For more information on Focus 11, please contact the Office of Vocations! Inside this Issue: Animus...2. Seminarian Perspec ves...3. Voca on News..

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1 Focus 11, 2016 This year our Keynote Speaker for Focus 11 is Sr. Elfie Del Rosario, FMA. We are very excited to have Sr. Elfie with us this year. Below is her brief biography. My name is Sr. Elfie Del Rosario, FMA. I am a Salesian Sister of St. John Bosco. We are also known as Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, in Italian we are called Figlie di Maria Auxiliatrice. I was blessed to be born in Nigeria and raised in the Philippines. I am the youngest in my family. I was very involved with a youth group growing up called Youth For Christ. I then transitioned to a young adult group called Singles For Christ. I worked with God s beautiful children who had special needs for nine years before entering the convent. Reflecting back, with great gratitude, God formed and molded me by serving and being with the young. I learned from them and above all loved them as they were signs of God s love to me. Now I am almost three years professed as a Salesian Sister with God s grace and love. With great joy, there are 4 things that I praise Jesus for each day. First is school, I am thrilled each day to teach our second grade students at Villa Madonna School in Tampa, Florida. I am also honored to accompany middle school students in their faith journey through a youth group called Salesian Junior Apostles. Second is playing games with the young especially four squares, listening to their stories, and learning from them. Most of all it is a moment of grace just to be there for them. Third is my relationship with Jesus and Mary who are the source of my strength, hope and joy. I treasure my quiet moments with Jesus, meditating on His Word and listening to Him. I love being in adoration with praise and worship. As Salesian sisters, we entrust our young to our Blessed Mother Mary who is our guide and help in all things. Mary has been my mother, teacher and guide in my journey of faith. Lastly, I thank God for my family and my Sisters in community. The love of my parents and sister have been a great support to me. My Sisters in community are also my family. We do things together such as praying, working, eating, having fun and helping one another grow in holiness. I am truly blessed to be a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians along with my 13,000 sisters all over the world. It is only through God s love and mercy that I am able to share with you the joy He is sharing with me. He has an amazing plan for each and every one of us, waiting for our Yes and allowing Him to work through us. God wants to fill us with His peace and love in fulfilling the vocation He has prepared for each and every one of us. Let us not be afraid for it is a JOY to serve God with our very being. All we need is to say Lord, I am your humble servant, let it be done to me according to your Word. (Luke 1:38) I entrust all of you to our Blessed Mother Mary! May God be praised! Inside this Issue: Animus Seminarian Perspec ves...3 Voca on News..6 For more information on Focus 11, please contact the Office of Vocations! Calendar...7 Our Seminarians...7 February 2016 Volume XXIII:II

2 Our annual Focus 11 vocation fair is upon us, held this year on February 24th and 25 th at St Lawrence Catholic Church. Focus 11 is an event where all of the sixth grade students from our Catholic schools attend a day of prayer, music, games, and, above all, fun! Because of the number of students, close to 1,000, Focus 11 is held over two days, about 500 attend each day. The goal of the event is to open these young people to the possibility of priesthood or religious life. For many of our young people the only interaction with a priest is on Sunday and, unfortunately, some have never had an interaction with a female religious. The day begins with music and a roll call of schools, where the schools are encouraged to show their spirit in responding the call of their school. As you can imagine the decibel levels reach somewhere close to standing near the launch of a rocket. With the help of some softer music we settle the students down, explain the day and have an opening prayer. We then hear from our key note speaker, this year Sister Elphie Del Rosario, FMA, a Salesian Sister teaching at Villa Madonna School in Tampa. After Sister s talk we have a special guest, Fr. Len Plazewski, Pastor of Christ the King Church in Tampa, who shows the students how it can rain inside Higgins Hall. The raining within Higgins Hall is one of the most remembered parts of the day by students who have attended many years ago. The students then take part in a game where a group of religious and priests come on stage holding signs of previous jobs they have held prior to entering seminary or religious life. The catch is they are wrong and the student must put the correct job with the correct priest or religious. I