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Parishes across the Albany Diocese have turned in the names of possible candidates for the priesthood, surfaced through the "Called by Name" vocations initiative. Catholics in the Diocese had been asked to prayerfully consider men they knew between the ages of 16 and 55 who might make good priests.

Rev. James Walsh of the diocesan Vocations Team noted that all parishes in the Diocese participated in the Called by Name effort, and about 90 percent surfaced names of potential future priests.

As of last weekend, Father Walsh reported, a total of 750 men have been identified by parishioners as having the leadership and faith gifts to be priests. Of those, 49 men had already agreed to attend a six-hour retreat with Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, to be held Jan. 13.

Rev. George Brucker, a retired priest of the Diocese, will give a reflection at the retreat on his 60 years of priesthood; many seminarians and recently-ordained priests will also make presentations. A workshop will discuss the "nuts and bolts" of priesthood, from seminary life to celibacy; participants can also attend eucharistic adoration or view a video titled, "Fishers of Men."

The retreat will conclude with Mass. Follow-up gatherings will be offered for those interested in further information. (For information about Called by Name, see http://albanyvocations.org/calledbyname.html or call 453-6690.)[[In-content Ad]]

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