By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/11/04)

Holy Spirit Church in Annandale was filled with the Spirit on Monday as 8th-graders from across the diocese gathered to celebrate Mass with Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at the annual Vocations Mass.

The pews of the church resembled a plaid patchwork quilt with dozens of parochial schools being represented by their eldest students. Students served as lectors, altar servers, petition readers, gift bearers and ushers. The Youth Choir of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More and the Linton Hall School Choir provided music for the liturgy, directed by Cynthia Conroy.

Bishop Loverde was joined by Father Brian Bashista, diocesan director of vocations; Father Frank Ready, pastor; Father Edward Horkan, parochial vicar; Msgr. Roy Cosby, vicar general; Father Paul Scalia; Brother David Eddy; and transitional deacon Augustine Tran.

The Mass, organized by the diocesan Office of Vocations, serves as a pre-graduation ceremony for eighth-grade students and offers them the chance to meet Bishop Loverde and Father Bashista. They are reminded that they might be called by God to serve Him in the religious life.

Father Bashista was delighted to visit Holy Spirit Parish this year, the parish he calls home. "In the eighth grade I sat out in those pews and had no idea the Lord was calling me," Father Bashista told the students.

In his homily, Bishop Loverde spoke about Jesus being the key to being happy and to living a good life, eternally. He told the students, "People need to announce the good news about Jesus. We, His disciples, need to evangelize and witness."

On the eve of their graduation from eighth grade, the bishop reminded the students that they have attended Catholic school "to learn how and why Jesus is our all and to come to know and love Him."

Bishop Loverde urged the students to listen for the call. "God chooses and calls some people to make Jesus known and loved in very special ways by being priests and religious sisters and brothers. God is choosing and calling some of you present here this morning. I do not know which of you, but God knows, and you will know if you are open to His choice and call."

He urged the students to be like Samuel, to be ready to answer God and say, "Speak, for your servant is listening. Here I am Lord, choose me."