Pizza with the Bishop

DENVILLE  Young people who feel unworthy about the vocation to which God might be calling them, might empathize with Jeremiah in the Old Testament. When the Lord first called him to become a prophet of ancient Israel, he responded by telling him, “Not me!” Bishop Serratelli told young people at a vocations-awareness event on Nov. 18 at Morris Catholic High School here.

Despite his initial reluctance, because he lacked confidence as a preacher, Jeremiah trusted God’s plan and became a prophet in the 6th century, who “led the Jewish people back to God” by reclaiming their faith, said Bishop Serratelli. He spoke that night to 30 young people at the latest “Pizza Night with the Bishop” event. He talked about the example of Jeremiah to an audience of mainly male students of Morris Catholic that also included students of other Catholic high schools, a young woman and a few older young men. The Bishop assured them that God will stay with them as they pursue their vocation — as a priest, religious or married person or a specific profession — even if they are unsure at first that they possess the needed gifts and talents.

“At first, Jeremiah offers to God an objection; God said, ‘It doesn’t matter. I will give you the words.’ Jeremiah listened to God’s Word,” Bishop Serratelli told the young people at “Pizza,” which was sponsored by the diocesan Vocations Office. “Everyone has a vocation to accomplish what he wants us to do. We need to discover what the Lord wants us to do with our lives. We are not 100-percent perfect. But that doesn’t matter, because God will stay with you,” he said.

That Monday night, the young people gathered in a Morris Catholic classroom to hear Bishop Serratelli’s reflection on Jeremiah 1:4-10, in which God proclaims, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” He noted that God formed us, just like Adam and Eve, “to be what he wants us to be” and “surrounds us with his creative power, which embraces us at every moment of our lives.”

“God knows us personally — our gifts, our family and the time in history in which we live,” said Bishop Serratelli, encouraging those assembled to discern their vocation through prayer and by listening to his Word in the Gospel that comes through the Church. The Lord, he said, also points people toward a particular vocation through specific needs and circumstances of the day, like a need for doctors or lawyers. “Have a conversation with God in prayer. Question him. He will answer you. God also gives you the freedom to choose,” he said.

The event continued with the nourishing of the faith of the young people — a few of them accompanied by their parents — with Eucharistic Adoration in the school’s chapel, led by Father Brian Ditullio, a Morris Catholic teacher and chaplain, and Father Carmen Buono, a retired diocesan priest and part-time Morris Catholic chaplain. The Bishop encouraged participants to “talk to the Lord in the quiet of the Blessed Sacrament, so he can speak to you in the silence of your heart.”

Later, participants enjoyed pizza and fellowship in the school’s cafeteria, where the affable Bishop Serratelli went from table to table to talk with the young people. Then he answered questions that they posed, such as “Have you met the Pope?” The Bishop said that he met St. John Paul II, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. From Nov. 23 to 30, he was in Rome to make his Ad Limina, a report of the Diocese to be made every five years, to Pope Francis, he said.

Before Bishop Serratelli’s reflection, Father Edward Rama, the diocesan director of vocations, told participants, “We are happy that you are here. We want to help you discern what your vocation might be.” He encouraged men, who are interested in discerning their call, to attended Masses on first Saturdays at 9 a.m. at Bartimeaus House of Discernment in Boonton. It includes a Holy Hour and a talk on vocations, the priest said.

Bishop Serratelli’s faith-filled message reached Gavin Crauland, a Morris Catholic freshman, with his reference to Adam and Eve — a lesson that his religion class recently examined with its teacher, Father Ditullio.

“Even all the way back then, God was there and is still here for us today,” said Crauland, who told The Beacon that he is still unsure about his vocation.

Among the parents at “Pizza” night was Patti Herbert, mother of Patrick Herbert, a junior at Seton Hall Prep, West Orange.

“The Bishop had a wonderful message to send to these young people: that they should take faith into consideration when picking a vocation,” Patti Herbert said.

One of the older young men here that evening was Vidal Munoz, 19, a parishioner of St. Stephen in Paterson and a student at Montclair State University. He described receiving five “calls” to the priesthood — “one stronger that the one before.” They include a call from God during a devotion to Divine Mercy, encouragement from the Blessed Virgin Mary and one from the Holy Trinity while on retreat.

“My goal as a priest would be to preach the Word to people hungry for the Lord and be a presence of Christ to them,” Munoz said.

The next “Pizza” nights for young men will be held Monday, Feb. 3 at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne and on Thursday, Feb. 13 at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta. Both events will start at 7 p.m.