Mr. John Hayes, a seminarian at the major seminary at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul, came in to talk to the adolescents about the trifold nature of Vocation. He discussed how vocation is from the latin word “vocare” – and how we are each under the Universal Call of Holiness. How God looks at each of the adolescents and says: “St. Matthew, St. Samuel, St. Ava, and St. Catherine.” He spoke on the manner with which we are to reach heaven depends on our Vocation with a capital V – what lifestyle is each of our means to holiness – priesthood, religious, single, or married. Finally, he discussed the specific vocation (career) we are called to – a way to make a living, fulfill our talents and desires, and glorify the Lord through our work.
The students asked him about his own vocation story – how he knew he was called to seminary – and what his daily life looks like in minor seminary at St. John Vianney and now at the major Seminary. Not only did he tell them about himself, he asked about them, engaged with them about their own interests, and popped the bubble around the idea that religious and priests are “weird” or “different.”
It was a blessing for him to visit and share about his vocation and how the adolescents can begin to discern their own vocation. When asked the best way to begin discerning for them – he replied, “Prayer.”
