By Paula Day

Father Ken Roberts had escaped and he didn't want the young people sitting before him to get caught in the net of a life without meaning.

"Don't cry about it the rest of your life," he told them. "Pray about it now."

The priest urged the 240 seniors of St. Pius X High School not to drift into their life vocation but to pray and choose. "Eighty percent (of people working) hate what they are doing all week long," he told the young people. "Only those who choose what they do, like it. You can't drift. You have to choose."

Father Roberts, a television personality and author, did not decide to become a priest until he had experienced the meaninglessness of a life of self-indulgence. He details this experience in his autobiography, Playboy to Priest. The priest is celebrating his silver jubilee this year and his told his audience he "never had an unhappy moment" in those 25 years.

Closing out a five-day stay in Atlanta, Father Roberts addressed the class of 1991 during a day of reflection April 9, part of the end-of-the-year activities before graduation. He had conducted a vocation discernment retreat the previous weekend at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers attended by 37 men and women considering a religious vocation. He celebrated Mass and spoke on the topic, "What Are You Doing With The Rest Of Your Life?" at the Cathedral of Christ the King April 8. His visit was sponsored by the archdiocesan Vocations Office and the Serra Clubs of Atlanta.

Father Roberts believes adults frequently underestimate young people.

"They expect to be challenged and we are often surprised by them when we do challenge them," the priest said. "They are by far the easiest group to teach. They are open to everything. Older people walk out on you. Kids never walk out on you."

During his first talk the priest explained the "three dimensions" of each person. The role a person has in life, his name, appearance, is the first dimension. The second is the one known by close friends, the "this is really me" dimension.

"The third is the really, really me level," the priest told the teens. "Only God knows us at this level and God loves us at this level, regardless."

"God made you because he needs you," he said. "If you exists it's because God chose to need you. You are the only you."

In his second presentation Father Roberts developed the thought of discovering God's plan for this unique "you." He reminded his audience of St. Augustine's insight: "God has made you for Himself and you are restless until you rest in Him." It was this insight, he explained, that led him to leave the life of "loving things and using people," his definition of a playboy, and become a priest.

"God will let you do anything you want to do," he told the young people. "But there is something only you can do. Ask God what that is. Pray about it. Ask God what His plan is. Don't cry about it the rest of your life. Pray about it now. What is God calling you to do the rest of your life?"

The British-born priest was ordained for the diocese of Dallas, TX. He is on permanent loan to the archdiocese of St. Louis from which he travels nationally and internationally conducting parish renewals and retreats, working with youth and promoting vocations to the priesthood and Religious life. He finds youth ministry very fulfilling and if given a choice between conducting a parish mission and leading a youth rally, he would choose the youth rally.

"God has given me a gift, relating to young people, and I always feel upbeat at the end of a day with them. That's good for me. I need that." The priest "was very impressed with the young people at St. Pius. I really enjoyed those kids."

He hosts a weekly cable television show on the Eternal Word Television Network called "Catholic Beliefs and Practices." Tapes of the catechetical program are used throughout the country for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults instruction. He is a periodic guest on "Mother Angelica Alive" and will begin an inspirational program, "God Bless," in the near future.

This televangelism work brought him into debate with Jimmy Swaggart. In answer to Swaggart's anti-Catholic pamphlet, "A Letter To My Catholic Friend," the priest wrote, "Father Roberts Answers Jimmy Swaggart." The pamphlet is published in English and Spanish by EWTN, which has a hard time keeping up with the demand for copies, the priest said.

The priest takes a somewhat bemused view of his work as a television celebrity. He calls those shows he does with Mother Angelica "Catholic TV's Sonny and Cher Show." He thinks many Protestant televangelists take themselves much too seriously.

An observer of the American Church, Father Roberts said American Catholics listen to their bishops after they have already made up their minds on issues.

"Liberal Catholics like to quote to conservatives what the bishops say about issues like arms and social justice. Conservative Catholics quote to liberals what the bishops say about those issues they agree with, like pro-life. Both sides hear only what they want to hear, what they already agree with."

This concerns the British priest who wonders about the role of the American hierarchy.

"What is their role," he asked, "if not to teach and guide? That's what makes us different from the Protestants."