Msgr. Paul Heinen was pastor of my home parish, Ss. Simon and Jude in Gillespie for more than 10 years. He came to our diocese from Germany. He was pastor in Taylorville, Jerseyville and Fieldon, and in Gillespie. He was such a well-loved priest in our diocese. In my first years of priesthood in the late '80s and early '90s every year the priests of our diocese always asked for Msgr. Heinen to speak to us at our annual Priests' Jubilee. He was such a great speaker, had a great sense of humor, and was an inspiration to all of us as a happy, joy-filled priest.

One of the things Msgr. Heinen took seriously was vocations. He encouraged young men and ladies in his parishes to listen attentively to God's call to be a priest, sister, or brother. He also supported the permanent diaconate which was not yet started in our diocese.

I know of four vocations to which all of us claim Msgr. Heinen was an important part of our vocation and call to ministry. He was for all of us a great example of a personal witness as a priest as he chose to personally invite us to consider a call to ministry — Father Steve Pohlman, Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, Father Jerry Bunse, and myself. Father Steve, Sister Mary, and I were in high school together and in CYO. Msgr. Heinen always took time to be with us and support us in our faith journey. Our parish family was very supportive in our vocation and training. Prayers obviously were heard from folks who chose to pray for our success and it worked. All four of us have 30 years of ministry and are still serving in our vocations.

I remember the Knights of Columbus in Effingham and in Highland being so supportive in our journey through the eight years of seminary training. Cards were sent with the promise of prayers, and financial support came our way due to their choice to make "supporting vocations" a primary ministry of their Council. I also remember Mrs. Pearl Hitchings of Raymond writing each seminarian often with notes of constant encouragement. Now she is 101 and still offers this great gift in ministry to our present day seminarians.

Father Brian Alford is doing a great job as our vocations director in our diocese. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki and Father Alford talk about this call to priesthood and religious at all the confirmation nights. We have doubled in our numbers of seminarians since 2010. Our goal from our work and ministry is 40 by 2020, and 50 by 2025. These vocations are out there. Our recent Andrew Dinners gave us opportunities to meet and talk with some who are considering a vocation in the church. Over the Christmas holidays a Vocation Discernment Retreat at our Villa Maria was held and I believe 11 or more attended this opportunity to nurture a call to ministry. These are great opportunities to support vocations. I recently visited groups of seminarians from Mundelein and Bishop Bruté seminaries. These are fine men who love their journey. They are grateful for all the support they feel our diocese is giving them. However, there is more we can do.

What more can each one of us, or each parent, each young adult, each parish, do to promote vocations? We have dedicated priests, sisters, and brothers who are serving our church today. How can we support, encourage, and show our gratitude to the vocations already around us? When I was in the Diocese of Wichita visiting and learning more about "Discipleship as a Way of Life" I talked to many of the seminarians who told me, the main reason they are in the seminary is because their priests in their parish are "happy" priests. Those were profound statements for me to hear.

Supporting our present day vocations brings about joy in their lives. Then obviously seeing their joy leads others to consider wanting to live this important ministry of service as a priest, sister or brother. If you are hearing a call talk to our bishop; talk to Father Peter Harman, the next rector of the Pontifical North American College Seminary in Rome; talk to Father Brian Alford, to Father David Hoefler, to Father Allen Kemme, to Father Mike Kuse; talk to Sister Maureen O'Connor, OSF, Sister Concepta Joerger, OP, Sister Jane Wand, SSND, Sister Julia Genetti, OSU; talk to Father John Doctor, OFM,

Father Duc Pham, OFM, Father George Nellikunnel, SAC, Father John Paul Klein, OMV; talk to Deacon Terry Ellerman, Deacon John Esselman; talk to Brother Anthony Joseph McCoy, FFSC. All of these are Spirit-filled, happy priests, sisters, brothers, and deacons who serve us with the hundreds of vocations serving our diocese. It is a great call, a wonderful life, one that brings great joy in serving our Lord.

I know that Msgr. Heinen, Sister Leola Brown, OSF, Father Anthony Tamulis, Father Ralph Guido, Sister Jonette Rolando, RSM, Father Tony and Father Carl Schmidt (who are brothers), Father James O'Shea, Father Martin Mangan, and of course Pope John Paul II, and Mother Teresa (who I had the privilege to meet) along with many in our seminary formation, all had a special part in my vocation. These fine men and women showed me the joy in being called to ministry. I will always be grateful to them for their witness and inspiration.

Great lay folks like my family — especially my mom and grandmother, Ed and Mary Jane Kalvin, the Seregs, the Browns, the Meridiths, the Whitfields, the Bernardis, the Fultons, and so many others were there for me as well.

Let us make sure promoting and supporting vocations becomes a major responsibility for all of us as we strive to live "Discipleship as a Way of Life." I always have believed that each of our 129 parishes have at least one vocation waiting to be nourished into life. Do you agree?

Let us identify them, encourage and support them, and watch their vocation bloom. We must always see the need to promote candidates who have the "qualities" for this call, more over the need to promote "quantity." Yet the potential for great numbers is there for many future excellent church leaders. As disciples this is one of our main roles.

Prayer must be at the foundation of anything we do in vocation awareness. Lord, send us vocations to shepherd, lead, and guide us to bring us a harvest of an abundance of vocations in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Amen!