will spare you the details of how this works but suffice to say, the students have a ball in doing this activity and, again their cheering reaches earthquake levels! During the day the students attend panel discussions where they can ask any type of questions to priests, seminarians, or religious. They are introduced to different Religious Communities and their work within the Church. As one can see, Focus 11 is a fun filled day that shows the students that priesthood or religious life is a fulfilling and joyful life. The day helps show these young people that God loves them beyond what they can imagine and if He is calling them to priesthood or religious life it is because that is the life that will bring animus the most fulfilment and joy to them. I want to thank all those that help put on Focus 11. Especially the Religious Communities, Priests, and Serra Club of St Petersburg of which without your undying support these days could not happen. Please keep the students, religious, priests, and all of us in your prayers during these days. God Bless you all, Fr. Carl Melchior Director of Vocations February Volume XXIII:II

3 Kyle Bell, Pastoral Year Time Flies! April 1, That s the day (tentatively scheduled and God-willing) that I, and my classmates, will be ordained transitional deacons. We knew that it was coming up, that our ordination to the diaconate would happen sometime in the spring of But it wasn t until recently that we had an actual date. And as I write this in the initial days of 2016, in the midst of New Year s resolutions and optimism for new beginnings, I m reminded of just how far I ve come and just how rapidly ordination is approaching. I remember back when I first got accepted to seminary in I remember that Sunday at Christ the King being announced by Fr. David Toups (then pastor, now my seminary rector). I remember shaking hands after Mass and being asked how long it would take for me to be ordained. I remember telling folks that it would be seven years, and seeing the shock in their faces. That s so long, some said. That s like how long doctors train, others said. And they were right, in a sense. But I remember thinking at the time that I was grateful for how long it was going to take. Back then, I wasn t at all certain that I even wanted to be a priest. I looked at the seven years as a welcome buffer, as much-needed discernment time, and as necessary time to prepare to if I was in fact called to stand in persona Christi as a priest. Seven years, I remember thinking, that s all it takes? Now, as I am in the midst of my pastoral year my fifth year of priestly formation I can say that the time has flown by. And now that I have the specificity of a date for my diaconate ordination, the abstract possibility of sometime in the spring has become glaringly, challengingly real. It s fitting that this should be so in this pastoral year, though. The pastoral year really is all about making the abstract real. In seminary we talk a lot about priestly identity, about how the diocesan priest is ordained to serve the people of a parish. And the seminary is a great seedbed for fostering a sense of that identity growing in each man s heart. However, for the most part that identity-talk remains abstract, ethereal, like some hoped-for goal. Pastoral year lifts the veil, pulls back the curtain. It has allowed me to live, pray, and work with the regular (though exceptional) priests of Nativity. It has allowed me to get to know this parish and its community, to walk with them in their joys and sorrows, and to minister to (and to be ministered to by) them. The pastoral year seminarian s primary teacher is the people, and Nativity has not disappointed. I can only hope I ve been a fraction of the blessing to them that they ve been to me. As I enter the second half of my pastoral year, and as my classmates and I move forward with April 1, 2017 in our sights, I find myself more confident than ever in my call, and abundantly grateful for my vocation. We move forward knowing that through formation, the call and its beauty will become ever more real in the months and years to come. Seminarian perspectives Ralph D Elia, Pontifical North American College Encountering the Father s Mercy On the morning of December 8, I stood in a crowded St. Peter s Square taking in the rich symbolism of the simple gesture that was about to take place. Despite the cold, damp weather and the heighted security in the wake of the attacks in Paris, people from across the world flocked to Rome to be present for the start of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. In his homily for the opening mass, Pope Francis stated, In passing through the Holy Door, then, may we feel that we ourselves are part of this mystery of love, of tenderness. Let us set aside all fear and dread, for these do not befit men and women who are loved. Instead, let us experience the joy of encountering that grace which transforms all things. I personally know just how easy it can be to give into fear and