At the service of Christ and the Church

On many occasions, Pope Francis has stated that the Church must choose the path of attraction. He echoed this same message when talking about vocations. 

The Church must be attractive. Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of acting, of living! It is possible to live differently in the world [...] It is this witness I expect from you”. ~Pope Francis (Rejoice, A Letter to consecrated men and women in preparation for the year dedicated to Consecrated Life)

This task of waking up the Diocese in cultivating vocations, providing opportunities for prayer, and in promoting awareness for the support of a culture of vocations is beginning a new path with the establishment of the Serra Club of Calgary. Serra is a global lay apostolate for the promotion of vocations within the Catholic Church.

On Saturday, September 16, 2023, we celebrated the official Charter Day of the Serra Club in our Diocese with Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral and the induction of the founding lay members. I am grateful for the commitments they have made to foster and promote in our diocese vocations to the ministerial priesthood, to encourage and affirm vocations to the consecrated religious life, and to assist its members to respond in their own lives to God’s call to holiness in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

The objectives of this lay apostolate in the Diocese of Calgary include:

• Re-ignite enthusiasm for fostering vocations throughout the diocese
• Establish coordination with parishes and schools
• Focus on the most effective ways to raise vocation awareness and reach youth and young adults
• Provide support for parish events, communications, and planning for vocation awareness
• Provide parishes and schools with access to high quality resources, digital and print communication

The radical living of our baptism is a continuous call for every person to follow Christ. It is never static, nor is it focussed on self. 

Because when we put Christ at the centre of our life, we ourselves don’t become the centre! […] We are not at the centre; we are, so to speak, relocated. We are at the service of Christ and of the Church.” ~Pope Francis, Rejoice – A Letter to consecrated men and women in preparation for the year dedicated to Consecrated Life

The true heart and essence of a vocation to the priesthood and religious life is to be at the service of Christ and the Church. Waking up the Diocese, willing to be renewed in the service of Christ and for the Church involves promoting the beauty of vocations. The apostolate of the Serra Club can instill a renewal of spirit, of allowing our parishes, schools and families to become a path of attraction in which our young people can encounter Christ who draws them closer to himself in the discernment of their unique vocation.

In our parishes and schools, we must collaborate in the task of vocational promotion for our youth and young adults. The religious instruction that takes place in our publicly funded and private Catholic schools needs to be supported and strengthen by the involvement of our parishes and the members of the Serra Club if a spirit of vocational awareness is to permeate the life and formation of our youth.

These new strategies that are undertaken will reflect the impetus and commitment of the diocese in promoting a culture of vocations. Patience and endurance in implementing such strategies will assist parents in passing on the faith and in presenting the attractiveness of following Christ to their children by encouraging them to be open to discern God’s call and to consider a vocation to priesthood and religious life.
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In this coming year it is my hope that the initiatives of the Serra Club will begin to wake up the Diocese and our parishes so that we might become a diocese that promotes a culture of vocations. May the virtues of “patient expectation and apostolic endurance” guide our efforts in the Church to become a renewed path of attraction by promoting opportunities of closeness and encounter with Christ for our youth.

Serra Chapters celebration with Bishop McGrattan, Sep. 16, 2023. Photos: Victor Panlilio.

Welcoming five new seminarians this year

This year, our Diocese was pleased to welcome five new seminarians who have begun their formation at St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton. They have joined the eight returning seminarians who have already been discerning the priesthood for our Diocese. In addition to the joyful ordination of Fr. Santiago Torres earlier this year, his former eight confreres represent the first group of seminarians in more than twenty years who have all chosen to remain in formation with none discerning out of the seminary over the summer. Of course, the Church continues to discern their call to the priesthood alongside them, but it is a tremendous blessing to see the commitment of these young men to their preparation for possible ordination.

​The five new seminarians who have joined them are also the largest entrance class we have seen in the Diocese in more than fifteen years. They have either been valued leaders in their home parishes from throughout Calgary or active participants in the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy. Two other young men- one from All Saints Parish, Lethbridge and another from St. Vincent Liem Vietnamese Parish, Calgary- have entered novitiates in the Franciscan and Dominican orders respectively.

​We give thanks for how richly the Lord is blessing our Diocese with vocational discernment and I urge us all to continue praying for this vital intention in our local Church. 

Please pray for our seminarians: ​

Peter An,
​Theology IV

Andre Boudreau,
​Arts III

Joshua Capicio,
​Theology I

Bennet Chacko,
Theology II

Jonathan Dobek, 
​Propadeutic Year

Samuel Ejeregbe, 
Theology III

Evin George,
​Propadeutic Year

Solomon Ip,
​Philosophy I

Jeffrell Painaga,
​Propadeutic Year

Antonio Pasqualotto, 
Propadeutic Year

Mikhel Sari, 
​Propadeutic Year

Benjamin Taylor, 
Philosophy I

Joshua Walter,
​Philosophy I

To inquire about religious vocations, please contact the Office of Vocations at 403-218-5500 or email Fr. Cristino | Visit the Office of Vocations webpage

If you feel called to support our seminarians and priests in a tangible way, consider becoming one of the founding members of the Serra Club of the Diocese of Calgary. Email [email protected] for more information or to sign up. All are welcome! 

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Written by Bishop William T. McGrattan
Sep. 22, 2023

Seminarians photos: Lincoln Ho, for St. Joseph's Seminary, Edmonton; Serra Chapters celebration photos: Victor Panlilio (more photos here).