by Olivia Martin-Davies
olivia.martin@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The archdiocesan office of vocations and area Serra Clubs are working together to bring the Serra IGNITE vocations workshop to Savior Pastoral Center here on March 28.
Each parish in the archdiocese is invited to send a team of three to five people to the IGNITE workshop, where they will learn how to form, maintain and sustain vocation ministries at the parish level.
“The influence of parish priests and parish involvement are among the most common ways young men begin to feel a call to a priestly vocation,” said Father Dan Morris, director of vocations, in a recent letter to pastors.
According to Georgetown University’s 2024 Center for Applied Research into the Apostolate (CARA) report, 75% of seminarians went to eucharistic adoration regularly, 71% served as altar servers regularly and 51% participated in parish youth groups before entering the seminary.
“Vocations to priesthood and religious life are a very high priority for Archbishop McKnight,” said John Caton, a member of the Johnson County Serra Club and a Holy Trinity, Lenexa, parishioner.
“The IGNITE program is simpler than most people realize,” said Caton. “That’s a positive because often people are hesitant to go to something because they have a lot on their plate.
“This is a simple thing that will make a big impact.”
The workshop is free and begins at 8:30 a.m. with Mass and concludes at 4:15 p.m. after a Holy Hour.
The workshop will be led by Greg Schwietz, former president of Serra Club International; Father Tim Skoch, incoming associate director of vocations and a group of trained Serrans from across the archdiocese.
And there’s a bonus: Parishes that attend the workshop will be paired with a Serran mentor for one year to help implement the parish’s plan to foster vocations.
To register: Contact your parish or click here.
