V9 power is being seen as a major force behind a remarkable upsurge of interest in the priesthood in Brisbane archdiocese.
Vocations director Fr Morgan Batt said since last year’s inaugural V9 vocations novena more than 45 young men across the archdiocese were now considering the priesthood.
“Of these, five have just started at the Canali House of discernment at Herston,” he said.
“With the Holy Spirit Provincial Seminary now full with 32 seminarians, it’s a very exciting time for vocations to the priesthood in the archdiocese.”
Fr Batt said Adelaide archdiocese was so impressed with the results of the novena, it was starting its own V9 this year.
“There’s also a possibility the initiative could go national,” he said.
The latest group of men to start discernment for the priesthood at Canali House come from various backgrounds including youth work and lifesaving.
They are: Ryan Andrews (student/youth worker), Adam Burns (vocations office/student), Michael Tanuvasa (student), Brad Davies (student/lifesaver) and Javier Perez (student/Frassati leader).
Two of the three men contacted at Canali House have a background in NET (National Evangelisation Teams) Ministries.
Mr Burns said he had served on four NET teams and is working as a vocations field officer.
In common with the other men, he is not “100 per cent sure” he wants to become a priest which is why he is discerning God’s will for him.
However, Mr Burns said as he had matured “ministry in the Church became an obvious way of making that difference in the world”.
Mr Tanuvasa said after two years service in NET Ministries he had experienced a call to discern the priesthood.
“I feel that is a challenge for young people to step up and many young men and women are afraid to say ‘yes’ because they are afraid of the challenge that lays ahead of them,” he said.
“I wanted to do something about the call so decided to join Canali House.”
Mr Adams said the process of discernment “is a fundamental part of the Christian journey … and will only lead me into a deeper relationship with Christ and a drive for the mission of the Church”.
“I have a passion for youth and retreat ministry and plan to utilise skills gained from these ministries to fulfil my possible vocation as a priest or as a Marist Brother,” he said.
Last year was the first time the V9 novena for vocations was held. It ran during Sunday Masses from June 17 to August 12.
Fr Batt said the V9 vocations novena would kick off this year on June 16 and asked all parishioners to get behind it.
Last year, thanking parishioners for their ongoing prayer support, he said it was not just Brisbane men answering the vocations call.
“We have also had three young Brisbane women enter the convent during the year,” he said.
Banyo’s Holy Spirit Prov-incial Seminary rector Monsignor Tony Randazzo, speaking after the seminary’s recent Commencement Mass, said Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was held at the seminary every Thursday at 5pm.
“We would ask the Catholic people of Queensland to join us wherever they might be at this time to pray for vocations,” he said.
