1. Welcome to the Fifth Annual Vocations Convocation ‘Do Whatever He Tells You ’

2. Office of Priestly Vocations Annual Report 2011-12

3. ~ Programs ~ Attendees - 3 Discernment Weekends 18 - 2 Discernment Overnights 32 - Day of Discernment w/Archbishop 25 - Vocation ‘Guest’ Prayer & Dinner 44 - Jr. High Vocation Awareness Day 1,500 - High School Vocation Awareness Day 12 - Vocation Convocation 130

4. ~ Present Initiatives ~ - Appointment of Regional Vocation Coordinators - Letters from the Archbishop -52 - V.I.V.A - Vicariate Initiative, Vocation Awareness - Vocation preaching at weekend masses -Pastoral Plan for Vocational Awareness: “Do Whatever He Tells You”

5. Progress Report: Pastoral Plan ‘Do Whatever He Tells You’ -April 15: Mailed to every parish in the AOD 1- printed copy of the 163 page Plan 2- CD’s with the full Plan in chapter format -September 15: Vocation Convocation -October 15:Begin meeting with every Vicariate to present and explain the Plan. RVC’s will be present for these meetings to assist with the follow-up of implementing aspects of the Plan with the parishes/schools in their Region

6. ~ New Initiatives under Construction ~ -Working with SHMS to attract more minority students -‘ Altar Server Day’ Present statistics show 85% of newly ordained were altar servers. Establish an annual summer (August) event for all Altar Servers in the AOD to visit the seminary for Mass, vocation talks, recreation, food. -More intense focus on High School & College students College visits by the Archbishop and Vocation Director Regular High School visits by the Vocation Director & RVC’s -Vocation Director to sponsor a 72 mile ‘walking pilgrimage ’ on the Camino de Santiago For any 18-35 man who ‘at some level’ is still discerning their vocation, especially to the priesthood. Also to raise awareness for the Fisherman’s Fund. To take place June 2013.

7. ~ 2011-12 AOD Seminarians ~ 46 - Total start of year 25- College (9 Pre-Theology) 21- Theology 41- SHMS 2- PNAC, Rome 2- B.John XXIII, Boston 1- Pastoral Year

8. ~ 2011-12 AOD Seminarians ~ 40 - Total end of year 6 - withdrew from formation: 5- College 1- Theology

9. ~ 2012-13 AOD Seminarians ~ 36 - Returning Seminarians 14- College (5 Pre-Theology) 22- Theology 7 - New Seminarians 6- Accepted 1- Transfer

10. ~ 2012-13 Academic Year ~ 43 - Total Seminarians 20 – College (8-Pre-Theology) 23 - Theology 36- SHMS 3- PNAC, Rome 2- Blessed John XXIII, Boston 2- Pastoral Year

11. ~ 2012-13 New Seminarians ~ 3- Pre-Theology 3- College 1- Theology

12. ~ 2012-13 New Seminarian Parishes ~ Our Lady of Victory, Northville St. Anne, Monroe Assumption (Grotto), Detroit Our Lady of Good Counsel, Plymouth SS. Cyril & Methodius, Sterling Heights St. Frances Cabrini, Allen Park St. Anastasia, Troy

13. ~ 2012-13 AOD Seminarians ~ Central Region- 6 Seminarians Renaissance- Grotto (2), St. Josaphat, St. Jude Southwest- Holy Redeemer, St. Gabriel

14. Northwest Region- 8 Seminarians Pontiac- St. Joseph (3) South Oakland- Guardian Angels, O.L. of Sorrows O.L. of Albanians, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Anastasia

15. Northeast Region – 13 Seminarians Bluewater- Immaculate Conception, Our Lady on the River, St. Mary, Queen of Creation Central Macomb- SS. Cyril & Methodius (3), St. Jane Frances de Chantal, St. Sylvester, St. Thecla North Macomb- St. Isidore SERF- O.L. Queen of All Saints, St.Clare of Montefalco, St. Paul on the Lake

16. South Region- 16 Seminarians Downriver- Our Lady of the Woods, St. Cyprian (2), St. Pius X, St. Stanislaus, St.Victor, St. Frances Cabrini Monroe- St. Patrick, St. Anne Northwest Wayne- St. Colette, St. Maurice-Genevieve, St. Michael, O.L. Victory, O.L. Good Counsel West Wayne- St. Stephen Cayman Islands- St. Ignatius

17. Central Region - 6 Northwest Region - 8 Northeast Region - 13 South Region - 16

18. “To ensure the continuity and growth of your saving mission in Christ, you should foster priestly and religious vocations as much as possible… The Lord needs you to cooperate with Him in ensuring that His call reaches the hearts of those whom he has chosen.” Pope Benedict XVI

19. Seven Mission Priorities of the Archdiocese of Detroit -Evangelization -Christian Service Outreach -Youth & Young Adults -Lay Leadership -Stewardship & Administration -Catholic Schools -Vocations

20. Mission Priority: Vocations The vision of the AOD is to have a vocations friendly environment at every level so that those who are called by God, especially with vocations to the ministerial priesthood and Consecrated Life, may hear and respond. Its goals are:

21. -To properly educate, direct and inspire the faithful of their duty and responsibility to foster vocations at home, in the parish, vicariate, and region by the implementation of the Pastoral Plan for Vocations. -To create Parish Vocation Committees in every parish in the AOD to assist in the mission of fostering vocations -To give priority to fostering vocations to the priesthood and Consecrated Life at every level of the AOD.

