourage those who have already accepted the call from God to sustain that call by a deeper relationship with the Lord."
Msgr. Friend said the bishop's relationship with and openness to Hispanics is bearing fruit in Hispanic vocations as well.
Msgr. Friend told a story about Pablo Guido, the father of seminarian Juan Guido. The bishop invited the seminarians' parents to his house for dinner one night. Msgr. Friend suspected the Guidos were somewhat unsure about their son entering the priesthood. During the course of the evening, the elder Guido and the bishop joked and talked informally. Later, Msgr. Friend said he noticed a change when he heard Pablo Guido, proudly tell a third person, "Hey, I have a son in the seminary!"
Another story involves Mauricio Carrasco who will enter the seminary this fall. When Carrasco was a college student, he spent a semester in Rome in 2004. Bishop Sartain's "ad limina" visit happened to be scheduled for the same time. The bishop remembered that Carrasco would be there and arranged for the young man to join him and two seminarians for a private audience with Pope John Paul II May 18, 2004. Msgr. Friend said that Carrasco told him this was "'the greatest moment in his life.'"
Msgr. Friend's predecessor was Father John Antony, who is now pastor at St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
He agreed with Msgr. Friend that Bishop Sartain has always been the primary vocations director.
"I firmly believe that once a man is a vocations director, he's always a vocations director. Bishop Sartain was vocations director in Memphis and his heart is in promoting vocations," Father Antony said. "At nearly every major Mass or celebration, he never failed to mention the importance of considering a vocation. He also personally invited young men to consider the priesthood.
"Bishop Sartain invited all the seminarians to his home during the Christmas break for Mass and supper. It was a great time to be together as seminarians, as well as to get to know the bishop in a more casual environment," he said. "Once a year, the bishop also invited the seminarians' parents to his home for Mass and supper. The bishop understood well that parental support is crucial for a man to pursue the priestly vocation.
"I really felt that promoting vocations was a team effort between the bishop and the vocations director; therefore, there was an enthusiastic response from the young men," Father Antony said.
Two of those enthusiastic young men are Father Jason Tyler, who was ordained in 2005, and Andrew Hart, who will enter the seminary this fall.
"I was in my second year of college seminary when Bishop Sartain became the bishop of Little Rock," Father Tyler said. "I remember being impressed early on by the frequency of his contact with me and other seminarians. He never missed an opportunity to encourage us to be men of prayer and service to God's people so that we could enjoy the gift of participating in Christ's ministerial priesthood. Time and again, he assured us of his prayers for us."
"Whether in a talk at the annual seminarian retreat, in a one-on-one conversation, or simply by e-mail, it was impossible not to notice how much joy Bishop Sartain experienced in being a priest," he said. "There was never any doubt that he wanted each of us to follow God's calling in our lives because he knew that it was what would make us happiest, most fulfilled."
Father Tyler has recently completed his studies in Rome and will become associate pastor at Christ the King in Little Rock July 31.
The bishop took every opportunity to invite young people to consider vocations to the priesthood and religious life. That was the case at Father Tyler's ordination last July 9.
As reported in the July 16, 2005, issue of Arkansas Catholic, the bishop told the young people in attendance, "We will entrust the Church to you through the Holy Spirit. If you develop a stillness of heart, this quality of quiet ... you will hear the call of God. He will say to you, 'Follow me,' ... He will say in the stillness and quiet, 'Yes, you.'"
Andrew Hart said he has been considering the priesthood since the second grade. He will enter St. Meinrad School of Theology in late August.
He has been working at various diocesan offices since his graduation from St. Louis University. In that capacity, Hart said he has had many encounters with Bishop Sartain.
"Immediately from first meeting him, I was struck by how humble he was and yet by how inspired he was by the Gospel to be a good pastor. You didn't have to keep reintroducing yourself to him. That was touching," he said. "He invited me to his house to the Christmas dinner he hosted for seminarians, even though I wasn't a seminarian yet. He allowed me to experience the camaraderie that the seminarians enjoyed. That was really good.
"We would occasionally meet for lunch. He would see how I was doing and if there were any questions he could answer. He really thought the priesthood was something I should consider," he said. "I could tell that that this wasn't just a 'pitch' speech. He had prayerfully considered those of us who were thinking of the seminary, and he was very genuine in his encouragement."
Father Antony and Msgr. Friend said Bishop Sartain had a goal for them to reach as vocations director.
"Well, it was meant as a joke, but I don't know how much he was really joking," Father Antony laughed. "We had gone down to Monterrey, Mexico, and we'd learned that Monterrey has 300 seminarians. When we learned that, the bishop turned to me and said, 'Father John, I only need 100.'"
In his June 18, 2005, column in Arkansas Catholic, Bishop Sartain put the question to everyone in the diocese. "Are you willing to give your life to God? God will take your gift, transform it, use it for the love of your sisters and brothers and fill you with joy ... God wastes none of what we give him and leads us where he needs us most."
Tara Little contributed to this article.
Click here for the index of stories about Bishop J. Peter Sartain's six years in Arkansas. For the complete report, see the June 24, 2006 print edition of Arkansas Catholic.
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