Nov. 4, 2015

By Father Bryan Stitt
Diocesan Vocation Director

Through the month of October, four training sessions were held to roll out the “We Are Called” plan through the parishes of our Diocese.  St. Joseph Sister Mary Gregory Munger, coordinator of the plan, along with members of her committee travelled to Watertown, Tupper Lake, Norfolk, and Plattsburgh to meet with representatives of every parish.  Prayers were prayed, resources were presented, ideas were shared, and contact information was collected. 

During the training Sr. Gregory informed us that Merriam Webster’s 2014 “Word of the Year” was “Culture.”  Why was this their selection?  Because “culture” is so often used and misunderstood, so important to us all, and so complicated to form. 

It’s true.  No one person (not a Vocations Director, not a Bishop, not even a Pope) can create a whole culture.  It’s just too big, too personal, and too complicated. 

So how does the “We are Called” plan help respond to the Mutually Shared Vision’s first Priority: “Create a Culture of Vocations”?

It does so by realizing three things that Merriam Webster has known for a while:
1.) Culture necessarily involves a large group of people, society, or group.
2.) Culture involves shared beliefs, customs, and values.
3.) Culture develops the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education. 

So first we need a large group of people.  There are almost 100,000 Catholics in the North Country.  Maybe that’s a small number compared to those excited about the World Series or the new Star Wars movie, but it’s still a significant number. 

00K people doing anything with focus surely brings a force to be reckoned with, and it’s certainly sufficient for developing a culture in Northern New York.  Secondly we need to share good values and beliefs. 
Let’s see…2000 years of Christian faith, the Bible, the Catechism, the witness of countess saints.  Values and beliefs?

To the degree that they are accepted and lived out, I think we can say “Check.” 

Finally, Merriam Webster says culture develops the intellectual and moral faculties of the people through education.  This is where it gets tricky.  A lot of people feel uneducated (and sadly they often are) about how to live out and explain their faith.  They don’t really appreciate the significance of the Sacraments, the inspiration of the Scriptures, the moral teachings of the Church or the nuances of the prayer life. 

Even less do they understand the lives of priests and religious or how to articulate lifelong commitments to married life and parenting. 

The “We are Called” plan has begun offering good resources to people in the parishes to help with these things.
Some parishes will want to implement the traveling crucifix program in which families can take turns praying for vocations in their home with the parish vocations crucifix.

In many other parishes, holy hours will continue to be prayed for vocations. 

And hopefully in many others, Parish Vocation Committees will be formed to do these things and many others. 
Of course, we’re not going to stop with just the four training sessions being completed.  Some parishes still haven’t had representatives trained.  (N.B. Sr. Gregory and her committee members are happy to go to parishes directly to do further training sessions.) 

As for those parishes that have had representatives trained, we want to follow-up with them increasing their numbers and continuing to make news and resources available. 

As with all good cultures, we hope this one will grow to touch the lives of all involved. 

Members of the We Are Called Committee:
Sr. Mary Gregory Munger, S.S.J., Coordinator
Michele Bombard
Sr. Bernadette Collins, S.S.J.
Deacon Dennis Monty
Sr. Maria Angelica Rebello, S.C.C.
Catherine Russell
Fr. Bryan Stitt