dread at times. The journey towards the priesthood is no different than any other vocation in the ups and downs of daily life. Upon arriving to Rome, after the jetlag wore off, the reality of the challenges ahead of me became very real. I had to learn a new language, adjust to life in a different country, and become acquainted with a new seminary, all while being five thousand miles away from my family! In this context, even amidst the tremendous blessings, fear can at times take hold. But we cannot allow fear to have the final word. This mystery of love of which we are all a part is more powerful than any challenge, no matter how daunting it may be. In fact, it is precisely in the challenges we face that we are drawn deeper into this mystery. The problems of our every day life can become a locus of transformation insofar as they throw us into a passionate search for the One who gives life meaning. That morning in St. Peter s Square I knew that I was not alone. Around me stood a countless number of people, full of their own hope and dreams, challenges and disappointments. But in front of the various circumstances of our lives, there was a tangible joy. How is such a joy possible? It is possible in seeking the Lord, and finding Him only to learn that it was He who was seeking us first. As the Holy Father continued in his homily, To pass through the Holy Door means to rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them. It is he who seeks us! It is he who comes to encounter us! The love of the Father is truly mercy. This is the mystery in which we must be enveloped. In this vocation, it is a great gift to know that the Lord is always there to accompany me. Though it can often be obscured by the trials that accompany everyday life, this Jubilee year has provided me with yet another opportunity to encounter the Lord s mercy. Kyle Bell - I was raised in the United Methodist Church, and baptized at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, Tampa. By the time I went to college at Florida State University, our Lord was really starting to work on my heart. While at FSU, I first felt a call to ministry. I enrolled at a Methodist seminary in Kentucky, but through my studies in scripture and church history I began to fall in love with the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the Roman Catholic Church. I enrolled in an RCIA program and was received into the Church at the Easter Vigil in I left the Methodist seminary and received a Masters in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Eventually, I entered the seminary for the Diocese of St Petersburg, and I am in my fifth year overall. Ralph D Elia is a fourth generation Tampa native. After experiencing a life changing conversion in high school he spent time discerning a call to the priesthood. However, in prayer it became clear that the Lord was calling him to travel a different path. After high school he set his sights on a future in law and politics. Contrary to what he anticipated, the more immersed he became in realizing his own plans the more he recognized that those plans were incapable of fulfilling his deepest desires. In response he knew he was being called to something more. Upon graduating from the University of South Florida in 2013, he entered St. John Vianney College Seminary. Ralph is currently in his first year of theology studies. February Volume XXIII:II

4 Seminarian Perspectives - continued Peter Gonzalez, St. John Vianney College Seminary A Christmas Blessing Happy New Year! Thanks be to God, I ve completed my first semester of seminary and have come back after Christmas break refreshed and ready to continue. It was sad to leave my family and home parish, especially now that I have been able to spend more time with them all and reconnect with old friends. However, I still feel at peace with being in seminary, and following where God leads me is the only place I want to be. On Christmas Day I was able to serve a couple masses at my home parish. After one of the masses, I had an opportunity to pray in the chapel for a few minutes. There I saw a man who used to be one of the adult leaders in the youth group now a bit more elderly waiting with his family as they all went to Confession. After a few minutes I saw him come up before the Blessed Sacrament with one of his grandchildren, and I couldn t help but overhear part of his prayer, Thank you, Lord, for my grandson Amidst the few words I did hear, I could tell he was blessing his grandson and praying over him. After they finished and another few minutes passed, he came up and did the same for his granddaughter. Witnessing this exchange was nothing short of beautiful. This man took the time to pray with his children and grandchildren before the Blessed Sacrament, to pray aloud to God and to them how thankful he was that they were in his life. It was an act of love which those kids may not even remember years from now, but which I m sure will have lasting effects. Perhaps it stuck out to me because I