24 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst Year in Review 2024 Rev. Nathan Verallo “Lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God”. Ephesians 4:1 From Vocations Director The year 2024 started with much enthusiasm and optimism. We were blessed with two seminarians who commenced Seminary Formation. Ryerson De Lai began his propaedeutic year while Jhunel Mendez started his fourth year. I am glad to say that both men have settled well in the house of formation at Corpus Christi College and we look forward to getting to know them better during their parish placements and pastoral engagements. We also continue to pray that, in God’s Grace, other young men will commence seminary formation in the 2025 academic year. This year, our Vocation Office worked hand-in-hand with parish Youth Ministry to engage young people across our Diocese. Moving forward, we aim to deepen this collaborative spirit, ensuring that future events and functions are joint efforts between Youth Ministry and the Vocations Office. Together, we strive to help young people live their faith and find their purpose. While providing opportunities to consider the priesthood or consecrated life is our key focus, we recognise that there are many pathways for missionary discipleship, and we aim to help young people with their discernment. As I reflect on the past year, I am inspired to share an aspect of my personal discernment journey, guided by the theme from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which is quoted above. All of us share one calling. All of us are invited to respond to God’s call to love Him in the way we live our lives. Pondering on the gift of vocation, my first thought is of my unworthiness. As we continue and aspire for greater things, wanting to soar high in all we do, we often slip back to the reality of our own limitedness. It leads me to ask: Is perfection a requirement to marry someone? Do I need to be a perfect person to be a parent? Do I need to be perfect to become a priest? I love to think that you can reason with me in saying with a humble heart that the answer is “No” … let us allow ourselves to reflect for a minute on our own commitments. To all our parents – I thank you for giving yourself in moulding our children and young people, a life that springs from the commitments you share as parents. As Pope St John Paul once said, the family is the seedbed of vocation. I humbly ask our parents that as you prepare your young children in their pathways to careers and professional choices, please help them to consider a vocation to the priesthood or to consecrated life. There is joy in priesthood. There is joy in serving the church. To all church ministers – I thank you for your dedication in giving your time and talent. All that you do is a sharing in the gift of vocation – in your ministry to prayer; in bringing the Eucharist to the sick; even in cleaning in our churches; in proclaiming the Word of God in our liturgical celebrations and more. Your ministry enriches our parish communities;, you give life to our church. To all my brother priests – thank you for sharing your priestly ministry. We are living vocation promoters in our parish communities. The gift of ordination is best lived out when we immerse ourselves in prayer, in the life and ministry of our community. I thank Fr Adi Indra and Fr Jackson Saunders who worked as a team with me to facilitate discernment sessions for our young people each quarter throughout the year. If you know of someone who is considering becoming a priest or a missionary, please do not hesitate to contact me. It is my hope that we, as a Church, will continue to pray for church ministers and for our young people to consider the priesthood, consecrated life or life as a missionary as their calling. Adelante … Rev. Nathan Verallo Vocations Director Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 2024 Reports
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