CAMDEN — About 200 people participated in the first “iRace 4 Vocations” 5k run/walk on June 24 at Washington Lake Park in Sewell.
The event was essentially an attempt to promote vocations with running shoes and water bottles as well as the rosary and retreats.
According to Father Michael M. Romano, director of vocations for the Diocese of Camden, the 5K run/walk was “a new initiative to encourage participants to pray and sacrifice for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life” and pray for seminarians and for an “increase in vocations for our diocese and throughout the church.”
It was a race “4” vocations to highlight that everyone has a vocation. Some are called to the priesthood or religious life, and others are called to marriage or single life.
Father Romano said the walk/run was a reminder that “the Lord has a plan and purpose for all of us and that we need to be open to that plan.”
There was no fee to enter the run/walk; admission was a free-will donation. Instead of getting sponsors, Father Romano noted, participants were asked to raise pledges of prayers for vocations. The event was broken down into five parts: men’s 5k, women’s 5k, kids’ race, family/senior walk, and religious/seminarians 5k.
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