Priest eager to promote vocations

Just before he was ordained in 1998, Rev. David LeFort told The Evangelist that it would be a priority for him to maintain friendships with other priests.

God apparently got that message: Six weeks ago, Father LeFort added to his parish duties the position of director of formation for the diocesan Vocations Team.

That means he'll be in regular contact with the dozen men from the Albany Diocese who are either seminarians studying for the priesthood or discerning a call to that vocation.

Naturally

"I'm very happy the Bishop asked me" to take the post, said Father LeFort, calling it a "natural fit. I like the priesthood; I've also been doing vocations awareness at Christian Brothers Academy [in Albany] for the past four years, and that's gone very well."

The priest has also worked on continuing education and formation for already ordained clergy. He joked that "maybe I started backwards" in heading toward this new ministry with seminarians.

Father LeFort's duties will include contacting seminaries to ensure that seminarians are growing spiritually, theologically, pastorally, communally and in their humanity.

The most common struggle a seminarian faces, he said -- and the reason some men decide not to pursue the priesthood -- is getting all those elements to mesh.

Contact role

Some questions Father LeFort plans to ask are: "Is the seminarian looking at his spiritual formation? Does he pray? Does he celebrate the sacraments regularly? Does he celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and is it challenging him?"

"My role is to ensure that the interests of the Diocese and the Bishop are being heard and met at a seminary," he added.

Father LeFort said that those who oversee the development of a seminarian into a priest include an "internal forum" of spiritual directors, confidants, confessors and the like; and an "external forum" of the seminary's rector, the student's formation advisor, the Bishop, the formation for priesthood board and Father LeFort.

The goal is to help the seminarian become the best priest he can be.

Be all you can be

"Most [Catholics] have had some experiences of great priests in their lives. They've also had some experiences of priests who were not what they hoped for," Father LeFort remarked. "Sometimes, that falls back to the formation of a man into priesthood. Seminary formation helps a man see how his priesthood affects his entire being and all those around him."

Besides working with seminarians, the new director is looking forward to working with Sister Kitty Hanley and Rev. James Walsh, the other members of the Vocation Team.

"Sister Kitty supports parishes in vocation awareness, and supports men and women looking toward a vocation in religious life," he noted. "Father Walsh goes to parishes and talks about priestly [and other] vocations. Father Walsh and I will be in close contact; we talk three or four times a week."

Interaction

Father LeFort described vocations efforts so far as "helpful" and "remarkable," particularly those of parish vocation teams, who often come up with new ways to encourage men and women to answer God's call.

"Father Walsh and I want to encourage our brother priests to make it a regular part of their ministry to interact with young people [to help them] understand this call," he added.

While he understands the many demands on parish priests, he also believes they are "our best billboard" for promoting vocations. A priest who has to do 13 baptisms in one weekend and is still enthusiastic during the last one, he said, can make someone else want to emulate him.

Although he's only 36, Father LeFort does not plan to mention his age in relating to young men debating priesthood; he believes that might make older priests think their own lives can't be an example for someone feeling the same call.

On-line vocations

The new director hopes to see a few changes in the Office of Vocational Services during his tenure, the most crucial of which is expansion of its website (www.rcda.org/voc.htm).

Today's technology, he stated, should help young people explore vocations "on their own terms" by providing as much information as possible through websites.

"I love being a priest, interacting with priests; I've loved my time at CBA and in my parishes. I think people can see that," Father LeFort concluded. "I'm excited; I'm looking forward to working with the formation for priesthood board. It's a great opportunity to share my own life and understanding of the priesthood."

(Father LeFort, the pastor of Our Lady of Hope parish in Whitehall and St. Ann's in Fort Ann, succeeds Rev. Thomas Konopka, who was formation director since the Vocations Team was formed in 1999. He is pastor of St. Michael's parish in North Greenbush. The other members of the Vocations Team are Sister Katherine "Kitty" Hanley, CSJ, who serves as liaison to parishes, and Rev. James Walsh, recruitment director. Father Walsh also lives at Jogues House in Waterford with men who are discerning a call to the priesthood. Contact the Office of Vocational Services at 453-6670.)

(7/29/04)