April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
OVERVIEW
Diocese works toward 'culture of vocations'
While Catholics might automatically picture priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, he explained, pursuing a vocation is "simply living out our faith life."
That can mean a religious vocation, but also marriage, single life or lay ministry in a parish. Being baptized brings along with it a duty to pursue one's Christian vocation, he said.
Father Ligato is the diocesan vicar for vocations -- a title he began using last year as part of the Diocese's overall effort to create a "culture of vocations." He's also pastor of St. Jude the Apostle parish in Wynantskill.
The vicar believes that, if everyone in the Diocese pursues his or her own vocation, "we are going to be able to provide the ministries that are essential to the Church in the future."
That idea was brought home to Father Ligato in the first "vocations talk" he ever gave, speaking to students at Catholic Central High School in Troy. He was nervous, wondering how he could reach the teens gathered in the school gym.
Father Ligato chose to talk about emulating Christ as "priest, prophet and king":
• like a priest, he said, through service and outreach, everyone is called to "make the world a little holier than we found it;"
• like a prophet, Catholics are called to live out the Word of God, making sure their words and actions reflect the presence of Jesus Christ in their lives; and
• like Christ's kingship shows, each person is called to be a servant-leader. "Christ's throne is the cross," Father Ligato noted.
Talks to students are just one part of creating a "culture of vocations." The Diocese has also teamed up with Vianney Vocations, a Georgia-based Catholic company that helps dioceses and religious orders promote priesthood. Vianney has helped Father Ligato produce a monthly vocations newsletter that's being emailed to parishes. The vicar wants to support vocations awareness committees he hopes will be formed in each parish.
Four new videos have been posted on the diocesan vocations website, www.albanyvocations.org, with area priests and seminarians speaking honestly about their vocation journeys. The diocesan Stewardship Office co-sponsored the videos and arranged for their filming.
"The first time somebody ever said to me, 'You should consider being a priest,' [it] was a parish secretary, and I just laughed her off. I said, 'Absolutely not,'" remembers transitional Deacon Brian Kelly in one video. Once a teen who refused to attend Mass, he's now scheduled to be ordained a priest of the Albany Diocese in June, along with transitional Deacons Steve Matthews, Patrick Rice and Francis Vivacqua.
Also on the website (under "vocation lessons") is a curriculum available for schools, faith formation programs and others, with lesson plans promoting religious life.
Father Ligato told The Evangelist that the efforts are paying off. By the end of the month, the Diocese expects to have 14 seminarians preparing for the priesthood, plus four "aspirants" -- men not yet in the seminary, but seriously discerning whether they have a vocation.
Another 90 men are on Father Ligato's list of "discerners," receiving emails about vocations. Some attend discernment groups; others just want to get the emails. The vicar doesn't push it: "Discernment is such a fluid experience," he said. "It's such a big step just to let yourself be known."
While recent vocations efforts have been weighted toward priesthood, next up for the Diocese is a "vocations summit," planned for May 7 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, that will explore a wide swath of vocations for both men and women. Father Ligato called it "a kickoff event [to show] this is not just about priesthood; it's about everybody."
The day-long summit is being planned by the diocesan Vocations Awareness Council, which also brings together representatives of religious orders serving in the Diocese. The summit will feature a keynote speaker and workshops on topics like family, campus ministry and the importance of technology in promoting a culture of vocations.
"We try to encourage families" to include religious vocations in discussing career paths with their children, said Father Ligato.
Regarding campus ministry, the Diocese has rescheduled its annual Run 4 Vocations for autumn instead of spring to reach more college students, and has been reaching out to colleges, offering to have priests visit campuses to give a talk or celebrate a Mass -- anything, Father Ligato said, that sends the message, "We're here; don't forget us."
The vicar reiterated the possibility of a vocation being a commitment as a eucharistic minister, lector, lay parish leader and the like. "Sometimes, that's how you come to know [your vocation]: by getting busy for others, doing the Lord's work."
He wants to promote "a larger vision of vocations, beyond priesthood, so when people hear the word, they don't think of the word 'priests.' Hopefully, they think of themselves."[[In-content Ad]]
250 X 250 AD
250 X 250 AD
Events
250 X 250 AD
Comments:
You must login to comment.