May 2009 Diocese Of Joliet Vocation Newsletter

                                   MAY 2009

NEWSLETTER FROM THE

DIOCESE OF JOLIET VOCATION OFFICE

Fr. Burke Masters

402 S. Independence Blvd.

Romeoville, IL 60446

815-834-4004

 

Greetings from the Vocation Office!

 

During this Easter season I can’t help but reflect on the early Church and the early followers of Christ.  I imagine their joy after seeing Jesus alive on that first Easter morning.  It inspired them so much that nothing on earth mattered except sharing this Good News.

 

We are here 2000 years later and that same Easter joy continues to burn in the souls of those who believe.  May the fire of God’s love burn in our hearts to such a degree that, like St. Paul, we can’t hold it in.  This is the most important message ever – that Jesus is risen from the dead and those who believe in Him and model their lives after Him will have eternal life.

 

I am finishing my seminary visits now and our attention turns to some important events of May and June (see schedule below).  I would like to take this opportunity to invite all of you to attend the ordination of our three deacons:  Dindo Billote, Alejandro Flores and Matt Nathan.  The ordination will occur at 11am at the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet.  No tickets are required.  We do not know yet to which parishes our newly ordained will be assigned.

 

This may be a great chance to bring someone interested in the priesthood or just deepening their faith.  It was at my own ordination seven years ago that my brother was inspired to join the Catholic Church.  It is a powerful thing to witness as these men will literally lay down their lives for Christ.

 

I have also started a new blog which includes my “thoughts for the day”.  Go to http://frburke23.wordpress.com to see the blog.   You can subscribe to receive the daily “thoughts” on the front page of the blog.

 

Please check out our web site  www.vocations.com for up-to-date activities and profiles of our seminarians. 

 

Important dates for May

 

BIRTHDAYS

May 13 – Sam Sorich

May 20 – Raed Bader

 

VOCATION CALENDAR FOR MAY

 

May 2-3 – I will be preaching at all of the Masses in Assumption Parish in Ashkum and St. John the Baptist in L’Erable.

 

May 4-5 – Visit to Mundelein Seminary.

 

May 7 – JAVA presentation on vocations at 9:30am at Sacred Heart School in Lombard.

 

May 7 – Operation Andrew Dinner with Bishop Sartain from 6-8pm at St. Daniel the Prophet Parish in Wheaton.  All of our priests are invited as well as any young man age 14 and older who has an interest in learning more about the priesthood.  Please RSVP to the vocation office at 815-834-4004 or frburke23@aol.com by Monday, May 4^th.  Fathers are welcome to attend with their sons.

 

May 8 – JAVA presentation on vocations at 9am at Sr. Mary’s School in Plano.

 

May 12-14 – Good Leaders, Good Shepherds gathering of about 30 priests from the Diocese of Joliet as we learn how to be better leaders and pastors – Darien Carmelite Center.

 

May 14 – Spirit and Truth young adult group at St. Jude Parish in Joliet, 7-9pm.

 

May 15 – Mass for St. Charles Borromeo Parish School at 8:30am in Bensenville.

 

May 17 – Graduation Mass for Montini High School, 10:30am.

 

May 17 – Discernment Group at the Fiat House – “Seminary Life & Application Process”.  All men age 17 and older are welcome to gather at the Fiat House from 3-5pm to discuss what seminary life is like with current seminarians as well as discuss the application process.  There is no cost for this event.  Dinner will be served at 5pm.  Please RSVP to the vocation office at 815-834-4004 or frburke23@aol.com by Friday, May 15^th.

 

May 20 – JAVA end of the year party.  Time and place TBD.

 

May 21 – Spirit and Truth young adult group at St. Jude Parish in Joliet, 7-9pm.

 

May 24 – Speaking at the 9 & 11am Masses at St. Joseph Parish in Bradley on vocations.

 

May 24 – Graduation Mass at Bishop McNamara HS, 1:30pm.

 

May 26-28 – Seminarian Retreat at Immaculate Conception Retreat Center in Justice, IL.

 

May 29 – June 5 – Spiritual Direction for IPF seminarian program in Omaha, NE.

 

 

Important Vocation Dates in the coming months:

 

June 6 – 11am Priesthood Ordination for Deacons Dindo Billote, Alejandro Flores, Matt Nathan

June 14 – Discernment Retreat for all young adults at the Portiuncula Center for Prayer in Frankfort, 10am – 5pm

June 19 – World Day of Prayer for Priests, Sts. Peter & Paul Parish, Naperville.

June 26-28 – Youth Leadership Conference at Lewis University

June 26 – Hispanic Ministry Day at St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center

July 31 – August 2 – Source & Summit IV Retreat at St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center in Romeoville (sponsored by Spirit and Truth)

August 16 – Serra Sendoff Dinner for Seminarians, Benedictine University, 2pm

November 7 – Transitional Diaconate Ordination, Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Aurora, 11am

 

 

RECAP FOR EVENTS OF APRIL

 

April 9 – Holy Thursday young adult pilgrimage with Bishop Sartain after 7pm Mass at Cathedral.  About 70 young adults made this pilgrimage with Bishop Sartain and reported that it was very “life-giving”.

 

April 10 – Youth walk with Bishop Sartain on Good Friday in Joliet (8:30am – 2pm) starting and finishing at St. Mary Nativity Parish.  Over 400 youth accompanied Bishop Sartain around Joliet on foot with the cross.

 

April 24 – Basketball game between priests and laity sponsored by the Hispanic Ministry Office, 7pm.  Priests/seminarians won 50-26!

