At St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, children favor the holy over the haunted when choosing Halloween costumes for the annual All Saints Vigil Mass and party.
Instead of portraying ghosts or witches, many children dress as saints. Some girls look like religious sisters. Many boys dress in priests’ clothing like St. Margaret’s priests: Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor, and Father Dailon Lisabet, parochial vicar.
Father Villamizar and two other pastors of parishes in the Paterson Diocese on March 5 spoke about their efforts to inspire priestly and religious vocations at the Hundredfold workshop for priests at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison. The event demonstrated that the diocese and parishes have been taking steps to pray for, invite, and call men and women to a vocation.
“We motivate people to the call in different ways,” said Father Villamizar, also diocesan vicar for Hispanic Affairs. That includes formation for youth choir members and altar servers.
The Eucharist and prayer are central to inspiring vocations at St. Cecilia Parish in Rockaway. Each month, a classroom at Divine Mercy Academy (DMA), the parish school, becomes a chapel for students to pray in Eucharistic adoration. The parish has produced — and continues to produce — vocations, including Bishop Frank J. Rodimer, sixth bishop of Paterson, said Father Zig Peplowski, pastor.
Prayer is also critical for vocations at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township.
A group of women, the Seven Sisters Apostolate, takes turns praying for Father A. Richard Carton, their pastor, all priests, and vocations before the Blessed Sacrament in St. Vincent’s adoration chapel. Religious education students and their families come together for a monthly prayer night. Religious speak to the young people about their vocations.
Father Ed Rama, diocesan vocations director, spoke about vocations-awareness events in the Church of Paterson, including:
• Project Andrew, a dinner with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney to learn about the priesthood.
• Quo Vadis retreat for high school boys with outdoor activities on Thursday, June 27, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Camp Shiloh in the Hewitt neighborhood of West Milford. Includes Mass with Bishop Sweeney and talks by priests and seminarians.
• Jeremiah Project, an open gym night for high school boys on Fridays from 7–9 p.m. at All Saints Academy in Parsippany. Held on March 15, April 19, May 17, and June 14.
• First Saturday Day of Discernment, adoration, rosary, lunch, and social time for college-age men and older on first Saturdays at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison.
• Vocations Hike in Vernon for anybody and families on Sat., April 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Includes an outdoor Mass.
• Father and Son Catholic Camp from Friday–Sunday, Aug. 9–11.
• Bishop’s Discernment Retreat, for young men 16 and older, from Friday–Sunday, March 14–16, 2025, at Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown. Led by Bishop Sweeney, the retreat includes Mass, adoration, talks, and confession. No fee. Meals included. Private rooms.
For more information, call Father Ed Rama, vocations director, at 973-777-8818 ext. 715; email [email protected];
or visit PatersonVocations.org