never had a grandfather so present in my own life. This naturally brought up again the desire in me to have a family, and to be able to do something like that with my own grandchildren someday. But God has blessed me with something equally fulfilling. Though I still grapple with sacrificing my desire for a biological family, I am beginning to understand the deep joy of having a spiritual family. Being present to witness and contribute to the lives of so many faithful and loving people has brought out aspects of my personality that I never knew existed. Striving to empower my friends to seek God and love each other well is as life-giving to me as I hope it is to them. Day by day I feel I am becoming more and more myself. Above all, I wish to express gratitude. Thanks to God, my family, friends, and especially the people who pray for and support us within the Diocese. I would not be able to continue without that support, and I hope someday I can pay it forward in service to them and their families. Once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Joshua Hare, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary The Little Saint The new year has finally arrived with 2015 now fading away in our rearview mirror and the Year of Mercy is now in full swing. After arriving back to the seminary we had our annual fiveday silent retreat with Fr. Michael Gaitley. On this retreat, he shared with us a saint that was instrumental for his own discernment and who is the perfect saint for the Year of Mercy, St. Therese of Lisieux. After reading her autobiography Story of a Soul, I wished that I had known her when I was discerning that s why I m sharing this with you today. We often hear about great saints who converted entire continents or empires or saints that wrote enough volumes to fill entire libraries. I don t know about you, but as I learned about these wonderful heroes of our faith, I began to feel disheartened believing that I could never do any of those great things. It seemed as if the only people who could become saints were those that had either had the intellectual power to rival Einstein, or those who had wills of steel like Alexander the Great. I truly felt that becoming a saint wasn t within my reach. I felt like what I had to offer God wasn t even half of what those great saints could give him. At least this was how I felt until I met Therese of Lisieux. By worldly standards Therese was a nobody, she was a sheltered child who grew up to join a cloistered convent. However, she believed, that because she was so little God would use his mercy to make her great, and so he did. Not only is she one of the greatest saints of modern times, according to Pope Pius X, she even went on to become a Doctor of the Church. St. Therese revolutionized the way I think about and understand God s love, mercy, and his desire to make me a saint. It was Christ who came for the lowly, the weak, the broken, the poor, the sinner so that he could use his mercy to make them great. For me this was such great news, I discovered that God desired to use my weakness to make me great through an outpouring of his love and mercy. However, this is not new, this is what the core of the Gospel has always been about, that God came to have mercy on sinners. During this year of mercy, I plan on reading more about this great little saint. She talks about a little way that anybody can practice to become a saint just like her. I wish someone would have told me how easy it is to become a saint and how awesome Therese of Lisieux is for those in discernment. If you feel that you don t have what it takes to become great, then look to St. Therese and become little instead. Peter Gonzalez was born and raised in Tampa and is the son of Alex and Vilma. He grew up with two older siblings, Lilly and Daniel, and his grandmother, Abi. Growing up, St. Lawrence was his family s home parish, and he attended St. Lawrence Catholic School from PreK-3 until 8 th grade. During middle school, his family moved and began attending mass at St. Paul s in Tampa. Peter attended Tampa Catholic High School, and participated in the St. Paul s youth group as well as the mass choir. Afterwards he studied at the University of Florida where he received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Peter is aside from English conversational in Spanish and German, and is very interested in learning new languages. In his spare time he enjoys being with friends, playing guitar, reading, or playing card games with his family. At the age of 11, Peter first questioned whether he was called to the priesthood, and he has come to believe that it is the best way in which he can love and serve others. If he does indeed become a priest, he looks forward the most to celebrating masses. Joshua Hare is a seminarian for the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. He earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in philosophy at St. John Vianney College Seminary. He is currently studying theology fulltime at St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. Joshua was born in Florida and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. For the past eight years he has lived in the city of Brooksville just north of the Tampa Bay area. He currently attends St. Anthony the Abbot with Fr. Paul Pecchie as Pastor. One of his favorite past times is reading or just hanging out with his brother seminarians. One reason that he feels called to the priesthood is because he wants to bring the joy and love of Christ to his brothers and sisters through the Eucharist. Joshua looks forward to one day being able to share in the sacramental joy of Holy Orders and to serve his future bride in the great Diocese of St. Petersburg. February Volume XXIII:II

