 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
January
9, 2006
VOL.
44, NO. 1Oakland,
CA
Project Andrew aims to lead men to the priesthood
For many,
St. Andrew’s claim to fame is that he was the first man to become
an apostle. For others, he is known as the patron saint of Greece, Russia
and Scotland.
But he forever endeared himself to those in vocations ministry for what
he did after being called by Jesus. He immediately recruited his brother.
That brother, Simon, later renamed Peter by Christ, years later became
the first pope.
Last year, the vocations office in the Oakland Diocese turned to St. Andrew
for inspiration for the launch of Operation Andrew, a program that provides
encouragement, support and guidance for men considering a vocation to
the priesthood.
Now known by the less militaristic sounding name of Project Andrew, the
program is again offering local men, ages 17 to 35, the opportunity to
take the time to pray, reflect and explore a possible religious vocation.
The second annual Project Andrew gathering will be held on Feb. 2 at Our
Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall in Oakland, beginning at 5 p.m.
The program will feature a presentation by Bishop Allen Vigneron who will
give the men some sense of “what the call to priesthood is rooted
in and is about in our diocese,” said Father Larry D’Anjou,
diocesan vocations director. There will also be presentation on discerning
the call to priesthood, a question and answer session, and information
about future discernment events. These will be conducted separately for
English- and Spanish-speaking participants.
The evening will also include a Holy Hour with Exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament and Benediction. Father D’Anjou described this as “quiet
time to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to our hearts, to pray
together.”
To register for the gathering, prospective participants must be sponsored
by a priest of the Oakland Diocese. Why? Because personal invitation is
at the heart of Project Andrew.
According to a survey by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, priests
have consistently said that it was another priest who first asked them
to consider priesthood.
“For two-thirds of diocesan priests who were ordained last year,
the first person to talk to them about the priesthood was a priest and
I think that is a value worth continuing. That is what Project Andrew
is all about really,” Father D’Anjou said.
In a letter to diocesan priests on Nov. 30, the feast of St. Andrew the
Apostle, Bishop Vigneron encouraged them to evaluate men in their communities
who appear to be potential candidates for the priesthood and invite them
to attend the Feb. 2 gathering. Such candidates would show a keen interest
in their faith, concern for the welfare of others, have strong moral values,
and demonstrate a desire to serve others.
Project Andrew gives “our priests a structured opportunity to look
at their congregations, and see if there are those who are called in their
parishes to come and consider the priesthood,” Father D’Anjou
said, noting that pastoral councils, youth ministers and religious educators
can help identify potential candidates.
Following the first Project Andrew gathering last year, Father D’Anjou
called the 28 participants to determine who was seriously interested in
continuing the discernment process. He invited those individuals, about
one-third of the initial group, to a monthly group session sponsored by
the vocations office.
At these gatherings, held in different parishes, the men pray together
and talk about what is happening in their discernment journeys. There
is Mass and dinner with the priests of the parish who share what the priesthood
means in their lives. Local seminarians usually join the group
“A real key to the vocations effort is what is now called 'accompaniment,'
which means you walk the journey with those who are discerning,”
Father D’Anjou said. “We provide these monthly opportunities
to walk with them and help them to know what it is God is calling them
to be and do.”
A young man ponders a series of questions on vocation during last year’s Operation Andrew retreat.
CHRIS DUFFEY PHOTO
