By Father John Adamski

Last week, the Archdiocesan Vocation Commission held its second meeting. Once again it was a very encouraging session because of the interest and seriousness of the priests, sisters and lay people involved. Perhaps the ability of the commission members to recognize their responsibility in looking to the future leadership needs of the Church is an attitude that can spread to the entire Church of Atlanta.

Our concern at this meeting was the need to discuss qualities necessary for the person who might be willing to consider spending his or her life serving God’s people in full time ministry as well as the efforts which we are currently making to reach those people.

At our first meeting, the Commission members outlined the personality characteristics which they expect from a person working in ministry. Basically these include a genuine faith, eagerness to share that faith, sensitivity to the needs of people and emotional, mental stability. In capsule form, those are the goals and not necessarily the starting points for a person who might be considering ministry as a valuable way to live life.

What are we looking for in the young man who is thinking about the priesthood and the seminary? I outlined the characteristics developed in an excellent article by Dr. Walter J. Coville: spiritually, motivation to do God’s work, adequate basic intelligence, emotional stability and human relations ability.

Sister Genevieve outlined these necessary qualities from the point of view of a religious community of women. Beyond the essential faith commitment, a young woman should have good health-physical and mental, sufficient intelligence to understand basic concepts of religious life, at least college age and some minimum financial capability until entrance into the community.

All this should say a few things to everyone who is concerned about the future of the Church. The requirements for admission to seminaries and convents are not so demanding that only those who have achieved everything need apply. Rather, they do indicate the seriousness with which any life choice should be approached. The average young person who has been, and is willing to be, serious about the value of life, faith and future will most often be an entirely acceptable candidate. Those of us in ministry know only too well our limitations and weaknesses. We don’t expect perfection from those who may be thinking about service in the Church for themselves.

However, when all that is said and done, we must still admit that we seldom get the kind of person we’re really looking for. I think that’s the point where every member of the Church comes in. I feel, along with many others, that we may not be attracting the kind of people the Church needs because many have not taken the priesthood or sisterhood seriously. If parents have not communicated to their children the value which they themselves see in these styles of life, it’s almost impossible to expect the young person to have developed this notion himself.

How do you define success and achievement in your family? Is it primarily in terms of money and status? What are the main values guiding your life? These are the kinds of things which we communicate to our young people. Much of our own attitude will set the stage for the development of choices for those around us. When we genuinely believe in the worth of priesthood and religious life, others will come more easily to that same position.

This awareness is what appears to be growing in our commission members. That’s only the first step though. When our entire Church becomes willing to accept its responsibility for the quality and future of its leadership, our vocation recruitment problems will be over.