Oblates of St. Francis de Sales witness resurgence in vocations |
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Written by PAT TODAK, Special to the Chronicle
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Friday, 02 January 2009 01:00 |
TOLEDO—When Oblate of St. Francis Father Kenneth McKenna first became novice director for the Toledo-Detroit Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales 17 years ago, he recalls the province averaging one novice every other year.
This year, there are seven novices residing in the novitiate house at the De Sales Center in Brooklyn, Mich.
The novices are from the Toledo area, Delaware, Florida, Pennsylvania and such far-away places as Mexico and Australia.
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| The seven men currently in the Oblates of St. Francis Novitiate, with
Novice Director Father Kenneth McKenna, third from left, at the De
Sales Center in Brooklyn, Mich. (Photo courtesy of the Oblates of St.
Francis de Sales) |
Although Fr. McKenna doesn’t expect every novice class to be as large, he does see a growing interest in young men looking at the priesthood.
"It’s definitely getting better," he says.
Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Martin Lukas, the order’s director of vocations, agrees. He thinks one reason for the increase might be because the Oblates have become very pro-active in inviting young men to join them.
He also credits the increased opportunities for service, both in high school and college, and the good experiences the men had in doing service, with encouraging young people to look at religious life.
Both priests believe a new interest in spirituality throughout the world is helping fuel this growth.
"Young people don’t seem to be reluctant to say, ‘Yeah, I’m a Catholic,’ " reflects Fr. Lukas. "Spirituality is becoming more important in young people’s lives and more public."
Fr. McKenna recalls in the 1970s, social activism was considered important, but young people saw many avenues in which to accomplish this activism, such as being a teacher, counselor or medical professional. He believes young people today seem to focus more on community and spiritual life, which makes religious life more appealing.
"They have more depth to their vocations than I did in the ’70s," he says. "The men joining today want to serve the church, the people and society," he says, ìand they are also interested in the support of community life and the brotherhood that goes with being an Oblate."
Fr. McKenna believes many of those currently exploring religious life have been greatly influenced by their grandparents. He also believes many young men and women are searching for something more traditional and are looking for concrete values.
One of the reasons Fr. McKenna believes there are seven novices this particular year is that four of the men went to DeSales University and bonded while in college. He thinks the men may have given each other the extra push or encouragement to give the priesthood a try.
One of the novices, Joseph Newman, is from Toledo Christ the King. He graduated from St. Francis de Sales High School in 2003 and went on to DeSales University in Pennsylvania where he received a bachelor’s degree in biology. It was at the end of his college career as he was contemplating his future that he decided to explore the priesthood.
"I definitely perceived a need for vocations," he recalls. As he looked at his career options he decided becoming an Oblate "was the one that seemed to give me the most peace."
Mr. Newman is enjoying being a novice.
"It’s really a privilege to be able to take a year off to pray and grow in spirituality," he says. He is very impressed with the Oblate community. As he got to know the Oblates, he has come to recognize "they are just ordinary people doing wonderful work."
Mr. Newman is the second member of his family to follow this path. His older brother, Michael, is to be ordained in June.
Another novice, Robert Lockwood, shares some similarities with Mr. Newman — he attended an Oblate high school in Wilmington, Del. He also graduated from DeSales University. But unlike Mr. Newman, Mr. Lockwood after DeSales University, went to graduate school and worked for a few years as a professor and psychologist. Through the years he contemplated becoming a priest.
"It was something that continued to stay in mind," he recalls. "I wanted to give service to others in some kind of religious fashion."
In the end, Mr. Lockwood decided to pursue becoming an Oblate.
"I was living on my own — making a lot of money — not fulfilled by it at all. I felt called to give the priesthood a try."
Like Mr. Newman, he is impressed with the Oblates he has come to know.
"They are men of great character and virtue, but also ordinary people just like everyone else."
Like the other novices, Mr. Lockwood spent a year as a postulant working at St. Francis de Sales High School as an administrator.
He has been enjoying his year at the novitiate house. "We have a great community here," he says. "We all made a good connection with each other which makes the process easier."
He is also quite enthusiastic about his future. "I’m looking forward to that day in August when I make my profession of vows."
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 March 2009 13:44 |
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