Contacts & Publisher

Subscription Form

Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Vocations

by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 22, 2008

Fr. Birney

Detroit — "If we want (young people) to consider being a priest, it's up to us to make that happen," says Fr. Tim Birney, archdiocesan Office of Vocations director.

And since young people are bombarded by messages from television, magazines and the Internet, "That's a message they're going to get only from us," he continued.

Fr. Birney said it wasn't long ago that young people were more exposed to priests and religious life, whether it was because parishes had several priests each, children went to classes taught by women religious, and more families went to church every week. "Vocational awareness was normal, was natural," he said. Now, since that kind of built-in vocations awareness has dissipated with today's culture, there's a need to address that shift.

As a result, the first vocations convocation, themed "Be Not Afraid," is scheduled for Sept. 13. The day is set to include keynote addresses by Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Flores and long-time Sacred Heart Major Seminary instructor Sr. Mary Finn, HVM, as well as three breakout sessions, special presentations, and Mass. The day focuses on vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

The idea of an upcoming vocations convocation is to bring under one roof everyone involved in vocations ministry — "which is really everyone in the Church," Fr. Birney said.

He said he hopes the day creates energy for vocations as well as educates people and forms them "into people thinking more about living a life where the culture of vocations is a part of their life," he said. "This vocations convocation is an effort to rally the troops, and also form the troops and educate the troops at the same time," he said.

The convocation grew out of a former Assembly of the Faithful held by the Office of Vocations, and Fr. Birney said he hopes it becomes an annual event. Groups with a special interest in vocations, such as the Knights of Columbus, are expected to have exhibitor's tables at the convocation, as well.

Although the day will likely be of particular interest to youth ministers, principals, religious educators and others with an active role in promoting vocations, Fr. Birney said, everyone is welcome to attend. The Vocations office deliberately picked general, educational topics that would appeal to everyone, he said, as well as practical topics, such as how to get a vocations committee started at a parish.

He'd like to see a vocations committee at every parish — currently, there are nearly 80, and the Monroe Vicariate has its own committee — and would also like people to realize that even if you are married or have chosen a different vocation, the Church still needs you to pray and to lead by example. "We're planting seeds, and continuing to nurture the seeds that have already been planted so they can go and bear fruit," he said.