Something countercultural took place at the 216-year-old Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, where 101 high school boys were attending the weeklong, diocesan Quo Vadis Summer Camp in Emmitsburg, Md. For two hours July 16, the boys observed strict silence, first at Holy Hour, then during private retreat time, and they loved it.
“It is extremely countercultural,” said Thomas Storey, who attends St. Peter Church in Washington, Va. “We’re distracted by temporal objects that bring us down and restrain us from focusing on God. You never see people my age doing this — quiet time, meditation and contemplation. The amount of prayer we do is amazing.”
“I thought about that, too,” said Ezra Cook, a parishioner of Holy Family Church in Dale City. “I think silence is very important because the voice of God is like a silent sound and without silence, you’re not going to hear it.”
It was the first camp for Father Noah C. Morey in his new role as the diocesan vocations director. Witnessing the mature spirituality of so many young men brought a big smile to his face. “It’s really a privileged opportunity in this role as director of vocations to help them to discern what God’s particular call might be for their lives,” he said, noting the enthusiasm the campers had for contemplation. “They are craving not having the distractions of technology or not having the distractions of the noise of the world. It’s awkward at first, but our seminarians would agree that this is what really pays off.”
Some added excitement came with a guest appearance from Father Jeremy P. Hiers, vocations director of the Augustinian order for the East Coast. Father Hiers, a personal acquaintance of Pope Leo XIV who last met with him in Rome in July 2024, entered the church in 2010 at Nativity Catholic Church in Burke. He said that he’s had more than 300 inquiries about entering religious life since the election of the pope, who is also an Augustianian.
“This is a pope that can speak our language when needed,” said Father Hiers. “He is familiar with baseball and things, so I think he’s going to have an impact just by being relatable in a way that these guys can connect (with). They’re going to relate to him as a person and then see the pontiff in (his) role as a bridge builder.”
Campers agreed that the American–born pope will inspire many to pursue a religious vocation. “I love hearing him speak English,” said Stephen Carino of Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville. “He’s from Chicago and he’s just very relatable. He knows what American guys are like. I think he’s going to have a big impact on people of my generation.”
Storey, the St. Peter parishioner, likened the new pontiff’s early impact on youth to the legacy of Pope John Paul II. “He was colossal for inspiring youth and I think Pope Leo XIV is absolutely going to replicate that,” he said.
“We’re very privileged to have a new Holy Father and the wonderful example that he’s striving for,” said Father Morey. “Two words that I’ve been drawn to from him are peace and unity and of course this all comes from Jesus. Jesus prayed for unity and Pope Leo XIV is carrying on that banner of peace and unity for our church.”
Following the path of the first American pope as a shepherd of souls was on the minds of many campers. “Very much so,” said Cook. “I’m open to whatever God wants for me. I do feel some call in that direction and this has been a great way to go deeper into that calling.”
