By Father John Adamski

As God's people in our world today, the Church sees itself as a pilgrim people, those who are ever on the move toward the fullness of God's kingdom. As a believing community, we are very much of a people with a future. With gratitude for the saving mystery of Jesus' life, death and being raised, we see our destiny as lasting life with God our Father. Our days and years now are times of growth and movement toward the union with God which Christ has made possible.

I see myself, as a diocesan director of vocations, within the context of a pilgrim people. The Catholic Church in north Georgia is a necessary part of this movement toward the Father. Our Catholic tradition is a long and noble one which makes us what we are today. But our past always gives way to our future. The director of vocations always speaks for the importance of leadership within the Catholic community of the future.

As Christians, each of us shares in the responsibility which Jesus left for His Church -- to continue His ministry for our world. Each of us is called to make God's love something very real and significant in contemporary life through our own actions. A serious appreciation of ministry throughout the whole Church will encourage further commitments to the goals of that ministerial effort: Life with God. An atmosphere which values ministry is an essential element toward the consideration of lifetime, permanent commitments toward the fulfillment of the goals of ministry.

As a vocations director, I have the opportunity to make sure that this message of the importance of ministry in the Church, both now and in the future, is proclaimed, heard and hopefully understood. Often, we need a special voice to remind us of aspects of our lives which we frequently take for granted. My words and work can encourage all of us here in north Georgia to grow even more faithful as ministers for our world.

Within our Church, we find several roles with special ministry responsibility -- those who are called to serve God's people in particular ways. Priests, sisters, deacons and brothers are those who make lifetime commitments to give themselves generously to the needs of a pilgrim people. All of us influence the future of ministry in the Church by our own attitudes towards its value and worth. If we have a high regard for the role of the priest or sister in our faith community, that message will encourage those who are making decisions about their lives to consider the possibility of this lifetime Church service.

I'm the promoter, the one who says clearly that we are a Church with a future, a Church in which leadership is an essential part. Within the last decade, that's a message which desperately needed to be heard amidst the growing pains and pessimism of a period of change in our Church. So, at least half of my time as vocation director is spent spreading the message that ministry is good news. In its most basic form, that means helping the whole Church to realize the importance of ministerial leadership as well as providing various opportunities for people to learn more about what ministry is and whether or not they recognize God calling them to commit themselves to this service role.

The second critical aspect of my work is my concern for and involvement with those who are already preparing to serve the Church in North Georgia -- our seminarians. These men need to feel that we appreciate their willingness to give themselves to lifetime work in the Church. As they prepare for this work, spending four or eight years in seminaries outside of Georgia, they want to keep in touch with what is happening here. They must know and come to grips with our expectations of them and we must respond to their expectations and needs. Regular seminary visits, frequent correspondence and summer ministry assignments help the seminarians to develop into priests for north Georgia.

If we value ministry and those who make special commitments to its fulfillment, then we should be a Church at prayer that we may have the resources and stamina to continue this responsibility which Jesus gave us. That's my final word as vocations director: let's join one another in prayer that God's Spirit might guide and direct our pilgrim efforts towards the goal we hope for -- lasting peace and happiness at home with our Father.