Encounter Weekend March 24-25, 2007

People always want to ask me, "How many seminarians are we going to have?" "are you having any luck?" "What do our numbers look like for the fall?" God has blessed me with two abilities that some might see as a curse: 1) I never worry about money. I know I have to spend less than I make. That's all I know and think about when it comes to money. I don't worry about my own and I don't worry about others. 2) I don't keep track of numbers: I don't know how many baptisms, weddings, funerals, or anything that I have done in the almost 7 years I have been a priest. I have a specific reason for not wanting to keep track of numbers. I want to think about the person or people, not the number they happen to be. Yes, there are themes that will be preached at each funeral or each wedding homily, but i don't want to give "the" wedding or "the" funeral homily. I want it to be personalized. I want everything in my ministry to have a personal touch to it. So, as I began working in the vocation office, I talked to the Lord about both of these gifts: do well inexpensively and let God worry about the numbers -- and where the money would come from to do the work. As I approached this week, I had to tell myself a lot it is not about numbers. In two weeks, we went from 10 going to Conception, to 7 to 5 to 4 to 3. I already had the van rented so three encouter-ers and I headed to Conception. By the time we arrived at Conception, I knew these were the three the Lord wanted on this weekend. OFten people asked me how long these three had known each other. I said they met on the van four hours ago. They seemed like they knew each other for years. It was beautiful. It was an incredible weekend. I was happy being vocation director when the weekend was over.

How many will we have in August? Ask me in September after the year has started and I will be able to tell you. Until then, keep praying and keep encouraging. It is a hard choice for men to make these days -- just to go look at a seminary. Those that go deserve our respect and prayers. Then we pray that those who look will apply to seminary. Keep them in your prayers. Thanks!