Teens delve into vocations at Youth Congress

Through panel discussions, question-and-answer sessions and prayerful dialogue, the teens considered vocations, both in the traditional sense of a call to serve God and others through membership in a religious community as well as in the sense of serving God through marriage, lay ministry or the single life.

The event was sponsored by the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.

Wide view

Things have changed for him since the national congress, and he stood before other teens at the diocesan Youth Congress on Vocations to help his peers understand that vocations involve much more than service as an ordained priest or deacon. "'Vocations' have an application to whatever kind of career or life you're going to pursue," he explained. "A vocation is what you're called by God to do in your life."

Amy Scott, a 17-year-old parishioner from Nativity/St. Mary's Church in Stuyvesant Falls, was also a delegate to the national conference. "We want to get the word out about vocations, and the importance of learning the difference between discernment and decision-making," she said.

Hearing from panel

Many delegates expressed surprise at seeing laypeople included, because marriage isn't usually considered a vocation in many young minds, according to Andrew Tucker, 16, from Annunciation parish in Ilion.

Panelists David and Tiffany Zadoorian, married for three years, spoke about considering the marriage covenant as a vocation. "I had to be patient with myself," said Mr. Zadoorian. "In finding your vocation, it's important to be patient, reflect and pray. When you're with someone who frees you up to be who you really are, when God allows you to be with that person, it's one of the most incredible feelings in the world."

"Deep down inside both of us, we knew it was our calling to share our lives together," Mrs. Zadoorian said. "Together, we're a team."

Young witnesses

"If I was to say that, 10 years ago, I would foresee standing up in front of you in this fashionable robe, I would be wrong," he said. Originally, he wanted to be a policeman.

Sister Betsy Van Deusen, CSJ, told the teens that she never expected to embrace life in a religious order. "I really thought I was going to be married," she said. "I was in love."

Accepting a vocation, both assured the teens, is not an easy process. Usually, there are no brilliant flashes of decision and understanding, just "a series of 'little yesses,'" according to Sister Van Deusen.

Discernment

"Just because you've made one step," such as expressing interest in finding out more about a religious order, does not mean that a lifelong commitment has been made, Sister Van Deusen said. Religious orders allow someone discerning a call to religious life to "check it out, meet people and get a feel for what the order is all about."

Successful event

Sister Kitty Hanley, CSJ, from the Diocesan Vocations Office, who assisted the teens in planning the event, said, "The kids are very interested, very serious about life choices. Their questions are excellent, and they want to look into vocations with God's help."

Brandon hopes that the experience opened the minds and hearts of his peers to the many ways a vocation can be lived.

"I hope that everyone realizes that if your priest wants you to think about your vocation, he isn't asking you to think about being a priest," he said. "He's asking you to think about how you're going to live your life to serve God."

(10-17-02) [[In-content Ad]]