By 8:55 a.m., the sun-bathed parking lot of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas was full of buses and vans from every part of the diocese.
Clad in a tapestry of uniform colors of all 37 middle schools and four recognized independent schools, students poured into the chapel until it was packed with a record-setting 1,460 eighth graders for the annual Mass for vocations.
“It was inspirational and exciting to see all the kids in the diocese,” said Ethan Housel, a student at St. Mark School in Vienna. “I don’t know what I’m going to be 10 years from now, but this opened up for me that I could be a priest.”
“Right now, I’m really thinking about my confirmation and I’m very excited about it,” said Noelle Sarntinoranont of St. Timothy School in Chantilly. “I think this event prepared me even more to learn more about Jesus, grow closer to him and to prepare my heart for what’s going to happen.”
Speaker Dan Harms kicked things off by urging the students to begin seriously considering what it means to live out a vocation. “I know for a fact that with this number of teens present, that there are a handful who are being called to the priesthood,” said Harms. “Stay close to him in prayer, in the sacraments, in the Eucharist and in reconciliation, and then you will hear the voice of God.”
The messaging of the day was not a hard sell for religious life, but a call to be open to God.
“Eighth graders are too young to be entering seminary or looking at religious life for sure,” said Father Michael C. Isenberg, diocesan vocations director. “But there’s something good about planting a seed and giving them a hope of what God can do in their lives, and maybe what he wants to do.”
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrated Mass, and in his homily, exhorted students to savor this time in their lives. “You’re only an eighth grader once in your life,” he said. “You never get this year back, and while you’re excited as you naturally should be about what’s next, I want to encourage you today to make the most of these next few months you have together. The Lord still has more blessings in store for you, more lessons to teach you and new experiences that you will talk about years from now. And don’t forget, you’re still the leaders of your school.”
Surrounded by students in the courtyard who were enjoying Chick-fil-A and ice cream following Mass, Youth Apostle Father Peter W. Nassetta, pastor of St. Mark Church, was delighted to see the positive attitude on display. “It’s awesome to see that many kids who were really hearing and being respectful about what they were hearing,” he said. “They seemed to be in the moment.”
Nicolas Owen of St. Luke School in McLean said he was moved by the bishop’s homily.
“It made a good impression on me to steer toward holiness,” said Owen, who added that the entire day changed his perception about a vocation. “It made me think that I might want to be a priest,” he said.
Sarntinoranont had a similar response. “I’ve never thought about being a nun,” she said. “But I am considering it and am open.”
