A sacred tradition here at SteubySTL is the Vocations Call.

It began today with Fr. Martin Chris Martin inviting up all of the religious sisters present this weekend. Fr. Martin reminded us that sisters make us want to love God and be saints. He then invited up any women in the room who might have felt the call to the religious life this weekend. Archbishop Carlson prayed over them and encouraged them to be not afraid. They were encouraged to talk to sisters and go on retreat as they discern this call.

“A priest can undo in minutes what it took the devil the 3 years or 3 decades to do to us.” Fr. Martin thanked all of the priests who heard confessions and were present throughout the weekend. He then invited up any men in the room who may have felt called to the religious life this weekend. Fr. Martin reminded them that, “Before you can become Christ the priest, you must become Christ the man.” They were encouraged to focus on becoming men of virtue as they discern this call.

Please pray for all of the young men and women who courageously responded to the Vocations Call this weekend, as they continue to seek God’s will in their lives.

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“If you’ve ever been to a Steubenville conference, you know we are never really finished.”

Father Dave Pivonka said this today at the end of Mass. Father was referring to the opportunity to come forward if any of the teens felt God might be calling them to religious life. However, isn’t this true in a different capacity? We are never really finished. While we may load up on the buses and head back to our assorted homes and parishes, the call to our vocation and to holiness is ever beckoning. No matter what our vocation is, we should all continue everyday to answer that call, whether to married, single, or religious life.

3,859 participants.

100 volunteers.

60 priests celebrating Mass and hearing confessions.

2,688 confessions heard.

God has incredible plans for each and every one of us, and it is our job to discern what those plans entail.

Matt Maher says it best, in a song that we sang early this morning:

“This is the first day of the rest of your life. ‘Cause even in the dark you can still see the light, it’s gonna be all right.”

Fr. Crisman closed the first week of Steubenville encouraging and challenging the participants to be open to Christ’s call for each of us. He invited participants to literally stand up at Steubenville as a commitment to how they will metaphorically ‘stand up’ for their faith back at home.

“We need men and women who are bold, and willing to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ no matter the costs.”

The altar call is not a verbal contract to enter seminary or the convent, but rather it’s an invitation to be bold, to be generous, and to do the Lord’s will. The action is a commitment to listen, to be open, to be the face of Jesus.