It’s a new school year, and men preparing to be priests for the Springfield diocese are once again beginning their studies at their assigned seminaries. At the same time, leaders in the Office for Vocations are settling into their new roles and preparing to help those men and others who might also choose the priesthood or religious life.

Father Christopher House has just been appointed director of seminarians for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and is associate dean of formation for Mundelein Seminary, where he resides. Father Brian Alford is the new director of the Office for Vocations and continues as priest secretary and master of ceremonies for Bishop Thomas John Paprocki.

Right now there are 20 men who are seminarians for the Springfield diocese. That number is down a bit from 2012, but Father Alford says that from year to year some changes are to be expected. “Of course, one of the seminarians (Father Hyland Smith) was ordained this spring,” he says. “Also, a couple of guys discerned out, which is not uncommon.”

Two of the seminarians — Deacon Steve Arisman and Deacon Seth Brown — are now transitional deacons and are among the 11 seminarians who are studying at Mundelein. Four seminarians (Samuel Bagyo Jr., Adam Prichard, Martin Smith and Jason Stone) are entering their third year of theology at Mundelein and are set to be ordained to the transitional diaconate next spring. Other Mundelein seminarians are Matthew Clarke, Wayne Stock, Joseph Wagner, Robert Johnson and Aaron Kuhn.

Other seminarians are studying at a number of places: Michael Friedel is studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome; Paul Bonk is studying at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis.; two (Braden Maher and Mark Tracy) are at St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind., and five of the college-age young men (Dominic Rankin, Cody Sandschafer, William Jansen II, Michael Meinhart and Dominic Vahling) are studying at Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary in Indianapolis.

The seminarians range in age from 19 years old up through their late 50s. “Right now the oldest seminarian is Paul Bonk (who is turning 58 on Sept. 11) and the youngest are sophomores in college,” says Father Alford.

Bishop Paprocki has always made vocations one of his priorities as the leader of the Springfield diocese, says Father Alford. This fall, two programs that have been used in the diocese in the past will hopefully bring more men to the priesthood, he adds. “We have (once again) just begun using the Called by Name program and beginning in September, we (Bishop Paprocki, Father Alford and diocesan priests) will be taking part in Andrew Dinners.”

Parishes received a sample Called by Name card that they will be either distributing at church or running in bulletins. A copy of the card has also been running in Catholic Times. Parishioners are asked to prayerfully consider young men that they think might have traits that would make them good candidates for the priesthood and then furnish their name on a Called by Name card. Completed cards will be returned to the parish priest who will then forward the names to Father Alford in the vocations office.

“My focus is on recruitment,” Father Alford says, explaining that parish priests and parishioners know the young men in their parishes and might be able to suggest a vocation. “If they tell me about it then hopefully I can follow up with them about discerning that call.”

Also, beginning on Monday, Sept. 9, Bishop Paprocki will host a series of Andrew Dinners in the various deaneries of the Springfield diocese. Andrew Dinners are meant to invite men interested in the priesthood to have an informal gathering with Bishop Paprocki, Father Alford, various priests from the deanery and other men with a possible vocation.

“During the dinners we’ll share some stories about vocations,” Father Alford says. “We want people to know that no one story is the same.”

Andrew Dinners take place in different dioceses around the country and follow the example set by St. Andrew, originally a follower of John the Baptist, as described in the Gospel of St. John: “Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him: ‘We have found the Messiah’ and brought him to Jesus.” (John 1:40-42)

Although not all actual dinner places are finalized, the following dates are already confirmed on Bishop Paprocki’s schedule: Sept. 9, Litchfield Deanery, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Assumption; Sept. 24, Jacksonville Deanery; Oct. 8, Alton Deanery, Holy Family Parish, Granite City; Oct. 21, Decatur Deanery; Nov. 19, Effingham Deanery, Saint Anthony of Padua Parish, Effingham; Nov. 25, Springfield Deanery, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Springfield; and Nov. 26, Quincy Deanery, Saint Brigid Parish, Liberty.

“What all this means is that somebody has recognized a quality in some men that might suggest they are suited for the priesthood,” Father Alford says. “We don’t want people to feel as though they are obligated to enter the seminary, but we are just giving them another thing to think about when they prayerfully consider what God wants them to do.

“Sometimes it helps if someone points out that a man might make a good priest,” Father Alford says. “Having someone mention it is a confirmation that makes them think, ‘Maybe this is something I should pay attention to.’ Maybe what you say might spur something in them. It never hurts to ask.”

To reach Father Brian Alford, director of the Office for Vocations, call (217) 321-1194.