Diocesan seminarian John Murphy stood in the bright sun, looked at the courtyard full of eighth graders at All Saints Catholic School in Manassas, and remembered how his life changed when he was their age.
“It was the first time I received a calling from Our Lord,” said Murphy, moments after attending the eighth-grade vocations Mass with 1,440 students from diocesan schools. “Later on in my life, I served five years in the military and during that time I started taking my faith more seriously, and that memory from middle school came back to me — that calling that I had received.”
The eighth graders who packed into the church May 7 took up the challenge to begin discerning their vocations with passion. “It’s important that we know we have a choice in what vocation we have, whether it’s marriage or entering the priesthood,” said Maggie Limber of St. Theresa Catholic School in Ashburn. “It’s really good they’re talking to us about this at such a young age, so we can have time to think about it, especially as we’re going in for our confirmation.”
Arriving in Manassas from every corner of the diocese, students expressed gratitude to experience their diocesan community. “It’s really special because it shows the community of our diocese coming together,” said Adrian Rodas of St. Rita Catholic School in Alexandria. “It’s a great experience to come together to think about serving God with your life.”
“As a community, as a church, we have oneness and we lose sight of that,” said Father Michael C. Isenberg, diocesan director of vocations. “Bringing together our community to celebrate God’s love for them is a great gift because they need to experience that there’s a greater oneness in the church and the God who loves them.”
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge cautioned students in his homily to avoid discerning their vocations alone. “As you move forward don’t (ask), ‘What am I going to do with my life?’ That puts it all on you. Remember God has chosen you. So the question is, ‘Lord, what are you asking me to do with my life? What purpose have you created for me?’ He’ll speak to your heart. He’ll use other people to help you hear his voice. And when you do, just pray for that grace to say ‘Yes.’ ”
With the academic and social challenges of high school looming, speaker Dan Harms emphasized the importance of remaining in community in his talk before Mass. “Are you cheering each other on? Are you with people who will encourage you and walk together with you?” Harms asked. “Do you want to have your life defined in glorious ways? Say yes to the invitation of God.”
Enjoying chicken sandwiches and ice cream with friends in the courtyard, Avery Kivlin and Whitney Bell of St. Theresa School were eager to share their impressions of the day.
“I think it’s important that all the schools come together to talk about different vocations because everyone can choose what they want and some may not know what it’s like,” said Kivlin. “This helps everyone get an idea of what it could look like and to think about what could happen in our life.”
“You hear about how others experience and how they grew in their faith and where they are in life and I think you can take inspiration from that and apply it to your own life,” said Bell. “It was encouraging.”
