Vocations begin at early age, students hear

Seminarians and religious women in the Diocese of Camden visited South Jersey Catholic schools at the beginning of the month to share their vocation stories, inspire students in faith and remind all that every person is unique and has God-given gifts.

“To be in God’s presence is where the fullness of life is,” Sister Vilma Butron said in sharing her journey to the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Infant Jesus community and a life happily lived doing God’s will for the last 35 years.

“I have no regrets, because I experience God’s satisfaction and fullness of life … something beautiful and precious,” she said.

The vocations visits to the schools began with a school-wide Mass celebrated by Father Joshua Nevitt, associate director of vocations for the Diocese of Camden. After Mass, the invited guests visited religion classes throughout the school day.

Maggie Schoening, an intern with the Echo Graduate Service Program and religion teacher at Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill, said she was thrilled for the students, and herself. “I come from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis originally, and we don’t do days like this.”

She also liked the choice of classroom visits rather than an auditorium setting. “Making it a more intimate moment with the class is important,” she said. “You can actually interact and ask questions.”

In Love with the Faith

For seminarian Benjamin Suarez, it wasn’t until he moved to America from the Philippines during his high school years that he developed a personal connection with God and ultimately found a path to the priesthood.

With the guidance of his pastor, Msgr. Louis Marucci, pastor of Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish, Gibbsboro, Suarez began to dive deeper into Catholic resources and gradually deepened his understanding of Catholicism, particularly the story of Our Lady of Fatima and devotions to the Blessed Mother. Through this additional research, he began to “fall more and more in love with the faith.”

He also began paying closer attention the Mass and the priests celebrating. “Every time I prayed, I would look at the priest on the altar,” he shared with students. “I would see monsignor’s self-sacrifice, his giving of himself. In my prayer, I would think, ‘I want to be just like that — to give of myself to others.’”

Suarez, who attends the College Seminary of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Andrew’s Hall, Seton Hall University, South Orange, said entering the seminary marked a significant change.

“It was a big adjustment because my friends didn’t really practice their faith,” he explained. “But when I went to the seminary, I saw these men who strive to wake up early in the morning, pray and attend Mass together. It gave me hope for Christianity in the world.”

Reflecting on his years in seminary formation thus far, he enthusiastically told the students, “I wouldn’t change anything!”

Reconversion to Catholicism

Similarly, Kyle Palmieri, who attends Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, N.Y., was inspired by his pastor.

“I saw all the good a really good priest could do in the church,” he reflected.

Starting in fifth grade, Palmieri felt a strong pull to the priesthood and a life of service. He noted that if he didn’t pursue the priesthood, he knew he would want to work for a nonprofit organization.

However, he admitted that he was nervous about how his priesthood considerations would be received by friends and family. So he “tried to tuck the feelings away.”

Throughout high school, he stayed involved in his parish, mostly through volunteering and youth ministry work. But by the time he entered college, he drifted away from his faith, seeking what he called the “real college experience” that is often portrayed in movies and television. It wasn’t until his junior year at Stockton University that he experienced what he described as “a powerful reconversion to Catholicism.”

While attending a retreat with a friend, he was reminded of his earlier feelings about the priesthood. At that moment, he decided that after graduating college, he would enter the seminary.

With renewed enthusiasm, he reconnected with the priest from his youth and shared his plans for the seminary. The priest advised him to take his time in prayer. After a period of reflection, Palmieri entered the seminary, an experience he described as “a dream come true.”

He shared, “For me, this decision feels like freedom. When you think you are doing what God wants you to do, you are truly free.”

Finding Purpose

For Sister Vilma it wasn’t difficult to relate to Palmieri’s story. She, too, emphasized the importance of recognizing God’s call – and having the courage to answer it.

“It was very hard for me to answer God’s call,” she admitted. “I had to give up the idea of married life. My plan was to have a dozen kids.”

Born in the Philippines, Sister Vilma eventually embraced becoming a religious sister. She completed her formation and took her vows in her home country. She explained how entering the convent gave her life a sense of purpose. “I found time to pray, to be with God and to remain in His presence.”

Now a religious sister for 35 years, Sister Vilma has spent the past 27 years serving in the United States. Her ministry has included working in education, first as a full-time school guidance counselor and now as the director of religious education at Infant Jesus Parish in Woodbury Heights.

For Sister Vilma, working in education has always been an integral part of her vocation. “I felt I was called to give my life to help others,” she explained.

Humor in God’s call

Sister Laura Downing, a Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, brought humor and energy to her vocation talk.

“If God is trying to tell you something, shoving it to the back of your mind is never going to work,” she said with a laugh, reflecting on her own journey to religious life. “When God wants to get your attention, He’ll make sure you hear Him – and often at the most inconvenient and awkward times.”

For her, these “awkward times” began in her childhood in Maryland, where she attended Catholic school. She admitted that she often found herself in trouble, leading to frequent visits to the school principal, Sister Aidan Butler. “I was meeting with Sister Aidan constantly,” she said, smiling at the memory.

One day during recess, however, something changed. As she saw Sister Aidan on the playground, Sister Laura felt an unexpected sense deep within her. “I just knew – I’m going to be like her one day,” she shared.

That day, however, was still far off. During high school, Sister Laura led a typical teenage life, which included dating. She recalled a story about her boyfriend at the time, Sam, and their close friendship with another couple, Louis and Melissa. The four of them spent much of their free time together and remained friends even after high school.

After college, however, came a surprise: Louis entered the seminary, and Sister Laura joined the convent at nearly the same time. Meanwhile, the friendship between Sam and Melissa blossomed into romance, and the two eventually married.

Their bond as a group grew even stronger over the years. At Sam and Melissa’s wedding, Father Louis officiated the ceremony, while Sister Laura did a reading. Today, the couple’s four children affectionately call the two religious “Uncle Father Louis” and “Aunt Sister Laura.”

“I love it,” Sister Laura said with a smile. “The four of us figured out our vocations together!”

Dr. Phil Gianfortune, principal of Paul VI High School, Haddonfield, noted the importance of the vocation stories and what the students should take from them.

“It’s so important to plant the seeds,” he shared. “We all have a call, and making our students aware of it is important, because those seeds help us on our journey toward God.”

Michael Bress is communications and marketing manager for the Office of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Camden. 

Staff Writer Peter G. Sánchez contributed to this report.