 

 

 

General Information

1)      You are welcome to write to our seminarians and let them know of your support.  It is very important to realize that they are not alone in this mission to serve the Lord in the Diocese of Joliet.  If you’d like to “Adopt-a-Seminarian”, please contact the vocation office at 815-834-4004.  Or you can go to http://www.vocations.com/seminarianbios_08-09/index.htm

to find the seminarian pictures, biographies, address and birthdays.  Their names and addresses are attached at the end of this newsletter as well.

2)      Thank you to all of the parish vocation committees for all that you are doing in your parishes to support vocations!  Your support is so helpful to me since I cannot be present at all 121 parishes of the diocese.  If you do not have a parish vocation committee and would like to start one, please call me and we can help you start this important ministry in your parish.  If your parish has not yet received its two binders on how to start and develop a vocation committee, please contact our office.  We currently have about 60 parishes with active Vocation Committees.  My goal is to have all 121 parishes with Vocation Committees within five years.  The training for Parish Vocation contacts will be Saturday, October 24, 2009 at the Cathedral of St. Raymond parish from 8am – 1pm.

3)      It is my goal to visit every parish over the next 4-5 years and preach about vocations at all of the Masses.  This has been a joy in my first two years in the office as I have met so many wonderful people who are very supportive of vocations.  Please call my office if you would like me to come speak at your parish 815-834-4004.

 

Thanks again for all that you do.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or you have ideas to support vocations.

 

 

For Vocations,

Fr. Burke Masters

Frburke23@aol.com

 

 

 

Joliet Diocesan Seminarians 2008-2009

(updated March 2009)

 

 

Seminary Addresses:

 

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

 

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary

3535 Indian Trail
Orchard Lake, MI 48324

 

St. John Vianney College Seminary

Mail # 5024

2115 Summit Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

 

Conception Seminary College

P.O. Box 501

Conception, MO 64433

 

Raed Bader

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 5/20

3^rd Theology

Parish: St. James, Glen Ellyn

 

Dindo Billote

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 8/12

4^th Theology

Parish: St. Elizabeth Seton, Naperville, IL

 

Steven Borello

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB:  12/10

2^nd Theology

Parish:  St. James, Glen Ellyn

 

 

Shaun Cieslik            

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail # 1864

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 7/24

1^st  College

Parish: St. John the Baptist, Winfield, IL

 

Franklin Duran

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 3/26

2^nd Theology

Parish: St. Pius X Parish, Lombard, IL

 

Stephen Eickhoff

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 11/2

3^rd Theology

Parish: Our Lady of Mercy, Aurora, IL

 

Felix Esquivel

Conception Seminary College

P.O. Box 502, 37174 State Highway VV

Conception, MO 64433

DOB: 8/14

ESL

Parish:  TBD

 

Vicente Fernandez

Conception Seminary College

P.O. Box 502, 37174 State Highway VV

Conception, MO 64433

DOB: 8/10

Pre-Theology 2

Parish: St. Mary’s, West Chicago, IL

 

 

Alejandro Flores

113 N. Ottawa St.

Joliet, IL 60432

DOB: 1/1

4^th Theology – Pastoral Year at Holy Family, Shorewood

Parish:  Holy Family, Shorewood

 

Sebastian Gargol

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary

3535 Indian Trail

Orchard Lake, MI 48324

DOB: 4/30

1^st Theology

Parish:  Ascension of Our Lord Parish, Oakbrook Terrace

 

Bryan Johnson

Mundelein Seminary

1000 Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 3/4

2^nd Theology

Parish: SS. Peter & Paul, Naperville

 

Michael Kearney

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #0499

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 1/14

Pre-Theology 2

Parish: St. Raphael, Naperville, IL

 

Chris Lankford

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #2268

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 11/28

1^st College

Parish:  Notre Dame, Clarendon Hills

 

 

John Lindsey

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 8/21

3^rd  Theology

Parish: Visitation, Elmhurst, IL

 

F. Jahary Llacsa

Mundelein Seminary

1000 E. Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 10/11

3^rd Theology

Parish: St. Andrew, Romeoville, IL

 

John Lovitsch            

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #7214

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 11/28

4^th  College

Parish: St. Mary Immaculate, Plainfield, IL

 

Matthew Malicki

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #1996

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 8/07

2^nd  College

Parish: Maternity B.V.M., Bourbonnais

 

Joshua Miller

Mundelein Seminary

1000 Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 7/22

3^rd  Theology

Parish: St. Mary Immaculate, Plainfield, IL

 

David Mowry

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #2666

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 7/11

4^th College

Parish: St. Petronille, Glen Ellyn, IL

Matthew Nathan

Mundelein Seminary

1000 Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 8/9

4^th  Theology

Parish: St. Scholastica, Woodridge, IL

 

Mike Pawlowicz        

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #1261

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 7/16

4^th College

Parish: St. Joan of Arc, Lisle, IL

 

Gabriel Payne

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #7192

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 2/5

3^rd College

Parish: Sacred Heart, Lombard, IL

 

Matthew Plese

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #3183

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 9/16

2^nd College

Parish: Assumption Parish, Coal City, IL

 

Paul Solomon

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #3393

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 10/10

2^nd College

Parish: Sts. Peter & Paul, Naperville, IL

 

Sam Sorich

St. John Vianney College Seminary

2115 Summit Avenue, Mail #6626

St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

DOB: 5/13

2^nd College

Parish: St. Joseph, Bradley, IL

 

Jason Stone

Mundelein Seminary

1000 Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 10/21

3^rd Theology

Parish: St. Walter’s Parish, Roselle, IL

 

William Vagenas

Mundelein Seminary

1000 Maple Ave.

Mundelein, IL 60060

DOB: 1/16

1^st Theology

Parish: St. Isaac Jogues, Hinsdale