Father Tristan Stovall and I attended the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors this past month in the New York Metro Area. NCDVD provides us with invaluable information and support each year. Vocation directors from across the country provide workshops to help us with things that may be mundane (how to keep track of your seminarian files better), but they are very important. They also provide encouragement and help us to re-focus on things that are vital parts of our seminary program (like preparing seminarians, pastors and parishioners for summer pastoral assignments, and building a culture of accompaniment and accountability for our seminarians). Most of all, I just appreciate being with priests who love being priests and support staff who are engaged and committed to the mission of priestly formation. The spirit of this conference is always engaged and encouraging.

As is the case with many events like this one, the best networking happens ‘in-between’ conferences. I had great conversations and gleaned important tips and information from fellow vocation directors as we sat down at lunch and dinner or stood in the lobby waiting for the next ‘thing’ to happen. The best part of NCDVD are the Masses and the communal prayer. The leadership team does a great job of centering the conference on the worship of the Lord at Mass and Adoration. Bishops from around the country made the trip to celebrate Mass with us, which meant a great deal, and it was wonderful to hear their perspective on what is most important in the work that we are doing. NCDVD reminds us all: priesthood is beautiful, keep inviting young men to it.
Gratefully, we are in a springtime of interest and engagement in priestly formation. With 12 men currently studying for the priesthood for our diocese, we already have numbers that have rarely been seen in our diocese. But I expect that our numbers will continue to grow. There are already four applicants for next year and I believe we could see 6-10 new seminarians (and maybe more) enrolling by next summer.
This is the kind of interest I believe we can sustain, and so we need your help to make sure we never have to turn away a man because we (or he) cannot afford his tuition and other formation costs. It costs between $55,000-$60,000 per year/per man to form a seminarian, and we want to honor the men who come forward to make this sacrifice by supporting their education and formation as much as possible.
We can’t do that without you.
Remember that the United in Mission Capital Campaign is building up long-term sustainability by establishing a $10 Million trust for seminarian education; and the Homegrown Harvest annual event (coming up Oct. 24) helps us cover our annual expenses. Please prioritize gifts to one or both of these if you are able. Priesthood is beautiful, we are going to continue inviting young men to consider it, and we want to be ready to support them when they say yes!

(Father Nick Adam is Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jackson.)