Priestly vocations may be on a decline, but Bishop Machebeuf High School has seen a surge of interest in religious life thanks to a discernment group led by the school’s chaplain Father CJ Mast.
The group, made up of mostly juniors and seniors, meets regularly and has even made visits to the archdiocese’s own St. John Vianney Theological Seminary to observe seminarians in their day-to-day classes and faith lives.
“I think seeing that these seminarians were once high school students like themselves removes the fear and makes discernment more tangible,” Mast said.
So far, about 40 boys have made visits, with more to come this spring. Father Mast also leads a girls’ group who meets to talk about religious vocations in the Church.
These groups prompt dialogue that otherwise wouldn’t happen, Mast said.
“It’s about creating the space to have a purposeful consideration at an important time in their lives,” he said.
Machebeuf president Erich Hoffer is grateful to have this kind of access to faithful religious in the archdiocese for his students. Some seminarians even come to the high school to meet directly with the teens.
“These interactions remove the mystique of what seminary life would be and foster real conversations with a trusted, faithful adult, who can show them a life they might not have otherwise considered,” Hoffer said. “Asking the young people to discern, to follow God’s will for their lives, is the ultimate goal.”
Father Mast tells the students to just pay attention to the desires of their hearts. The Holy Spirit takes care of the rest.