For vocations in the '60s, Troy was the place

After all, two of his cousins had joined the priesthood, and his home parish of Sacred Heart Church in Troy often had young assistant pastors who served as good role models for boys considering their futures.

Going to Catholic Central High School in Troy during the 1950s didn't hurt his chances either, with vocation days, retreats and caring priests on the faculty to encourage young men to join their ranks. Seminarians who were Catholic Central alumni also returned to speak to students about the blessings of priesthood.

Priest source

Catholic Central certainly taught its share of future priests who continue to minister in the Albany Diocese and other dioceses. Several of them recently spoke with The Evangelist about the role that their alma mater and home parishes played in their decisions to become priests.

Growing up in Troy proved to have a strong influence upon young men who thought about priesthood, according to Rev. Robert Nugent, who graduated from Catholic Central in 1956 and now serves as pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church in South Glens Falls. He belonged to Sacred Heart Church and attended its elementary school, and found that religion was very much a part of his formative years in the Collar City.

"It was just a wonderful environment, and faith was engendered on one continuum of Catholic presence," he said.

Examples

Clergy members who taught at Catholic Central also gave constant yet subtle reminders about priestly life, and their example probably helped to convince young men at the school that priesthood was right for them, he added.

Although he didn't enter the seminary immediately after high school, Father Nugent wasn't in college long before he realized that priestly life was his calling. It was during the middle of his sophomore year at Niagara University at a weekly 6:30 a.m. Mass that he heard a priest ask the students in attendance, "When are you going to stop asking God for what you want and start asking God, 'What do you want from me?'"

That inspired young Bob Nugent to speak with Msgr. William Martin from Sacred Heart Church about his desire to become a priest. He entered the seminary and was ordained in 1965 along with several of his fellow Catholic Central alumni.

School influence

"It was a really active part of your life," he said of his alma mater. "You were proud of your school and were a part of it."

Not only were there such social activities as dances and sports, there also were events designed to encourage students to consider vocations. Priests from numerous religious orders and the Albany Diocese would visit the school and discuss religious life. Students also got to know which classmates were thinking about becoming priests.

Option presented

"It wasn't forceful. It was an option that was available to you," he said.

Father Kennedy found the priests on Catholic Central's faculty to be quite supportive in offering guidance as he prepared for his days beyond graduation. "They had a great deal of interest in you. They were very helpful," he said.

He entered Mater Christi Seminary in Albany after graduating Catholic Central and was one of 17 priests in the 1965 ordination class for the Albany Diocese.

Role model

"He was a tremendous role model for goodness and was dedicated to priestly work," Father Dworak said.

Religion was emphasized in Father Dworak's family, and his father lived out his faith by doing volunteer work for the parish and raising four children while Mrs. Dworak spent almost nine years in the hospital.

"His faith life was a great source of strength for me. Family was definitely the root of my vocation," Father Dworak said.

Growing in faith

He first thought about becoming a priest during his elementary school days, and his calling was fostered by priests who taught at Catholic Central or visited to talk about the priesthood. In particular, Father Dworak was extremely impressed by Rev. Michael Benson, who led one of the retreats.

A fellow classmate who was in the same homeroom as Father Dworak also joined the priesthood, was his roommate in the seminary, and was ordained one year after Father Dworak's ordination: Father Doyle.

Now in his 16th year as chaplain at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, Father Dworak wonders why ordinations are so few compared to the time when he was a seminarian.

"I think it was different in our day and age. Our faith life was more closely linked with family life. It's not as cohesive, and I don't know whether that's bad or good," he said.

Influences

"They hung out with the kids, played ball with them, gave them rides to school and were an inspiration," he said.

While attending Catholic Central, Father Doyle spent time on retreats and at vocation days, and he decided that the priesthood was his calling at one such vocation day during his junior year. A primary influence upon him as he considered becoming a priest was Rev. Lawrence McTavey, who taught at Catholic Central and served as his sponsor at ordination.

Invitation

Students knew which of their classmates were leaning toward the priesthood, and Father Doyle got to know those who attended Mater Christi Seminary even better, including Father Dworak.

In 1966, Father Doyle was one of 11 new priests ordained in the Albany Diocese, but vocations haven't been nearly that high in recent years. One reason, Father Doyle pointed out, may be that "there's a reluctance, in general, to make long-term commitment, a personal, lifetime commitment."

Prayer at school

Back in his Troy days, Father Testa was a parishioner of St. Augustine's Church and attended Catholic Central with a young man who also would leave the Albany Diocese during his ministry: Matthew Clark, who is now bishop of the Diocese of Rochester.

Father Testa recalled how there would be recitation of the Rosary after school in the Catholic Central auditorium, and he was one of hundreds of students who participated. The priests who taught at Catholic Central provided a good example for young men to follow as they considered entering the seminary.

"These men stood out in my mind as being really outstanding role models," Father Testa said.

Called

He is now in his fourth year at Franciscan University and sees the same qualities in the seminarians there as he saw in himself as a student considering the priesthood at Catholic Central.

"I see a great love of the Lord and the Church that's very real, and a desire to be priests," he said.

(02-25-99) [[In-content Ad]]