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People in various ministries spoke to eighth-grade youth about vocations. They are: (Front row) Little Sister of the Poor Cecilia Campbell, Sister Andrea Westkamp, Matthew Shields and Father Sam Citero, O.Carm; (Back row) Father S.T. Sutton, Father Frank Weber, Deacon Bob Vesota and Father Jack Donohue. (Beacon photos/Cecile San Agustin)
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To promote to the diocese’s strategic action plan to create a vocation culture, Father Frank Weber, pastor of Saint Brendan Parish, “helped stir into flame” that culture and held a question-and-answer forum for eighth-grade students from Saint Brendan’s and Sacred Heart School both here about vocations.
Held in Saint Brendan Church, the eight-graders heard stories and experiences from eight people in religious, priestly or lay ministry who have dedicated their lives to the Lord. The speakers spoke frankly about their everyday lives and about answering God’s call.
For Father Jack Donohue, chaplain at Clara Mass Hospital in Belleville, his work in hospital ministry varies from day to day. Father Donohue said to the students, “I never know what ‘God’ I’m representing as a hospital chaplain. To some I could be representing death or to others, I could be there in the hospital room to heal.”
In spite of these difficulties, he enjoys working with many people of all races, colors and creeds. Father Donohue also shared a story about a patient who at first was very cold, never wanting to be visited by Father Donohue. When the patient finally made his peace with God, he allowed Father Donohue to enter his room to give him the sacrament of the anointing of the sick and he died later that night.
Deacon Bob Vesota, executive director of the Father English Community Center in Paterson, helps the less fortunate who live in the diocese. He was ordained a deacon in 1976. He started to work full-time in ministry and said, “Becoming a deacon was a life changing-experience for me. It is a blessing to help other people.”
At Father English, Deacon Vesota and his staff provide food, clothing and comfort to their clients. In addition, they provide youth services with its child care program and also house and counsel runaways.
Said Deacon Vesota to the students, “Keep yourself open to the call of what God wants you to do. You all have a calling.”
Little Sister of the Poor Cecilia Campbell works with the elderly and the sick at Saint Joseph’s Home for the Elderly in Totowa. She told the students she thanks God everyday for her vocation and one of the most fulfilling parts of the job is the solace she provides the patients.
“We care for the elderly till death,” said Sister Campbell, “We are at the bedside of the dying and many of them say they are not afraid of dying because they receive consolation when they see us.”
Working with college students has been fulfilling for Matt Shields, a layman who is assistant campus minister at William Paterson University, Wayne.
He recalled remembering attending a confirmation retreat when he was teen-ager discerning what he wanted to do with his life. At first, he thought about the priesthood and decided to take theology and philosophy courses at William Paterson.
Eventually, he saw an open position for his current calling of doing campus ministry, which has brought him much fulfillment to his life.
Shields said, “It’s everything I dreamed of and I’m doing the work of God.”
The way Shields does the work of God is by ministering to the students to help gear them to become better people. Campus ministry gets involved with social and service projects as well as self-awareness and spiritual programs.
To the young people, he said, “As you discern, surround yourself with people that love you, have positive friends and positive role models and you will find your calling.”
For Father S.T. Sutton, a priest in the Syrian Rite who serves in the Syriac Catholic Diocese and is a police chaplain, before coming a servant for the Lord, had everything most young people strive for today. At 19, he already had a very good salary, which allowed him to own nice suits, a new car, jewelry, a motorcycle and a boat.
“I thought to myself, this is going to make me happy,” said Father Sutton, “I was having lots of fun at the time but then I realized I was still never happy.”
What made Father Sutton finally happy was the decision to become a priest and he told the young people quoting Saint Augustine, “Your heart doesn’t rest until it rests in the Lord.”
“I truly find the joy in my life,” said Father Sutton, “True peace doing work with people. Make sure when you find your vocations, you ask yourself, where is joy in my life?”
Missionary Sister Andrea Westkamp, vocation minister of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and Carmelite Father Sam Citero, vocation director for Carmelite Fathers, shared their experiences.
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Eighth-grade students from Saint Brendan and Sacred Heart Schools in Clifton pose together for a picture with men and women in religious ministry who talked about their call to vocations.
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Sister Westkamp said, “I am privileged to help women journeying in life to find out what their vocation is and help them make a good decision.”
Father Citero, whose home parish is Saint Brendan’s, related to many of the students expressing, “We are real people with hopes and dreams and problems just like you.” what God might be calling you to do.” Father Weber ended the program reaffirming to the eighth graders that discerning a vocation requires commitment, an idea and vision.
For Father Citero, he thought about many career paths such as dentistry or law before answering God’s call to be a religious priest. He told the young people, “Open your mind to what God might be calling you to do.”
Father Weber ended the program reaffirming to the eighth graders that discerning a vocation requires commitment, an idea and vision.
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