22. How do we accomplish all of this? 1. Leadership of the Office of Priestly Vocations 2. Regional Vocation Directors 3. Vocation Committees 4. Pastoral Plan -- “Do Whatever He Tells You” 5. Collaboration with Consecrated Religious

23. Regional Vocation Coordinators Central: Fr. Marie-Ellie Haby Northeast: Fr. Philip Ching Northwest: Fr. Stephen Pullis South:Fr. David Bechill

24. RVC Ministry Promote, Promote, Promote Vocation talks Vicariate/Regional Meetings Assist with vocation programs

25. ‘Do Whatever He Tells You’ A Pastoral Plan for Vocational Awareness ~ Archdiocese of Detroit “Vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life are first and foremost the fruit of constant contact with the living God and insistent prayer lifted up to the ‘Lord of the harvest’, whether in parish communities, in Christian families or in groups specifically devoted to prayer for vocations.” Pope Benedict XVI

26. 1. Education: Sharing the research and statistics presently at our disposal

27. 2.Direction: Providing priests, parish staff, and laity with the‘tools’

28. 3.Inspiration : Reminding, via theological reflection, why this should be a priority in the life of the Church

29. Chapters for Do Whatever He Tells You: A Pastoral Plan for Vocational Awareness I. Priest: Statistics Challenge- Leadership- Shepherd ‘Pro-creative’ Father Invitation

30. Since 1988: 40.6- average per year total of seminarians 49- highest number of seminarians 32- lowest number of seminarians

31. How does Detroit compare? DioceseCatholicsSemsAOD Bismark59,00021502 Marquette50,00010282 Lansing250,00030212 St.Paul/Minn.825,00069118 Chicago2.5million95

32. What’s a priest to do? - Preach, preach, preach vocations -Invite, invite, invite -Promote vocation programs -Functioning Vocation Committee

33. Chapter II: Catechist/Youth and Young Adult Minister Who will be the heralds of vocation to our youth? There is a need to educate our parents, DRE’s, catechists, youth and young adult ministers to their role and responsibility in promoting vocations.

34. The Task of Nurturing Vocations “The duty of fostering vocations rests with the entire Christian community so that the needs of the sacred ministry in the universal Church are provided for sufficiently. This duty especially binds Christian families, educators, and, in a special way, priests, particularly pastors, Diocesan bishops, who most especially are to be concerned for promoting vocations….” Canon 233 from the Code of Canon Law

35. What can be done to help Catechists and Youth and Young Adult Ministers in this role? RESOURCES click here

36. Appendix: Let the Children Come – Grades K-8 (pp. 56-103) Be Not Afraid – lessons and activities for HS youth and young adult (pp. 104-118) 25 Ways to Encourage Vocations (pp. 132-133) Vocations Reference Guide (pp. 156-163)

37. Greatest Resource: www.detroitpriest.com

38. RESOURCE PAGE: Pastoral Plan for Vocation Awareness National Vocation Awareness Week Links: Online information for General Vocations Information, Educational Materials, Family Websites, Consecrated Life and the Permanent Diaconate.

39. Particularly in these times, when the voice of the Lord seems to be drowned out by "other voices" and his invitation to follow him by the gift of one's own life may seem too difficult, every Christian community, every member of the Church, needs consciously to feel responsibility for promoting vocations. It is important to encourage and support those who show clear signs of a call to priestly life and religious consecration, and to enable them to feel the warmth of the whole community as they respond "yes" to God and the Church. - 2011 Message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Benedict XVI

40. III. Pastoral Staff: Connection with the parishioners Part of the ‘Team’ Parish programming (part of everything) Invitation

41. The role of Pastoral Staff -Outside of the pastor, you have the most interaction with parishioners -We need a ‘team of voices’ to attract our youth -Is parish programming reflective of ALL needs ? -Have you ever invited anyone to consider a priestly or Religious vocation?

42. IV.People of God: Baptism- the ‘heart of it all’ What is a vocation- do I have one? Lead by example Invitation

43. V. Resources: Website/Social Media Vatican Documents/Papal Letters/Decrees/Addresses Books/Articles * Parish Vocation Committee Guide

44. My Appendix is bursting!! -For the Priest -For the Vocation Committee -For the Parish - For Reference

45. Vocation Committees hit the jackpot!

46. In Review: Invite, Invite, Invite Pray, Pray, Pray Implement Pastoral Plan Promote Vocation Programs Cooperate with RVC

47. Prayer for Vocations Gracious God, You have showered us with many blessings. We are grateful for all that You have given us. Bless our Archdiocese with many who are eager to serve as priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers and lay ministers in the Church. Show our young people the way of life to which You are calling them. Remind them that they will find greatest fulfillment by pursuing the path you have laid before them. We ask this in Jesus’s name. Amen.