5 Seminarian Perspectives - continued Drew Woodke, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary Second Verse Same As The First Alas, the promise land! I have arrived at the land of milk and honey! To every seminarian in North America, the above phrase is usually connected to one thing: major seminary, the last stop before Holy Orders. But after having completed one semester in the promise land, I say, eh. Now lets stop right there Just so we are clear, the major seminary is everything it was cracked up to be. Through the generosity of all the Bishops of the Province, and the good people of all of the Florida dioceses, I was privileged to move into the newly renovated seminary at St. Vincent DePaul in Boynton Beach. Moving from the minor seminary in Miami to the major seminary in Boynton brings about major changes. I now have my own room and bathroom. I m no longer merely thinking about the idea of God (philosophy), but actually talking about Him by looking deeper into the Scriptures and to the teachings of the Church (theology). And the most important change, I think, is traffic There are a lot more changes, and most of them I can say are for the better. I am further along in the process now, and with every change it begins to become more real. Some of the men I spend time eating and praying with were laymen last year, now they re Deacons. In a few months they ll be Priests but guess what? More Deacons will take their place. And after a few more cycles, it will be me. All of this leads to the one major point I m getting at: it s still seminary. My three years in seminary have been extraordinary. Speaking only for myself here, I can say that both seminaries I ve been to are enjoyable places. On a side, you know what I call someone who doesn t find seminary enjoyable? A rule breaker All kidding aside, seminary has been very good to me, but you have to work at it. If I don t choose into formation every day, regardless of the level I m in, then it just becomes a seemingly endless cycle of hoops to jump through. As this journey goes on, the end becomes more real, more exciting! The idea of being a priest has started to take shape within me. It s no longer this intangible thought stirring inside of me, but is beginning to manifest itself more clearly into what I am being formed into. Almost three years down, and just over four years to go. My oh my how the time goes by. My seminarian brothers always told me it would, but I some how didn t believe them. As I look back at my time in the minor seminary, there are plenty of great things that I will treasure, but the major seminary is really nice. The second verse is as GREAT as the first. After having completed one semester in the promised land, I say, You know what? I m having a great time. Vocation Promotion Workshop On Saturday, January 23, 2016 we gathered at the Bethany Center for our annual workshop. Our keynote speaker was Msgr. Michael Muhr, Pastor of St. Lawrence Parish in Tampa. We also had a panel discussion with Lou Turcotte, seminarian; Fr. Curtis Carro, Parochial Vicar at St. Stephen Parish in Valrico; Sr. Elfie Del Rosario, FMA, Salesian Sister and teacher at Villa Madonna School and Fr. Carl Melchior, Director of Vocations. Below are some pictures from the workshop. Msgr. Michael Muhr Panel Discussion Andrew Drew Woodke was born and raised in Brandon, except for three years when his father was relocated to Atlanta for business. Drew and his family are life long parishioners at Nativity Catholic Church. Before entering seminary, Drew received a degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. While in college, he was involved in the faith formation office at St. Stephen in Valrico, where he served a brief tenure as the high school youth minister, as well as various other jobs on his summer breaks. He attributes his desire to serve to his experiences on mission trips in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Drew felt an increased awareness for his call to the ministerial priesthood while in college, and it was at Franciscan that he decided to enter the seminary after he finished his degree. He completed his studies in philosophy at St. John Vianney College Seminary, and is currently studying theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary. Great group of people! February Volume XXIII:II

