By Fr. John Adamski

Holy Trinity, Alabama? I guess my Yankee prejudice really shows but I’m surprised to learn that there is such a place in Alabama called Holy Trinity. Perhaps it really isn’t so unusual though since I can immediately recall the post office address of St. Meinrad, Indiana, my own alma mater.

Holy Trinity, in case you haven’t been there either, is just across the Georgia-Alabama border form Columbus, Georgia. It’s main claim to fame in this column is that it is the site of a retreat house run by the Trinitarian order. Right now, we’re looking for college age men and women who can picture themselves spending a weekend with us at Holy Trinity. The dioceses of Alabama and Georgia are joining in this program to provide people of college age an opportunity to seriously consider the possibility of a vocation within the ministry of the Church.

On the front page of this week’s BULLETIN, you’ll find a news story concerning the continuing decline in the number of vocations for the American Church. Taken over the last decade the statistics are devastating. Perhaps the saddest fact of all is that the figures don’t show any upsurge in the last year as many have begun to report. Maybe the optimism was more the result of wishful thinking than accomplished fact. At any rate it does mean that vocation directors (all Christians for that matter) still have some work left to do for the future of the Church.

I haven’t met anyone lately who still thinks that you can simply paint some glamorous picture of life in the Church and expect young people to respond. The kind of deception would easily be self-defeating. However I believe that there is a definite need for those of us who believe in the leadership role within the Church and its viability as a life-style and commitment to share that belief with others. The best recruiters of vocations are those priests and sisters who are happy in their lives and work. That happiness and peace will radiate to others.

Our weekend at Holy Trinity is meant to be an opportunity for college people to think a bit more seriously, without the normal frantic pace of their daily routine, about the possibility of ministry in today’s world. We’ll discuss, share, learn, relax and pray together. Inevitably this kind of experience is helpful for everyone involved for it brings us into contact with at least a taste of what the community dimension of the Church can be: people of some measure of faith sharing that faith together.

I’m convinced that our college people today are genuinely looking for a style of life that will give them ample opportunity to fulfill themselves and serve others. Obviously there are many different ways to achieve that goal. Ministry in the Church is one of those positive ways. That’s a message that needs to be told more widely so that young men and women today might be able to make it a part of their consideration for the future direction of their lives.

As readers of this column you can help in our effort. If you’re young enough to consider yourself “college age”, come and join us at Holy Trinity. If your college years are just memories now, perhaps you can help by inviting, on our behalf, a young man or woman to spend a weekend considering the possibilities of ministry. We’ll be leaving Atlanta around 5 P.M. on Friday, February 22^nd and returning Sunday afternoon the 24^th. For full information and reservations just call Sister Genevieve at 394-3393.