25 young men attend Quo Vadis vocation discernment retreat

WEST MILFORD  A few Catholic young men stretched every muscle as they scaled an indoor rock ­climbing wall at Camp Shiloh last Friday. Wearing safety harnesses, they grip ascending plastic rocks to get to the top of a 40-foot-high wall. Once there, they ring a bell proclaiming their accomplishment to a crowd applauding below.

These young men probably never considered it, but their rock­ climbing feat could have been a meditation on discerning their life’s vocation. They were among 25 high-school-aged teens from parishes and schools in the Dio­cese of Paterson and beyond who attended the Quo Vadis Day 2022 discernment retreat on June 24 at Camp Shiloh. During the all-day retreat, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and participating priests and seminarians helped teach these young men how to discover their vocation — either married, religious, or single.

Like those climbers who used the plastic rocks to forge a path to the top of the wall, retreat-goers learned to pray to the Lord and listen to his call that will guide them on their path in life. They also learned to trust God like the climbers trusted their safety harnesses. The young men also began to understand that if they listen to God and act on their vocation, he will lead them to the victory bell: becoming what he wants them to be, the speakers suggested, during their visit to the non­denominational Christian camp for the retreat.

One retreatant was Miles Masone, 15, a parishioner of Our Lady of the Lake in Sparta, and a sophomore at Pope John XXIII Regional High School, in Sparta.

“It was interesting to learn how to listen for our vocation. We should talk to God like a friend. I don’t feel called to a particular vocation, but I’m open to anything,” Masone told The Beacon.

Organized by the Diocese’s Office of Vocations, Quo Vadis — Latin for “Where are you going?”— gave these young men the opportunity to join together to ask God, themselves, and each other that same question: “Where am I going with my life?”

They explored God’s call during a busy schedule of spiritual, athletic, and social activities. The religious offerings included group prayer; Mass with Bishop Sweeney and concelebrating priests; and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with young priests and seminarians. The retreat ended with small-group discussions, a campfire, and communal prayer.

Before celebrating Mass, Bishop Sweeney talked to the young men, reminding them that Quo Vadis took place on a historic day: the announcement that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abor­tion nationwide. He strongly affirmed the Church’s teaching that life begins at conception. But he also told retreat-goers not to pass judgment on anyone and to assist women who are facing crisis pregnancies.

That afternoon, on the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the patron of the Diocese, Bishop Sweeney also asked the teens to find people who resemble St. John. These are people, such as parents, teachers, and priests, who point them toward an encounter with Jesus, the bishop said.

“If you truly follow Jesus, you will go to the cross. If you are united with him in the cross, you are united in his victory [over sin],” Bishop Sweeney said. “If Jesus calls you [to the priesthood], say, ‘yes.’ It’s a gift. It’s not for you; it’s for the Church, the people of God. We need people to be instruments of God’s peace, healing, and love. The priest is called to lead others to Jesus, especially in the sacraments,” the bishop said.

In his homily, Bishop Sweeney gave his own vocations story — from first thinking about the call to the priesthood as a boy to later getting involved in pro-life advocacy and deepening his commitment to consecrated life during his seminary studies.

“You are here because you are willing to ask, ‘Jesus, what are you asking of me?’ It could be a calling to be a priest — or something else,” the Bishop said.

The Quo Vadis retreat on June 24 started with Father Edward Rama, diocesan vocations director, giving a short talk, followed by a showing of a film by Ascension Press, “I Will Follow.” After, three seminarians, Krzysztof Tyszko, Lucas Folan, and Joseph DeMarzo, gave personal talks on vocations.

The young men also got time to socialize with each other and participating priests and seminarians. They did outdoor zip lining, an indoor “high ropes” activity, indoor rock climbing, and archery and played soccer and games in the camp’s game room. They also enjoyed meals together, including lunch provided by the Knights of Columbus.

After Mass with Bishop Sweeney, there was Adoration. Three men spoke about vocations: Father Frank Lennie, parochial vicar of St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne; Father John Calabro, chaplain and teacher at Pope John; and Rev. Mr. Starli Castanos. The bishop recently ordained Rev. Mr. Castanos as a transitional deacon in preparation for his being called to be ordained a priest of the Diocese next year.

Father Lennie told the young men that priests often become affirmed by many people, including their parishioners.

“Some of them say that I remind them of their son or their grandson. They see me as ‘father’ because they have respect for the Church and my sharing in Christ’s priesthood,” said Father Lennie, who encouraged the retreat-goers to consider becoming a priest. “Don’t be afraid. It may be scary, but God will give you the strength,” he said.

Over the years, the annual Quo Vadis retreats have borne spiritual fruit in the Diocese. Several former retreatants, including a few of this year’s speakers, have entered the seminary to pursue the priesthood or already have been ordained as priests.

“The young men had a good time. I see God’s grace in them. Over the course of the day, they develop an inner peace and joy. Not all of them will be called to be priests, but we want them to be open to that possible call,” Father Rama said.

Another retreat-goer was Anthony Rossi, 16, who attended with a group of young men of St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester. They came with Father Nicholas Bozza, their pastor.

“They [the speakers] brought up how to think about it [discerning a vocation] and figuring out what God wants me to do,” Rossi said. Information about vocations in the Paterson Diocese: the Vocations Office, 973-777-8818,

ext. 711 or rcdop.org