6 Holy Hour for Vocations Cathedral of St. Jude Sponsored by the Serra Club Every 4th Wednesday of the month (with a few exceptions) the Serra Club hosts the Holy Hour for Vocations from 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm at the. Please consider attending one of these holy hours to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Upcoming dates are as follows: February 24, 2016 March 16, 2016 Animae Via Animae Via is a discernment group for individuals who are reflecting on God s call in their lives and are considering the possibility of priesthood or religious life. It meets every other month at St. Timothy Parish (17512 Lakeshore Road, Lutz). We start with dinner in the Parish Hall followed by a talk, conversation and prayer and concludes with Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction (chapel). Without a doubt participation in Animae Via will help to make God s will in your life clearer! The evening is open to anyone high school age and older. Friends are always welcome. Scheduled dates are as follows: Vocation news Come & See Weekend Retreat March 4-6, 2016 Held at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, these weekends serve to provide opportunities for male high school juniors and older to get a first-hand experience of seminary life and the opportunity to interact with other young men who are discerning a vocation. The Diocese will provide transportation and there will be no charge for the retreat. For more information contact Fr. Carl Melchior at (727) or spvocation@dosp.org Nurture and Embrace the Future with Hope Holy Name Monastery Saturday, March 12, :00am-2:00pm A workshop for all interested in promoting religious vocations. Please contact Sr. Mary David, OSB at (352) for more information or to register. $10.00 suggested donation. March 9, 2016: The Vocation and Mission of St. Joseph May 11, 2016 The Courage to Say Yes Spiritual Motherhood for Priests Please mark your calendars for February 20 our next Spiritual Motherhood for Priests event to be held at Epiphany of Our Lord in Tampa. The event begins with morning mass at 9 am followed by Eucharistic Adoration, Confession and two talks by our speakers Fr. Edwin Palka and Fr. Paul Pecchie. $10 covers the day including lunch. Contact Carole Palka or Sue Richardson for more information. Make a day of it by car pooling with friends. Please RSVP by February 13. Altar Server Appreciation Mass Sunday, April 10, 2016; 3:00 pm Transitional Diaconate Ordinations Saturday, April 16, 2016 St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary Ordinations to the Priesthood Saturday, May 21, 2016, 11:00 am February Volume XXIII:II

7 Calendar of Upcoming events February 2016 February 10, 2016 Ash Wednesday February 12, 2016 Re-Focus Vocations Rally Location: St. Petersburg Catholic and Clearwater Central Catholic High Schools February 24-25, 2016 (9:00am-1:30pm) Focus 11 Location: Higgins Hall, St. Lawrence Parish, Tampa February 24, 2016 (7:00 pm-8:00 pm) Diocesan Holy Hour (Sponsored by SERRA Club) March 2016 March 4-6, 2016 Come & See Weekend St. John Vianney College Seminary, Miami March 9, 2016 (7:00 pm-9:00 pm) Animae Via Discernment Group Location: Parish Hall, St. Timothy Parish, Lutz March 16, 2016 (7:00 pm-8:00 pm) Diocesan Holy Hour (Sponsored by SERRA Club) April 2016 April 10, 2016 (3:00pm-5:00pm) Altar Server Appreciation Mass & Reception April 27, 2016 (7:00 pm-8:00 pm) Diocesan Holy Hour (Sponsored by SERRA Club) Our Seminarians St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary Anthony Astrab 2nd Theology William Augensen 1st Theology Elixavier Castro 3rd Theology Dcn. Felipe Gonzalez 4th Theology Joshua Hare 2nd Theology Connor Penn 1st Theology Dcn. Bradley Reed 4th Theology Dcn. Jonathan Stephanz 4th Theology Mark Drew Woodke 1st Theology Pastoral Year Daniel Angel Kyle Bell Louis Turcotte Timothy Williford St. Ignatius of Antioch Nativity St. Paul, St. Petersburg St. Cecelia Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary Dcn. Kevin Yarnell 4th Theology Pontifical North American College-Rome Ralph D Elia 1st Theology Dcn. Alexander Padilla 4th Theology St. John Vianney College Seminary Donald Amodeo Pre-Theology I Zachary Brasseur Pre-Theology I Johnatan Fernandez Junior Year Peter Gonzalez Pre-Theology I Christopher Grevenites Senior Year Israel Hernandez Pre-Theology II Reinaldo Jara Junior Year Patrick Lambert Junior Year Michael Orajaka Pre-Theology II Mark Yarnold Junior Year Contact Us: Fr. Carl Melchior, Director of Vocations ( spvocation@dosp.org) Heidi Varley, Administrative Assistant ( hlv@dosp.org) P.O. Box 40200, St. Petersburg, FL (727) Website: February Volume XXIII:II

8 Office of Voca ons Diocese of St. Petersburg P.O. Box St. Petersburg, FL NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID St. Petersburg, FL PERMIT NO Return Service Requested 2015/2016 Diocese of St. Petersburg Seminarians February Volume XXIII:II