I had the privilege of participating in one of the sessions of a Vocation Discernment Retreat at the Emmaus Centre last weekend. The retreat was specifically about vocations to the priesthood.

Twenty-one young men from Trinidad and Tobago registered for the weekend experience. The Archdiocesan Vocations Directors guided the weekend retreat. I am grateful for their zealous response to this very important ministry.

The experience of Church

The Vocation Discernment Retreat was scheduled for the week after the highly energised celebration of the Archdiocesan Synod. The timing of the retreat was excellent.

The Archdiocese was still talking about the Synod. During the Synod, I had noticed with satisfaction that there was a significant presence of young adults from the various parishes of the archdiocese. They participated actively and they obviously cared about the Church.

I found the same energy at the Vocation Discernment Retreat. Young people are beginning to experience a Church that is filled with signs of life and they are willing to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit to give themselves to one of the many vocations in the Church: marriage and family, the religious life, the chosen single life and the priesthood. This column concentrates on the call to priesthood

It is not enough just to understand Church. Church must be experienced. From the experience of Church people develop a sense of belonging, a sense of comfort, a sense of meaning and, slowly but surely, a sense of personal relationship with God. The relationship with God then motivates them to relate properly with others as Church and in ministry.

Contemporary challenges

Decision-making in important matters is never easy. There are so many options, so many complications flowing from personal stories and, frequently, there is so little support, so much aloneness. Once again the importance of experiencing Church is highlighted. Let us look at some contemporary challenges that affect a vocational choice for the priesthood:

1) Lack of invitation : young people are not encouraged to consider the option for priesthood as a life choice. In fact, in many cases they are explicitly discouraged by parents, teachers and peers. Unfortunately, there are also priests and religious who refuse to invite young men to consider the priesthood.

2) A neo-pagan culture : The rejection of biblical values and the teaching of the Church on many issues has resulted in a disrespect for the spiritual, the sacred and, in some cases, even a non- acceptance of the existence of God. It presents the values of pleasure, power and wealth as the idols which replace God.

3) A fear of lifelong commitments : There is so much failure, infidelity, divorce, dispensation and laicisation in contemporary society and in the Church that some young people wonder whether a lifelong commitment is possible.

4) Celibacy : In an age in which sexual behaviour has been almost totally divorced from the creative plan of God, when scandals involving bishops, priests and religious have received maximal coverage from the media, young people can have real fears whether what has happened to others will also happen to them.

Contemporary supports

1) The rebirth of spirituality : The witness of believing people who love the Lord, who are open to the Holy Spirit, who are committed to prayer, to the celebration of the sacraments and to serving others is a great convincer about what is possible.

2) A growing awareness of the power of love : The saints were in love with the Lord. The call to holiness requires the same of all who believe and who choose to follow the Lord as a priest. Personal relationship with the Lord, flowing from love, motivates everything we do. It is the protector of commitment and the enemy of selfishness.

3) An openness to the truth : Spirituality and ministry must be fed by the authentic teaching of the Church. Being fed begins in family, continues in formal education/formation and lasts for as long as we live. In our age, many lies that have been accepted uncritically are now being exposed. People look at the condition of international society and wonder if this is what God intended at creation. They are searching for something better – a life and a society based on the truth.

4) A commitment to community : The neo-pagan pressures on people are everywhere. The Church teaches that it is not enough to be strong spiritually. It is also important to belong to authentic community which provides support for the journey. Presence is important. It involves people being present to us and requires that we be present to others.

The Holy Father consistently points out that in an age of deep secularisation, there is also a widespread demand for spirituality, a desire to be taught how to pray and a recognised need for prayer. One example of this need to pray is for vocations to the priesthood. The Holy Father also asks each priest to find a replacement for himself in the priesthood.

As we continue to build Church and the future together, we should remember one of the most powerful dramatic presentations of the recently completed Synod – the presentation about the need for the presence and the availability of a priest.

Pray for the already ordained. Pray for those discerning about a vocation to the priesthood. Invite young men to consider the priesthood. Support them as they test their choice.

Collaborate with them as they journey to the priesthood so that Eucharist, the other sacraments and priestly presence will help to form the Catholic community until the Lord returns.