From Father Jerome Krug:

This last Monday and Tuesday all the priests of the Archdiocese gathered at the Catholic Pastoral Center off NW Expressway for Continuing Education on the topic of Vocations Promotion. We had a refresher on the importance of and ‘best practices’ for helping a young man consider the possibility that God might be calling him to be a priest.

Every Catholic young man who practices the faith should be encouraged and accompanied in asking the question – is Jesus calling me to be His priest? The ordained priesthood is the continued presence and action of Jesus in the Church. The priest is called an alter Christus – another Christ – and is said to stand in persona Christi – in the person of Christ. In ordination the ordinary man is conformed to Christ Jesus in an extraordinary way and his humanity becomes a sacrament of Jesus’. The priesthood is the greatest gift God has ever given to me. It is a joyful life. It is a fulfilling life. I want many other men to know the joy and fulfillment of this life!

To all the parents of the parish: have you ever talked with your sons about their openness to Jesus calling them to live out their lives as a priest? I invite you to ask your sons to ask Jesus if this is His plan for their lives.

To all members of the parish: have you ever seen a young man whose faith and love for Jesus inspires you? Have you ever thought he would make a good priest? I invite you to encourage this young man to ask Jesus if He is calling him to be a priest.

Above all else – pray and fast for vocations to the priesthood to be born from our parish. It is a sign of a healthy and fruitful parish!

“Ask Jesus what He wants from you and be brave!” – Pope Francis