Workshops
THE INSTITUTE
for diocesan vocation personnel
“3-DAY BOOTCAMP FOR NOVICES”
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 – MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016
Who: Vocation Directors & Staff Who Are New To The World of Vocations (and all those looking for a refresher)
Why: “Honestly…I’m not sure what I’m doing!!! WHAT job description?!? My staff & I need the confidence of having valuable tips & lessons from others’ experience that we can take home with us!”
What: Overview of the ministry of vocations and the basics of organizing your office – plans for administration, discernment, formation, psychological guidelines, office structure, youth activities, who to work with, (such as parents, families and Church personnel) and how. We will also offer an introduction to recruiting, assessing, and mentoring candidates for priesthood.
How: Practical lessons from experienced personnel, open-forum discussion to answer your questions and share ideas to get you started, lots of take-home resources
Rev. Ralph O’Donnell
Rev. Ralph B. O’Donnell was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1997, where he served as Vocation Director, Urban Director of the Permanent Diaconate, Chaplain for the Omaha Chapter of Legatus, and Pastor of St. Bridget Parish and St. Rose Parish.
A graduate of Conception Seminary College with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, Fr. O’Donnell attended Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, IL, where he earned the Master of Divinity degree. He earned the Master of Arts in Spirituality from Creighton University in Omaha, NE.
He served as Vice Rector and Dean of Students at Conception Seminary College, prior to serving as Executive Director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC.
Mrs. Rosemary Sullivan
Mrs. Rosemary Sullivan is the Executive Director of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors and has over 13 years of experience in the ministry of vocations for diocesan priesthood. Rosemary’s work in this ministry began in 2002 as the Vocation Program Coordinator for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, including overseeing of seminary candidate admissions. This led to her being hired as the Events Coordinator for the NCDVD in 2006, and subsequently their Executive Director in 2009. For the past 6 years Rosemary has also been serving as a consultant to the USCCB committee for Clergy, Consecrated Life & Vocations.
In addition to her work in vocations, in 2012 Rose was appointed by Timothy Cardinal Dolan to serve as Program Director for the newly established Sacred Heart Institute for the ongoing formation of Clergy, part of the St. Charles Borromeo Tri-Diocesan Partnership. This institute covers such programs as Recently Ordained, New Pastors, Mentor Training, Retreats and Study Days. Rose is often invited to speak on Diocesan Priesthood at conferences throughout the country.
A graduate of St. John’s University with degrees in Business and Communications, Rose has been married to her husband Gary for over 29 years; they have two college aged daughters and two sons. One son is married and teaches Theology at a Catholic HS; their other son is a seminarian entering Fourth Theology for the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
Rev. James Crisman
Fr. Crisman is a priest of the Archdiocese of Denver. He studied at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Charles Chaput in 2001. After ordination Fr. Jim served for three years as a parochial vicar in a suburban Denver parish. During that time he was also appointed chaplain for a local Catholic high school where he served for 9 years. In 2004 he was appointed administrator of an urban parish in Denver where he served one year before being assigned to work in the Office of Priestly Vocations. Fr. Jim has worked in vocations and seminary formation since 2005. He currently serves as the Vice President of NCDVD.
Rev. Christopher Martin
Fr. Martin was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 2006. He spent his first five years as a parochial vicar at a parish before being named vocation director in 2011. In 2012 he opened and became director of the Kolbe House, a house of discernment for men who are discerning priesthood. In 2016 Archbishop Carlson appointed him as Vice-Rector of Cardinal Glennon Seminary. He currently serves as a national board member for Life Teen International and as a team member for the Steubenville Youth Conferences. He currently as an NCDVD Member-at-Large.
Rev. Michael Simone
Fr. Michael Simone is a priest of the Diocese of Wichita. He received a B.B.A. in accounting from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS. He practiced for a regional public accounting firm, Baird, Kurtz, and Dobson, LLC prior to entering seminary. He passed the CPA exam in 1997. He earned his M.A. and M. Div from Mt. St. Mary Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD and was ordained to the priesthood in 2003. He earned an STL in Spiritual Theology from the Angelicum in 2008. His area of concentration was an anthropological study in the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena. He has served his diocese as associate pastor, parish administrator, vice-chancellor, moderator of the curia and currently serves as Director of Vocations, Chancellor, and Administrator of St. Anne Parish, Wichita. He currently serves as Treasurer of NCDVD.
Megan Sahar Turngren
Megan S. Turngren is an attorney in the Religious Immigration Services division of Catholic Legal Immigration Network (“CLINIC”). Ms. Turngren first came to the immigration field in 2003, and in 2005 began practicing immigration law with one of the best known immigration firms in the United States. In July 2012, she joined CLINIC and started working exclusively with foreign-born religious workers. By utilizing her expertise, Ms. Turngren is able to assist her clients in navigating this complex area of law by offering consultations, advice, and preparation of legal filings of immigration petitions and applications. Currently, she represents more than 35 religious entities, including Catholic Archdioceses, Dioceses, and Religious Communities, as well as over 150 foreign-born religious workers.
Rev. Msgr. Stephen Rossetti
Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti is a priest of the Diocese of Syracuse. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1973 and spent six years in the Air Force as an intelligence officer. After ordination, he served in two parishes before becoming Director of Education of the House of Affirmation. For 17 years, he served as the Executive Vice President and then the President and Chief Executive Officer of Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland, a residential treatment program for clergy and religious men and women. He is now President Emeritus of Saint Luke Institute.
He is author of the Paulist Press bestseller I Am Awake and Twenty-Third Publications’ Fire on the Earth. He is editor of the Silver Gryphon Award-winning book Slayer of the Soul, author of A Tragic Grace, published by Liturgical Press and the Ave Maria book: When the Lion Roars: A Primer for the Unsuspecting Mystic. His book The Joy of Priesthood won a Catholic Press Association award. He edited Behold Your Mother: Priests Speak About Mary and Born of the Eucharist: A Spirituality for Priests. His research book on priesthood called Why Priests are Happy: A Study of the Psychological and Spiritual Health of Priests was released in Oct 2011. His latest book (Oct 2013) is Letters to My Brothers: Words of Hope and Challenge for Priests.
A licensed psychologist in the States of Maryland and Massachusetts, Msgr. Rossetti has a Ph.D. in psychology from Boston College and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Catholic University. He was chair of the Maryland Psychological Association’s ethics committee. He received a Proclaim Award from the U.S. Bishops’ Conference, a Lifetime Service Award from Theological College, a Touchstone Award from the NFPC, the 2013 John Paul II leadership award from the National Catholic Education Association, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Mary’s Seminary and University.
Msgr. Rossetti is a Research Associate Professor of Pastoral Studies at the Catholic University of America (CUA). He is also a Visiting Professor at the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy and a Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at CUA.
