By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor

When talking with high school students about the priesthood, Father Garry Koch enjoyed fielding some pretty interesting questions.

“Students seem to be often surprised that priests enjoy otherwise normal hobbies” such as going to the sporting events, movies and concerts, Father Koch said with a smile. “Many of them also seem to be surprised that we were kids like them who struggled with our futures and had to discern a call. They seem to think that it just happens and that it is easy to know that God is calling you to be a priest.”

Father Koch, parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, is one of the diocesan assistant vocation directors who travels to Catholic high schools around the Diocese and leads Vocation Awareness Days for male students.

Sponsored by the diocesan Office of Vocations, the Vocation Awareness Days “provide an opportunity for the students to experience priests as men much like themselves who grew into the call to priesthood in their lives,” said Father Koch. “It is also important for these young men to realize that priesthood is a commitment that is open and possible for them.”

Father Dennis Apoldite, diocesan director of vocations and the house of discernment and pastor of Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Parishes, Trenton, said special days were introduced about four years ago, soon after Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., arrived to the Diocese in 2010 and made it known that that promoting priestly vocations was going to be one of his top priorities.

A typical Vocation Awareness Day visit to a high school includes priests who were named as diocesan assistant directors of vocations by Bishop O’Connell celebrating Mass for the entire school community. After the Mass, the priests meet with the male students to share their vocation stories – why they wanted to become a priest – talk about interests and answer questions. The priests who are diocesan vocation assistant directors are: Father Christopher Picollo, Burlington County; Father Koch, Ocean County; Father Thomas Vala, Mercer County, and Father Daniel Kirk, Monmouth County.  Father Erin Brown also was named an assistant director of vocations and helps promote vocations in college campus ministries around the Diocese. In addition to the assistant vocation directors, other priests who serve on the diocesan vocations recruitment team may also be in attendance at the Vocation Awareness Days if their schedules permit. Father Apoldite noted that a few of the high schools also have broadened the Vocation Awareness Day to include presentations by sisters to address the female students about religious life.

At the most recent Vocation Awareness Day held April 15 in Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, Father Vala, in his homily at Mass and in his discussion that followed, shared how his becoming a priest was a “second career” choice. He entered the seminary at 40 after having had a lucrative career in computer science, a posh apartment and a desire to marry and have a family. Though appreciative of his successes, he continued to feel an inner “emptiness” and struggled with what he wanted to do with his life. Through prayer, soul-searching, participation in Mass and conversations with a priest, he realized that he was being called – by God – to the priesthood.

Father Vala, parochial vicar of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, reminded the Trenton Catholic Academy students “that a vocation is a call to serve God.”

“At some point, a person will have to make a decision to follow God’s call to give of himself or herself to God and others, making a positive difference in the lives of others.”

“This call to give can be fulfilled as a single person, married person, or as a consecrated religious or priest. It is in responding to this call that one finds purpose and meaning to life,” he said.

The young men in Trenton Catholic Academy listened intently to Father Vala and commented on how “eye-opening,” “informative” and a “good idea” it was to have priests visit their school each year to talk about the priesthood.

To hear men tell their stories about why they wanted to become priests and learn more about their lives and the vocation process has been a “good thing,” observed junior Justin Olivero.

“There was information available for anyone who might be thinking about the priesthood,” added junior Tahj Walker.

The last Vocation Awareness Day for the 2014-15 school year is scheduled for May 1 in Mater Dei Prep, New Monmouth.

“When we go to the schools, we hope to plant the seeds in the minds of these young men” who range in age from 14 to 18, said Father Apoldite, who noted that his office is exploring the possibility of holding Vocation Awareness Days for parish youth groups.

 “We want to promote awareness about the priesthood and give them the opportunity to ask themselves, ‘Is it possible that God might be calling me to the priesthood?’”

In his high school visits, Father Picollo believes that the students enjoy hearing priests talk about their families and what it was like for them while growing up.

“I think it gives them a different perspective of ‘hey, that’s not much different from what my life is like’ and they get to see the priest from a different perspective.”

“I also think it’s important for the students to hear how some men go into the seminary right after high school, some either during or right after college and some enter after working for a number of years,” said Father Picollo, who serves as parochial vicar of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson. “There is not one path to becoming a priest, but it’s important to be a prayerful person and keep an open mind.”

Father Koch acknowledged that while the priesthood is not going to be the choice vocation of the vast majority of students, he and his brother priests have been well received. “The students in each of the schools have responded with respect and an openness to the conversation,” he remarked.

“There were those students who expressed a desire to learn and hear more about the priesthood,” he said, “and those schools which also had members of religious communities address the young women found that there were students who showed an interest in learning more, as well.”