Vocation directors take on challenge of drawing priests

Canadian archdiocesan and diocesan vocation directors assembled at the FCJ Retreat & Conference Centre in Calgary from Oct. 1-4 to contemplate how they can join forces to inspire more calls to the priesthood and consecrated life. 
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Organized by Newman Theological College’s Benedict XVI Institute for the New Evangelization, the “Awakening Vocations" Conference offered the approximately 30 clerics expertise on how to craft a strategic plan and constructively dialogue about what is and is currently not working with vocational ministries.

Apostolic Nuncio to Canada Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič and Cardinal Thomas Collins, the Archbishop of Toronto from 2007-23, delivered keynote addresses.

Jurkovič analyzed the Dicastery of the Clergy’s 2016 document Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis - The Gift of the Priestly Vocation. As for Collins, in addition to presenting his remarks, he also led a lunchtime working session centred on spotlighting the efforts of the lay vocations organization Serra Canada.

Fr. Cristino Bouvette, the vocations director for the Diocese of Calgary and a conference coordinator, said attendees gained important insights from the four-day symposium, but perhaps the most significant gift was the companionship.
“In many cases, we are facing similar things, similar challenges, and it is very encouraging to realize that we’re not doing our work alone even though it sometimes feels like you are a bit isolated in your diocesan context,” said Bouvette. “To be with other vocation directors to share similar things you are facing and working on is encouraging and uplifting.”

Fr. Connor O’Hara of the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall echoed Bouvette’s sentiments by saying it was “consoling” to learn that all of the vocational directors have “very similar experiences, challenges, blessings and scopes of work that they’ve been asked by their bishop to see to.”

All the priests unanimously agreed that this spirit of solidarity cannot be constrained to just a four-day event in Calgary. An Oct. 3 working session was devoted to considering the structure and vision of a potential nationwide vocations director association or confraternity. Additionally, there was also deliberation about creating various clusters with three to five vocations directors so these clerics could engage in concentrated conversations about their respective diocesan situations and keep each other accountable.

“I am looking forward to putting together groupings of priests that will work and meet together going forward from this conference,” said Fr. Daniele Muscolino of the Diocese of Sault. Ste. Marie. “We can continue to share resources, update each other about how things are going and talk about best practices.”

Bouvette and Muscolino both told The Catholic Register there are advantages to having these clusters being regionally based, but there is also inherent value in having a vocations director from Toronto routinely gleaning insight from a peer in Victoria, B.C.

The priests received a glimpse of what an ongoing working relationship could look like during a breakout group session to craft a strategic vocations plan for the next year. These roundtable discussions were facilitated by Bill Tomiak, the executive director of the local Catholic Christian preparatory school Clear Water Academy — managed by the Legion of Christ — and Dr. Sinda Vanderpool, the president and vice-chancellor of St. Mary’s University.

Other presenters included Peter An, a seminarian in Calgary; Fr. Kris Schmidt, the Archdiocese of Edmonton vocations director; and Fr. Geoffrey Young and Fr. Murray Kuemper of the Diocese of Saskatoon.

Bouvette presented the research on the state of vocations authored by the Benedict XVI Institute for the New Evangelization, specifically its former director Dr. Ryan Topping.

The Register reported earlier this year how the revelations within "Meet Our New Priests: 12 Key Findings about the Background, Discernment, and Seminary Formation of Canada’s Recent Ordination Classes" paint an alarming picture of the state of priestly vocations.

Alluding to The Vatican Central Office of Church Statistics’ replacement ratio for seminarians to priests (RRSP) equation, Rome suggests there should be “12.5 seminarians for every 100 priests.” As of October 2023, Topping tabulated there are 6,025 active or retired priests in Canada. The RRSP required to replenish that total is 753, but there were only 211 active seminarians a year ago.

Yet-to-be-published research about the Canadian vocations director landscape was also presented. The Benedict XVI Institute anticipates publishing its "Fishers of Men" report within several months.

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Written by Quinton Amundson, Catholic Register. First published in Catholic Register on Oct. 11.  Published with permission. Photos courtesy of Newman Theological College, Benedict XVI Institute.