From the Vocation Director
Fr. Patrick Foley, T.O.R.
�
Greetings to one and all! For those who
I have not yet wished a happy New Year, let me take this opportunity to
say that I hope 2008 is off to a good start for you. �As of January 1st
, I assumed the responsibility of vocation director for our community.
�While this was the official transition date, I have been assuming this
ministry gradually since August. �Let me update you on what I have been
up to. �In September David Liedl and I attended a Franciscan vocation
directors� �mega conference� in Tampa Bay, Florida. �I found this to be
a wonderful opportunity to gain an �insiders view� on this ministry from
those who have been engaged in it for some time. �In October, I attended
a new vocation director�s orientation conference held by the National
Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC). �This workshop equipped me with
the basics of what I need to perform this ministry. �The topics ranged
from �theology of call� to canonical criteria for consideration and
acceptance into a religious formation program. �While the location of
the conference wasn�t the greatest (Leavenworth, KS), the workshop
itself was outstanding. �In December, I had the good fortune of
traveling to a much more scenic locale (San Francisco) for a workshop on
behavioral assessment offered by Fr. Ray Cary. �For anyone who has had
the opportunity to attend one of Fr. Ray�s workshops, you know how
exceptional he is as a priest, a psychologist, and as a presenter.
�Besides attending these conferences, I have also been discovering and
articulating my own �style� and �philosophy� regarding this ministry.
�
Before describing this style and
philosophy, I would like to thank David for leaving me with such an
organized office and well-defined structure. �By inheriting this
organization and structure I find myself able to channel creative
energies on such projects as the development of new vocation promotional
literature. �It has been some time since we have designed new materials
and this is one of the first tasks that I am devoting my energies to.
�In addition to developing new brochures and other promotional aids, I
plan on developing presentation materials for vocation conferences. �One
of the goals that I have is to attend as many vocation conferences as
possible during the time that I am vocation director and to seek out
opportunities to organize �come and see� weekends. �While I have
received a number of inquiries via the internet (there are ten
individuals that I am in the initial stages of following up with), I
feel it is important to seek out or create occasions to share with young
men all that we as a community have to offer them. �During a recent
visit to Florida I was able to arrange two �come and see� weekends at
San Pedro, one in 2008 and the other in 2009. �These will be hosted
jointly with the vocation director of the Diocese of Orlando, Fr. Miguel
Gonzalez. �Additionally, I hope to visit all of our parishes soon in
order to preach on vocations and to speak with any youth interested in
religious life (I already had the opportunity to do this at St.
Patrick�s in Mt. Dora - thanks Blase and Robert!). �When it comes to
vocational promotion and recruitment, it is my belief that this is my
responsibility. �However, I would ask for several things from you that
would aid me in this ministry. �First and foremost, please keep me and
vocations in prayer. �Second, please keep me abreast of any vocation
conferences in your diocese that I may be able to attend. �Finally, if
you personally know a young person who you think might have a vocation,
please encourage them (and if you think they have a vocation to our
community, please invite them to �come and see� and put them in touch
with me!). �Thanks for all of your prayerful support, brothers, and for
entrusting this ministry to me. �I hope to bring a great deal of
enthusiasm to it and to add to our number as many troubadours for Christ
as possible! �Peace and good to all.
�
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