"The Evangelist St. John relates in his Gospel that St. Andrew, a disciple of St. John the Baptist, encountered Jesus and was so moved by him as to leave his old way of life behind to follow him," said Father Daren Zehnle, priest secretary and master of ceremonies for Bishop Thomas John Paprocki and associate director of the Office for Vocations, explaining the background of the name, Andrew Dinners. "What is more, St. Andrew was not content to follow Jesus on his own, as if the call to apostleship was his own personal possession. After meeting Jesus, Andrew went to his brother, Simon Peter, and invited him to follow the Lord with him (cf. John 1:35-42)."
Although times have definitely changed over the past 2,000 years, many times a personal invitation is still what needed to spark a modern-day vocation. "This simple invitation introduced the one who would become the Prince of the Apostles to the Master and Teacher and introduced Jesus to the man upon whom he would build his church," said Father Zehnle. "A similar invitation today can help a man hear the call of Jesus Christ to follow him and to share in his priesthood; this invitation is at the heart of an Andrew Dinner."
Andrew Dinners will be at 6 p.m. on the following dates in these parishes:
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Oct. 11, Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, Mt. Zion
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Oct. 12, St. John the Evangelist, Carrollton
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Nov. 7, St. Charles Borromeo, Charleston
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Nov. 8, Holy Cross, Auburn
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Nov. 28, St. Peter, Quincy
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Nov. 29, Mother of Dolors, Vandalia
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Jan. 9, 2012, St. Boniface, Edwardsville
Catholics who know of a man who might have a priestly vocation are asked to share his name with their pastor or to contact the Office for Vocations — (217) 698-8500, ext. 182 (Father Christopher House) or ext. 194 (Father Daren Zehnle) — so that he can be invited to attend an Andrew Dinner. "Attending a dinner does not obligate a man to attend a seminary," Father Zehnle said. "Rather it is an invitation to learn more about the priesthood and to ask if a man is called to the priesthood."