THURSDAY Workshops
September 17, 2015 | 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM
SESSION I
BALANCING MULTIPLE ASSIGNMENTS
Wearing Your Many Hats Well
Who: Priests who are Vocation Directors AND have other official assignments
Why: “I’m overwhelmed! I don’t know how to balance and prioritize my various responsibilities. Can this really work? What do I do? How have others made this work?”
What: Resources for support, guidance & confidence
How: Hear from someone who’s holding it all together as Vocation Director, teacher and secretary to the Bishop.
Rev. Joseph O’Connor
Fr. O’Connor was born, raised, and ordained in the Diocese of Syracuse, NY. After bouncing around six schools in six years, he graduated from Catholic High School and went on to the Franciscan University of Steubenville for a BA in History and Theology. Afterward, he spent a year recruiting for their Admissions Office and discerning his vocation. He entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore in 2000 and was ordained in 2005. In addition to his first parochial assignment, he was asked to be part of the Vocation Promotion team. In November 2007, he took over the Office of Vocation Promotion fulltime. He has worked to create programming that works in a Diocese that does not have its own seminary. He developed a successful schools program and continues to assist at the Diocesan Youth Rally and Catholic Men’s Conference, both programs he helped to initiate. He serves as adjunct faculty in the IPF Spiritual Direction Training Program. He currently serves as secretary to the Bishop in addition to his vocation promotion work.
SESSION II
FORMING MEN OF COMMUNION
Who: Everyone
Why: The importance of a parish priest being a man of communion is stressed by the fact that the phrase is used eight times in the Program of Priestly Formation.
What: I have heard pastors tell me that they, of course, want a prayerful and intellectually formed associate, but just as importantly, and more fundamentally, they want a man who is willing to work and enjoys being with the people. This talk will explore the necessity of forming seminarians as men of communion who are called to be parish priests.
Rev. James Mason
Fr. James Mason is a Priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After being ordained in 2001, he served as Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Garretson from 2001-2004 and as the Director of Vocations, Vice-Chancellor, and Medical Moral Advisor for the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls from 2001-2009. In addition, Father Mason served as the Director of Broom Tree Retreat Center from 2004-2014 and as Pastor of St. Lambert Parish in Sioux Falls from 2008-2014. He served as the Director of Spiritual Formation and Dean of Students at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis before being named President-Rector as of July 1, 2015. Father Mason attended the North American College and received his STB from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas – Angelicum, Rome. He received his JD from the University of Minnesota Law School. Prior to entering the seminary, Father Mason was the Director of Catholic Charities, legal counsel, and lobbyist for the Diocese of Sioux Falls and worked as a prosecutor in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Father Mason has traveled the world, giving many retreats for priests and for the Missionaries of Charity. He directs a 30 day Silent Ignatian Retreat at Broom Tree Retreat Center and has also taught a course on the Spirituality of the Diocesan Priesthood at the Institute of Priestly Formation (IPF) Summer Program.
SESSION III
EMBRACING THE PARADOXICAL LIFE AS THE DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONS
Who: Everyone, especially newer Vocation Directors
Why: “I’m a parish priest without a parish…my life is not the same as it used to be. How can I embrace this new reality?”
What: Advice & examples for successfully living the identity of priesthood in our unique life as a Vocation Director
How: As a seasoned Vocation Director, Fr. Torres will share his experiences, elicit your ideas and explore helpful scenarios.
Rev. Jorge Torres
Fr. Jorge was born in Mexico, raised in NY and settled in Orlando at the age of 17 years old. Fr. Jorge entered seminary at the age of eighteen and holds and undergraduate degree in philosophy from St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami and a Masters in Divinity from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL . Fr. Jorge was ordained in 2005 and served at St. Ann Catholic Church from 2005-2008. From 2008-2011 he served in his second assignment at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church while also serving as a chaplain for campus ministry at the University of Central Florida. In 2011 he became the vocation director. Since becoming director he has helped form discernment groups for young adults as well as teens in various parts of the diocese. He currently serves as Secretary for NCDVD.
