In late summer, vocation directors from across the country gather to pray, learn and encourage one another at the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (NCDVD). This annual gathering is truly a gift – it renews us spiritually, strengthens us in our work, and reminds us that we are not alone in the challenges of vocation ministry.
Much of the conference’s vitality is thanks to longtime executive director Rosemary Sullivan. With a son who is a priest and daughters who help run the event, she has poured her heart into supporting vocation directors. Her leadership and faith have made NCDVD a place where our ministry can thrive.
At the heart of the conference is prayer. Each day the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration, we pray morning and evening prayer together, and we celebrate Mass as a community. A midweek retreat morning gives us the chance to focus deeply on our relationship with the Lord. These moments keep us grounded – not just as professionals, but as disciples who depend on Christ to sustain our work.

Workshops also provide practical guidance. This year, I learned about preparing seminarians for ordination and ensuring they continue to receive strong support as new priests. Other sessions offered ideas for organizing the vocations office and finding balance in the often-busy life of a vocation director. These insights help us serve our seminarians better and encourage us to keep striving for holiness.
But the conference is not all work – it is also joyful. I am grateful for the leaders and brother priests who make it possible each year. Spending this time together was a moment of true renewal, and I returned home energized for the mission ahead.
That mission comes into special focus next month at our sixth annual Homegrown Harvest Festival on Oct. 11. This event is a joyful celebration of our seminarians – the future shepherds of our diocese. We are blessed to have 12 men currently in formation, and your prayers and support are vital as they discern God’s call. I hope to see many of you at the festival as we pray together for even more laborers to be sent into the Lord’s harvest.

(For more information on vocations, visit jacksonvocations.com or contact Father Nick at nick.adam@jacksondiocese.org.)