Stewardship

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Vocations Carry The
Church Into The Future

As Catholics, we often make an analogy between the Church and the human body. Christ, of course, is the heart of the Church. The Holy Trinity is often considered to be its backbone. Vocations, or the call to the Holy Priesthood, is yet another key element of the Church body. I would propose that new vocations, and indeed ordained priests may represent the hands and feet of the Church. Why?

The men who are called to the priesthood are called to care and support the entire body of the Church. The hands are often used as a symbol of caring, and clearly the feet support the weight of the entire body, while at the same time maintaining balance and stability. The call to the priesthood is a tall order, and clearly, these are not the only responsibilities of the leaders of our Church. Yet, many of us would agree that these characteristics-caring and support-are key to the success of any of the very special people who are called to the priesthood.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II said during a pilgrimage to Saint Polten, Austria: "Vocations are obtained from God thanks to prayer. I invite you to ask, with fervor and constancy, for the reaping of new vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life from the Master."

Once called to the priesthood, the focus of one's life shifts to a complete focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This freedom of knowing what is most important leads to inspiration by way of a clear mind, body and soul. To be inspired is to stir emotion such that one becomes driven to move others. This link between the priestly vocation and inspiration is an incredibly powerful way to impact the lives of others. Saint Augustine taught us that grace builds on nature, or that one's natural talents, when combined with the grace of the Lord, become something entirely different and fantastic. This is our hope and our prayer for all of the men who are considering God's call.

At Saint Vincent Archabbey, inspiration from vocations can be seen in many forms directly impacting the community and shedding a positive light on the Church. Brother Elijah Cirigliano, O.S.B., a junior monk at Saint Vincent Archabbey is currently studying for the priesthood. He was called by God several years ago after having served in lay ministry in several parishes. Having studied Musical Composition and Orchestration for four years prior to his decision to enter the monastery, Brother Elijah shares his inspiration with others through music. During this past Lenten season, he was called upon to share his talents with the faithful by performing The Way of the Cross, a musical rendition of the 14 Stations of the Cross as composed by Brother Elijah himself. As a result of this production, many in the local community were enriched and enlightened in the faith. Prior to his calling to joining the Saint Vincent Community, Brother Elijah was able to produce The Way of the Cross many times, and the performance was viewed by thousands of people of all faiths. It is fascinating to think of how many lives have been touched by the calling of one single person.

Father Demetrius Dumm, O.S.B., has written many books. The subject matter has varied from The Rule of Saint Benedict to dealing prayerfully with aging and death, and our hope for eternal life. It is Father Demetrius' gift to write and convey a clear message so that others may be moved by his faith and wisdom. Father Demetrius’ vocation has granted him the ability to teach others how to interpret God's message. His ideas, nurtured by the grace of the Lord, have deepened the faith of thousands.
Brother Elijah is just beginning his journey on the priesthood and Father Demetrius has served the faithful for many years in service to the Seminary, Archabbey and community at large. Both men are dedicated monks who continue the work of caring, supporting, moving and teaching the faithful of our Church on a daily basis.
Father Fred Byrne, O.S.B., has served as the Vocations Director for Saint Vincent for several years. Father Fred has been responsible for inspiring many new monks to join the monastery, including Brother Elijah. Father Fred believes strongly in the 'missionary' model of vocations work as opposed to the traditional model of 'recruitment' or 'candidacy'. The missionary model focuses on vocational discernment through a variety of service projects to expose candidates to the mission of the Church and to specific religious communities such as Saint Vincent Archabbey. Through this process, Father Fred feels that the candidate gets a very clear sense of his calling; lay ministry, ordination, or other areas of service.

As a dedicated supporter of Saint Vincent, we are relying on your continued prayers and financial support to assist in our cultivation of new priests. The Church needs many new 'hands and feet' to continue to spread the gospel message and to enrich the lives of all who are open to listening. Saint Vincent Archabbey is committed to training men to serve in this way.

New Development Director for Archabbey