Discovering your vocation is a great adventure that could be compared to a road trip with friends, speakers told about 1,300 eighth graders from Catholic schools all over the diocese at the annual Mass for Vocations March 24 at All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas.
Students were encouraged to ponder and pray about what future vocation God might have in mind for them — and to pay attention to what they pack in their suitcase.
“You never know how God’s going to work in your life — he loves to work in ways we don’t expect,” said Father Michael C. Isenberg, diocesan director of vocations. He pulled out of his suitcase a socket wrench he once received as a birthday gift and told students he thought he was destined to be an engineer, but God had other plans. There were early hints of his priestly vocation, he added, also pulling from his bag a rough wooden cross that he had made from wood scraps as a child, not knowing he would keep it and be drawn to pray with it many years later.
Father James F. Waalkes, parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Falls Church since his ordination two years ago, told eighth graders not to be afraid of their vocation. “God’s will for you is his love for you — it’s related to who you are and who he created you to be. His will is not some oppressive, scary force that you have to do or something bad will happen.”
In his homily, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge reminded students that whatever our vocation, “we all share the same call to deepen our relationship with Jesus.” Students can “live that call right now, by being the best son or daughter, brother or sister, friend, classmate or student you can be.
“As you begin to reflect on your call in life, it will change,” he added. “There will be gifts, blessings and surprises as he leads and guides us.”
Bishop Burbidge reminded students to keep listening to God, and also to also pay attention to “what God may be asking you to take out of your suitcase” — such as stress, worries, anxieties or guilt about past failures.
“The Lord always wants you to begin anew, and not be defined by the past. He sees only your potential,” Bishop Burbidge said.
Last year, the eighth graders could not gather in person because of the pandemic, but the Offices of Vocations, Catholic Schools and Youth Ministry created an interactive, video game-style “escape room” competition that students could participate in online. Students watched several short videos about a range of vocations; the videos held clues to solve puzzles and unlock prizes.
The activity was so popular that the diocese brought it back again this year, with videos in which Father Waalkes planned a road trip with four friends: a young Franciscan Capuchin friar in formation to become a priest, Brother Andrew Corriente (winner of the “Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition” in 2019); Sister Liz Sjoberg, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who grew up in Chantilly; and Derek and Bethany Rogers, a married couple with four children, who met through their love of music. They spoke about the vocation of marriage and also provided music for the Mass.
Two classes of eighth graders found the clues and solved all the puzzles in 32 minutes, to win the escape room competition in a tie: one of All Saints’ eighth-grade classes and Holy Spirit School in Annandale. Those two groups were congratulated after the Mass, and rewarded by being the first to go to lunch.
Marcella Forrer of Holy Spirit School said she wasn’t sure of her vocation yet, but her favorite part of the video was hearing how musicians Derek and Bethany Rogers met and discovered their vocation of marriage. “I like music,” she said.
Christopher Margand, also of Holy Spirit, said his favorite part of the videos was when Sister Liz unpacked her suitcase, pulling out a hammer and describing the important role WorkCamp played in discovering her vocation as a religious sister.
He said the eighth graders managed to complete the puzzles so fast by working in multiple small groups “on a lot of different things at the same time.”
Holy Spirit Principal Maureen Ashby said the annual vocations Mass “is an important day” for eighth graders. “There really is a plan,” she said. “They hear it from us every day, but it’s important to hear it from others,” and know everybody is on this journey together.
