Fiat

An internet newsletter from the Joliet Diocese Vocation Office

 

Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.

November 2004

Pope:  Eucharist and Evangelization Go Together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


WANTED: 

Doctor of Souls

* Spiritual Leadership

* Compassionate Presence

* Sacramental Ministry

                         

Consider the Priesthood …

Answer the Call

 

To find out more join the

Priesthood Discernment Group

 

Next Meeting on

Monday, November 8

 

Contact: 

Father John Regan Joliet Diocese Vocation Director

402 S. Independence Blvd.

Romeoville, IL  60446

(815) 834-4004

frjohnr@aol.com

www.vocations.com

 

 

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 11, 2004  - John Paul II told a group of young people involved in a diocesan mission on the streets of Rome that there cannot be evangelization without the Eucharist.  "Eucharist and mission are two inseparable realities," the Pope said. 

From Oct. 1-10 the youths were dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel to other young people in Rome's historic center, as part of their mission called "Jesus at the Center."  The motto, which referred to the center of Rome as well as to the center of life, brought together more than 400 young "missionaries," an initiative organized by the diocese.  The mission alternated times for proclamation of the Gospel and adoration in St. Agnes Church in Piazza Navona. Shows and concerts of Christian music were offered in the evening in the piazza.

In his address to the young people, John Paul II said: "There is no authentic celebration and adoration of the Eucharist that does not lead to mission. At the same time, the mission presupposes another essential Eucharistic element: union of hearts."

The Holy Father gave the young people three indications.

"Above all, love for the Eucharist. Never tire of celebrating and adoring it, together with the whole Christian community, especially on Sunday. Know how to put it at the center of your personal and community life so that communion with Christ will help you to undertake courageous options," he said.

Second, the Pope recommended "missionary passion."  "Do not be afraid to give reasons for the hope that dwells in you, a hope that has a very concrete name: Jesus Christ!" he said. "This hope must be transmitted to your contemporaries, helping them to seek, offering them authentic friendship and acceptance, leading them to discover the great gift of the Eucharist."

Third, "to facilitate the encounter of the world of youth with an authentic Eucharistic spirituality, never tire of being formed in the school of listening to the Word of God, of prayer, and of the celebration of the sacraments," the Holy Father said.

He added: "Always remember that the first place of evangelization is the human person, toward whom the Eucharist impels us, asking us for the ability to listen and to love."

 

Qualities Desired in a Candidate For Priesthood

 

After the Heart of Jesus

                                        by Father John Regan

He is:

1.    One who considers a personal relationship with God as an important and vital part of life.

2.    One who has an ability and willingness to talk about his faith and experience of God in his life.

3.    One who has a desire to serve others and make a difference in people's lives.

4.    One who is willing to sacrifice personal or material gain for the service of the Gospel and the Church.

5.    One who is recognized as being approachable.

6.    One who enjoys life, people, and has a sense of humor.

7.    One who has the ability to lead and work with people of all ages.

8.    One who recognizes the importance of the Church and the role of the Church as teacher.

9.    One who forms and maintains healthy relationships with both men and women.

10.One who feels good about himself, has average to above average intelligence, and has good physical, mental and emotional health.

 

 

What moves your heart? Reflect on and pray over this question for a moment. Maybe what moves your heart are the same things that moved Jesus' heart.

 

The Gospels tell us that Jesus' heart was moved by the world's pain. He was moved with compassion for the sick, for the blind, for those in the grip of demons. He could not see one who suffered without longing to ease the pain.  Jesus was moved by the world's sorrow. He had a great desire to wipe the tears from every eye. He longed to befriend, to comfort, and to give strength to people weighed down by the burdens of this life.

 

Jesus was moved by the world's hunger. He knew that no one of us should be content to have too much while others have too little.  Jesus was moved by the world's confusion. He announced the truth of God's reign to an often disbelieving world.

 

Jesus also desired to celebrate the joyful moments of life. He came to show the way to true happiness so that people might have life more abundantly.

 

Perhaps you find your heart being moved by the same things that touched Jesus'. Maybe you are being called to follow After the Heart of Jesus as a priest. Jesus and His Church need you!

 

If you sense a call to follow After the Heart of Jesus in priestly service, please give a call (815/834-4004) or send a message to Fr. John Regan at frjohnr@aol.com.  I'm here to help you!

                                                                                          

Vocation Prayer for Discernment

God, I know you love me and have great plans for me. But sometimes I am overwhelmed by the thought of my future. Show me how to walk forward one day at a time.

May I take heart while I search openly, learn about all the choices, listen to others for advice, and pay attention to my own feelings. By doing these things, may I hear your call to a lifestyle and a career that will let me love as only I can, and let me serve others with the special gifts that you have given me.

Amen.

 

Fraternity: A Foundation for Priestly Life

                            

There are two critical elements that will sustain a man in priestly life.  The first is the depth of his faith relationship with God in Christ.  Being rooted in the love God and growing in his understanding of being a channel of God’s grace serve as foundations on which priesthood is lived.  There is also the element of human support that sustains him in living priesthood each day.  This human support comes from family, good friends, and the fraternity of his brother priests. 

 

The fraternity in priestly life is not necessarily based on friendship, although that is often the case.  Fraternity for priests is based on a brotherhood and a common mission.  Priests are part of a group of men who have given their lives for a common cause, far beyond themselves, to bring Christ to the world today, to each person we meet, as we proclaim God’s reign.  We promise to support each other to the end in carrying out this mission.  In this way, fraternity transcends friendship.  We may not always be the best of friends, and we may not always agree with one another, but we are brothers to the end. 

