28 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst Year in Review 2020 VOCATIONS Rev. Fr Nathan Verallo Director of Vocations Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst I was appointed Director of Vocations in late 2019. I have spent much of 2020 working collaboratively with Sandhurst Youth Ministry to develop a program to promote vocations. This program includes speaking at Deanery meetings across the Diocese to promote the many pastoral opportunities and initiatives offered to our young people and working closely with Catholic Education Sandhurst to immerse Youth Ministry and Vocations programs into the school curriculum, retreats and other events. During 2020 opportunities to visit parishes and schools were very limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Nevertheless, this provided the perfect opportunity to strengthen a four-phased diocesan application process for potential seminarians. The process was presented at the May meeting of the College of Consultors; this has been fine-tuned to include their feedback. ‘Come and See’ Program One phase of this process includes a ‘Come and See’ Formation Program. In this phase of the application process, an applicant undertakes placement in parishes, where he is exposed to parish life and pastoral ministry in schools, hospitals and nursing homes. The ‘Come and See’ Program aims to provide an opportunity for the applicant to better understand the responsibilities of the priesthood; and of course, allow the Diocese to learn more about the applicant. From the Director of Vocations 26 April Third-year seminarian, Adonis Peña, was instituted to the Ministry of Lector during the live-streamed Mass at St Kilian’s in Bendigo. This was an important moment in Adonis’ vocational journey as he continues his studies for the priesthood in the Diocese of Sandhurst. Vocations Ministry Team The decision to offer an applicant a place in Sandhurst as a seminarian, will be determined by a Vocations Ministry Team after a process of discernment. With the endorsement of Bishop Shane, a Vocations Ministry Team will be established in 2021. The team will include the Vocations Director (myself), Youth Ministers of the Diocese, the Seminary Formator (Fr Jake Mudge), lay people (possibly a married couple), and a seminarian. Applicants in 2020 In 2020 the Office of the Vocations Director received an average of three enquiries a month from potential seminarians. In 2020, twenty enquirers became applicants; seven of these completed the application process. Only two of the seven have been selected for interviews. When COVID-19 restrictions ease, I plan to meet these two applicants in person with a view to them starting the ‘Come and See’ placement phase of their application process. Vocations Directors in Victoria and Tasmania I have been privileged to benefit from the sharing of knowledge and experience with fellow Vocations Directors of the Dioceses in Victoria and Tasmania. In March 2020 we gathered at Corpus Christi College, in Carlton. In August we gathered via Zoom. April While on placement in Wodonga, seminarian Dominic Manatad helped to deliver rice to refugee families.
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