National Vocation Awareness Week, observed this year Jan. 9-14, is the annual celebration in the United States to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew prayers and support for those who are considering vocations. Father Patrick Driscoll and seminarian John Stearns shared their vocation stories with Joseph Kenny for the January 6th issue of the St. Louis Review:
Father Patrick Driscoll, Class of 2008
Father Patrick Driscoll's vocation journey took a number of twists and turns -- he was ordained at age 48 -- but one of the key points occurred when a fellow parishioner asked him if he'd consider the priesthood.
Having an older vocation is "a two-edge sword," Father Driscoll said jokingly. "You have experience, and then you have baggage." Not emotional baggage but an accumulation of items and experiences.
Being ordained at a younger age has some advantages, and becoming a priest at an older age does too, with people having an appreciation of "talking to someone who's been around the block," said the priest who is an associate pastor at Assumption Parish in south St. Louis County. "All things being equal, as long as a priest is a good listener, that's what counts."
Click here to continue reading about Father Driscoll.
John Stearns, Theology II
When John Stearns talks about vocations he makes sure to remind people to ask others -- even single professional men who may seem settled in their career -- if they would consider a vocation.
No one had brought the topic up to Stearns, a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Shrewsbury, but the thought of the priesthood kept returning to him before he finally acted on it.
As an altar boy, the idea of being a priest came to him and then went away. "It would come and go at points of my life when there was a major decision -- when I entered the military and when I left the military. It always went away until the last time. It kept bugging me a good two or three months until I went and chatted with my pastor," Stearns said.
Born in Arizona, Stearns was always a good student and attended a community college before moving to Los Angeles and attending the University of California with a double major in international relations and international law. He worked for an ambulance company while in school.
Click here to continue reading about John Stearns.
* Read more about National Vocations Awareness Week
*Contact the Archdiocese of St. Louis’ Office of Vocations at 314-792-6460 or visit their website.