 

This sense of fraternity is fostered throughout the formation process, from discernment through seminary life to ordination.  In the Diocese of Joliet we are fortunate to have the Fiat House of Discernment as a place of fraternity for discerners, seminarians, and priests.  The Fiat House has been home to many discerners and seminarians, some priests, and even a bishop.  We live and pray together as brothers.  We host programs throughout the year to help young adult Catholics reflect on the way they can offer their “Yes” to God in bringing Christ to the world today. 

 

The Fiat House takes its name from Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel when she was asked to bring God’s Son into the world.  In the midst of her wondering what the angel’s greeting meant and her own astonishment at being called, she trusted in the Lord’s words to her and said, “Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.”  Of course Mary would have used Aramaic, but this Latin phrase is translated,  “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”  This Fiat newsletter also takes its name from the same Scripture passage. 

 

Fraternity is also fostered in the lives of seminarians through two retreats held each year for all the Joliet seminarians.  One is held for three days in the winter between Christmas and New Years.  The other is held in the summer just as the school year ends.  These retreats provide opportunities to grow in understanding what it means to be a Joliet priest and in the brotherhood of diocesan fraternity.  Men in discernment are invited to join the seminarians during the winter retreat, which is held at LaSalle Manor, in Plano.  If you are interested in joining the seminarians for this retreat, please contact Father John Regan at frjohnr@aol.com or 815-834-4004. 

 

 

Vocation FAQs:

Will I be accepted simply because I want to be a priest?

A desire or sense that one is called is only one of many significant factors in accepting a candidate for the seminary. The church has many requirements, e.g. academic ability, physical health, mental and spiritual health, evidence of an ability to live a celibate life, realistic idea of what is required of a parish priest which is often demonstrated by a candidate’s involvement in a parish community.  In some cases age becomes an important factor. One’s desire for priesthood must be tested, taking into account these other factors as well as submitting to a process of discernment needed both by the individual and the diocese. It is important that we provide the best possible priests to serve the needs of the Church.

What do priests do all day?


What a priest does with his day is so varied and complex that only a sampling can be given here. Prayer, work and leisure are all necessary for a healthy life. We try to make sure we have a balance of all these, but we don't always succeed.

In the area of work or ministry, many of us have one main occupation, such as parish ministry, which has somewhat regular hours and predictable demands. The unpredictables are also interesting and challenging. They center on meeting the needs of people: the sick, old, angry, hurt, hungry, imprisoned, excited, happy. We share with them our understanding, encouragement and support. We rejoice, cry, and feel with them.

 

 

A FOCUS ON MAJOR SEMINARIES

The degree required for ordination is the Masters of Divinity degree that is offered by graduate level seminaries.  The Diocese of Joliet uses three major seminaries for our priesthood candidates. All men in theology receive full scholarships, including tuition, room and board, books, health insurance, and a monthly stipend.  Here is a close up look at Mundelein Seminary, Sacred Heart School of Theology, and the North American College. 

Mundelein Seminary:  The University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary is the major seminary and school of theology for the Archdiocese of Chicago.  Many of the students will serve as priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago; however, many are studying for 46 other dioceses in the United States and abroad.

The Master of Divinity program at Mundelein Seminary has as its goals the intellectual, human, spiritual, and pastoral formation of priests who are solidly grounded in the wisdom of the Church.  The students prepared in the program have, as their main focus, parish ministry.  The theological education is comprehensive and extensive.  It gives witness to the unity of faith, according to the tradition of the Church and the Magisterium, and to the authentic diversity of theological expression; it is pastorally oriented, ecumenically sensitive, and relevant for the multi-cultural realities of the Church in the United States.  Education in the Master of Divinity program is a dynamic process in which  students personally appropriate what is taught and bring it into dialogue with the people and setting of their parish ministry.

           

Sacred Heart School of Theology: Sacred Heart School of Theology, outside of Milwaukee, in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, is a seminary owned and operated as an apostolate of the U.S. Province of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which works with diocesan priests, men and women religious and laity in the seminary's mission.

Sacred Heart School of Theology has a unique and important mission that began over 35 years ago in response to the need for a formation program for non-traditional age candidates for priesthood. The Seminary's primary purpose is the preparation of men of mature years and experience for Roman Catholic priesthood, both diocesan and religious.   In the years since, we have prepared over 750 individuals for service to the people of God and the Church.

Sacred Heart School of Theology strives to be a community responsive to the presence of the Holy Spirit, to individual talents and needs, and to challenges facing the Church and society, especially issues of justice and peace.

The Pontifical North American College

The Pontifical North American College is the House of Studies located at the heart of the Church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to the formation of men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. Since its foundation by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1859, hundreds of men have been trained for the priesthood for service in Dioceses located around the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.  Students at the North American take most of their academic coursework at either the Gregorian University or the Angelicum University in Rome.  The North American College provides the spiritual and pastoral formation programs for the seminarians there. 

 

 

Want to learn more about your talents and gifts?

Take the Story of My Life guide online at www.vocations.com/story.html

The Story of My Life is a ready-made way for you to describe yourself - your background, experience, expertise, goals for life, thoughts about leadership, and understanding of God.  Think about the possibility that you have been asked to write a book about the kind of person you are. What are some of the thoughts about yourself, becoming a leader, your spirituality and life itself that you might include in this book?  When you complete this online instrument, results will be shared with you immediately. 

 

 

The Fiat internet newsletter is published by the Joliet Diocese Vocation Office, Father John Regan, Director.  Please send suggestions for future issues to frjohnr@aol.com.

To be removed from the list of those who receive this newsletter, please send an e-mail to frjohnr@aol.com and simply include “REMOVE” in the subject line.