“I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him.”
These words by Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini help to capture her zeal and dedication in serving God. This missionary spirit and desire to save souls led Mother Cabrini and her sisters all over the world to care for those whom others had forgotten. She is an example of what we can be – and the good things we can do – when we trust in God and follow His voice.
The priest formation program in the Diocese of Camden continues to grow, instilling this desire in the hearts of our seminarians. We see in their stories the great love they have for our Lord, and how time in the seminary and their various assignments help these men to discern God’s call while doing His work. Personally, I love looking back on my time as a seminarian and seeing how God has helped me to grow.
However, nothing beats being ordained and beginning to minister as a priest. The seminary is a place where we are trained and formed to be whom God created us to be, and the things I learned then still have a great impact on my life and priesthood now.
As director of vocations, it is great to walk with our men in their own journeys and to share with them my experiences. Their love for the Lord and each other always inspire me. Each one of our men has a unique set of gifts and talents. Spending time with our seminarians reminds me of the hope they have for our future. Their joy is contagious – you cannot help but laugh and smile while you are with them.
In this past year, we have had some great experiences. We began our new “Program of Priestly Formation”; we traveled to Portugal for World Youth Day; we spent time together in fraternity. Such experiences have helped our seminarians see how the Lord is calling them to serve as His priests. Each has shown great strength and courage in listening to Him. In the seminarian articles that appear on the following pages – all written from each man’s heart – you will see this in some very beautiful and moving ways.
I pray more men will have similar courage as that of our seminarians, and for more men to take those first steps of getting closer to God and listening to His voice beckon them to this great vocation. May we pray for these men, and all the men who are discerning this call. May they, too, have the strength and courage to follow God’s voice and to experience the great life of a diocesan priest.
Father Adam Cichoski is director of vocations for the Diocese of Camden and rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
