I will come Myself
by Fr Kevin Scallon C.M.
From Slave to Priest
by Caroline Hemesath
Vessel of Clay and Tenders of the Flock
by Leo Trese
Called by Name The Inspiring Stories of Twelve Men Who Became Catholic Priests
by Christine Mugridge and Jerry Usher
Books worth reading
A Priest Forever: The Life of Father Eugene Hamilton
by Father Benedict Groechel CFR
(Father Eugene died within three hours of his ordination)
Priest: Portraits of Ten Good Men Serving the Church Today
by Michael S. Rose
Priests for the Third Millennium.
By Archbishop Timothy Dolan
Vocations Guide to Priesthood
40 years ago a new church was opened in an English parish. The pastor was very disappointed at the slow rate in which the parishioners contributed towards the cost of the sacred objects and furnishings in the church. He came up with a plan. The following Sunday he issued a list denoting the cost of each item in the church, e.g. crucifixes, chalices, ciboria, candlesticks etc.. Would you believe before the last mass that very day all expenses had been covered? People felt honoured to be able to pay for a particular item – they identified with it.
Why not carry out a similar exercise with the “local” seminary. Inform the parishioners how much it costs to educate one seminarian for one year. You would be surprised if you knew how many prosperous good people would be honoured to meet the annual cost of a student.
For his part, the sponsored student, should show his gratitude by writing a personal account of his “call” and of his year in the seminary to the local pastor (nothing clever – just a few interesting things that happened that year in the seminary) – he could get as much help with his little chore as was necessary – the final account could be read out at all masses one Sunday instead of a sermon.
Perhaps someone listening in the pews or reading the biography of the young seminarian in the parish bulletin might be inspired to follow the young man’s example and also test his vocation. Over the years that parish could get an idea of what life was like in each year of a seminarian’s life.
In the diocese of Atlanta, the biography on the parish bulletin page was responsible for encouraging five vocations prospects in one year alone. The five young men identified with the seminarian’s life story saying “his story is my story.” They found the courage to take an active step in pursuing their vocation, knowing that they themselves would be prayed for by name in a parish.
Sponsoring a seminarian