After abuse scandal, much remains right with vocation ministry By Sister Dianne Perry, SSND"
We a re asking the wrong question. Rather than asking what is wrong with priesthood, we should be asking what is right with priesthood."
That was the opening of Father Stephen Rosetti's talk to the assembly of national vocation directors in September. He was, of course, responding to the question that many of us in America have been asking since the news of the abuse scandal broke earlier this year. Doing vocation ministry at this time in the history of our church makes me very attuned to Father Rosetti's question. For it is not unusual for me to be asked, "How is it going now?" The word "now" almost always refer to how it is going since the scandal. It seems to imply that things cannot be too good.
Taking the cue from Father Rosetti's question, I would like to address what I find to be right with vocation ministry at this moment in our collective church history.
Forty elementary schools in our archdiocese asked to be part of the Adopt a Priest/Brother/Sister program for fifth grade classes. This program allows a class to "have their own" priest, brother or sister for the year. They write to each other, send Christmas cards, pray together and find time to visit each other at least once a year.
Young adults are seeking to find ways to serve God and their brothers and sisters. They consider priesthood and religious life viable and valuable ways to do that, and want to explore if that life might be for them. Ten women and 14 men attended the most recent Miryam and Andrew dinners hosted at the home of Archbishop Harry Flynn. They come to hear the personal stories of the sisters and priests who invite them to the dinner, talk with each other, and pray for guidance and wisdom as they seek God's deepest desires for them.
The Catholic high schools in the archdiocese are finding ways to help their students explore the vocation of priesthood and consecrated life. Some of them are hosting days in which priests, brothers and sisters tell their vocation story to the teens. Others are meeting with Father Tom Wilson and myself to talk about the best way to help kids find out those life choices so they can make informed choices.
Recent surveys done throughout our country show that the number of seminarians remains a steady 3,400 and that the men joining are doing so at a younger age. Ninety-five percent of priests surveyed said they are happy and would make the choice again. Sixty-four percent of young people surveyed find priesthood and religious life to be meaningful and significant ways to serve God and others.
Twenty-five college students attended a recent Engaging Truth lunch, sponsored by the Catholic Studies department at the University of St. Thomas. The topic of the lunch was "Vocation: are we called and how do we know?" For one-and-a-half hours, the students engaged three presenters, asking deeply probing questions about priesthood and religious life, its blessings and challenges.
What is right with vocation work? God is still calling, members of our local church realize that, and they are seeking ways, in the midst of challenge, to respond.

School Sister of Notre Dame Dianne Perry is archdiocesan religious life liaison.