Encounter with God's Call weekend was celebrated April 17-19, 2010 at Conception Seminary College in Conception Missouri. Five young men participated from the Diocese of Cheyenne. We drove 600 miles on Saturday morning, braving severe fog from Laramie to Cheyenne. Almost as a commentary on the spiritual journey of discernment, the weather got brighter and clearer the closer we got to Conception Seminary College! This weekend was very much an experience of "Annunciation". 140 young men from over five states chose to allow God to use messengers to speak to them of His divine will. These were members of the 100 + seminarians at CSC, Priests, the witness of Benedictine Monks, and their peers. God's call manifests itself in unique and mysterious ways in each of our lives but at some point we are invited to "follow me (Jesus)" and for men considering the priesthood that means the choice to discern entering the seminary.
An amazing aspect of this weekend was the discovery by our young men that they are not alone in their desire to discover God's will for them and to enter into discernment of the possibility of the seminary. They got to spend time in recreational activities, to enter into the rhythm of the prayer life of the seminary, and to experience what daily life might be for them as seminarians.
One of the highlights of the weekend was to celebrate Sunday mass and adoration with the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey in the Basilica. The beauty and enormity of the basilica of the Immaculate Conception provided an encouraging setting in which to experience the sacramental grace of the mass and the foundation of our spiritual life: relationship with Jesus and through Him relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit.
Spring has appeared at Conception! The wonderful beauty of blooming flowers, trees, and the plethora of birds were signs of the fruits of the Spirit at work in each of these young men and in each of us. When we allow ourselves to brave the risk of answering God's call, new life always buds forth from silence, our active listening, and our cooperation with God's gentle hands molding us in His Son's image for service of the Church and humanity.
For (back row) Andrew Kinstetter, Lorenzo Maffin, Joshua Hewlett, Hugh Cook, (front row) Bob Rodgers, Jose Vigil, and Hiep Nguyen, Encounter with God's call was an opportunity to see what seminary life is like and to consider the profound call to serve the people of Wyoming after the example of St. Joseph and of Jesus Himself, the Good Shepherd. For me it was a homecoming and an opportunity for gratitude. 20 years ago I graduated from CSC after four of the best (not by any means the easiest) years of my life. As I reflected over all that I have experienced since then, and traveled with these young men, I rejoiced to rediscover the joy of Encountering God's Call and living it with the help of Grace and community!
Encounter with God's Call weekend was celebrated April 17-19, 2010 at Conception Seminary College in Conception Missouri. Five young men participated from the Diocese of Cheyenne. We drove 600 miles on Saturday morning, braving severe fog from Laramie to Cheyenne. Almost as a commentary on the spiritual journey of discernment, the weather got brighter and clearer the closer we got to Conception Seminary College! This weekend was very much an experience of "Annunciation". 140 young men from over five states chose to allow God to use messengers to speak to them of His divine will. These were members of the 100 + seminarians at CSC, Priests, the witness of Benedictine Monks, and their peers. God's call manifests itself in unique and mysterious ways in each of our lives but at some point we are invited to "follow me (Jesus)" and for men considering the priesthood that means the choice to discern entering the seminary.
An amazing aspect of this weekend was the discovery by our young men that they are not alone in their desire to discover God's will for them and to enter into discernment of the possibility of the seminary. They got to spend time in recreational activities, to enter into the rhythm of the prayer life of the seminary, and to experience what daily life might be for them as seminarians. 
One of the highlights of the weekend was to celebrate Sunday mass and adoration with the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey in the Basilica. The beauty and enormity of the basilica of the Immaculate Conception provided an encouraging setting in which to experience the sacramental grace of the mass and the foundation of our spiritual life: relationship with Jesus and through Him relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit. 
Spring has appeared at Conception! The wonderful beauty of blooming flowers, trees, and the plethora of birds were signs of the fruits of the Spirit at work in each of these young men and in each of us. When we allow ourselves to brave the risk of answering God's call, new life always buds forth from silence, our active listening, and our cooperation with God's gentle hands molding us in His Son's image for service of the Church and humanity. 
For (back row) Andrew Kinstetter, Lorenzo Maffin, Joshua Hewlett, Hugh Cook, (front row) Bob Rodgers, Jose Vigil, and Hiep Nguyen, Encounter with God's call was an opportunity to see what seminary life is like and to consider the profound call to serve the people of Wyoming after the example of St. Joseph and of Jesus Himself, the Good Shepherd. For me it was a homecoming and an opportunity for gratitude. 20 years ago I graduated from CSC after four of the best (not by any means the easiest) years of my life. As I reflected over all that I have experienced since then, and traveled with these young men, I rejoiced to rediscover the joy of Encountering God's Call and living it with the help of Grace and community!
