Monday Pre-Con Workshop | Msgr. Stephen Rossetti
Deliverance Ministry for Priests
Msgr. Rossetti will help priests safely and effectively assist the laity who come to them for deliverance.
Thursday AM Workshop | Miguel Naranjo
Immigration Issues
This workshop will discuss current changes to U.S. immigration policies with special attention to the religious worker immigration law programs. Though immigration laws and regulations permit international religious workers to work in the U.S., the process of obtaining an R-1 religious worker visa and religious worker permanent residence has become more challenging in the past several years. This workshop will discuss the latest legal updates.
Thursday AM Workshop | Fr. Craig Giera
Organizing and Leading the Vocations Office
This presentation will provide a basic and practical overview of the essential components for organizing and operating and effective vocation office. Drawing on successful strategies used in the Archdiocese of Detroit, it will cover key tools in each domain, such as organization and data management, digital content, interviewing and walking with candidates, methods for promoting vocations, and much more. The session will conclude with an open Q&A to address specific questions.
Thursday AM Workshop | Fr. Eric Augenstein
Vocational Synthesis Stage
As dioceses and seminaries begin implementing the Vocational Synthesis Stage in light of PPF6, this facilitated conversation will be an opportunity to share questions, ideas, and emerging best practices regarding this stage of formation. Explore models and insights from those who have begun the Vocational Synthesis Stage, from both the seminary and diocesan perspectives. For those who have not yet begun implementation of this stage of formation, there will be opportunity to address challenges and opportunities they may face. The conversation will be facilitated by Fr. Eric Augenstein, NCDVD Executive Board member and Director of Seminarians for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, which began implementing the Vocational Synthesis Stage in 2024.
Thursday PM Workshop | Fr. Conor Sullivan
Distinguishing between โClinicalโ and โGrowthโ counseling in seminary admissions and formation
Suggestions for ongoing counseling are increasingly common in psychological evaluations for seminary applicants. This workshop addresses the distinction between growth counseling and clinical psychotherapy. Both kinds of counseling have unique trajectories, styles of intervention, and other important implications for determining strengths, challenges, suitability, and the overall mental health of candidates for the priesthood. In addition to addressing this distinction, this workshop will address avenues of integration between vocation directors, seminary formators, and counselors; common misperceptions and stigma around growth counseling; boundaries and reasonable expectations for counseling outcomes; and a time for Q & A.
Thursday PM Workshop | Maggie Hagenauer
Vocations Office 101: Learn where to start, how to find support, and tips and tricks in all things Vocations
Are you the only full time person in your office? Do you work with multiple priests? Are you overwhlemed with all the tasks you are asked to complete on a day to day basis? Come and learn effectient and effective ways to plan and implement events, communicate within and outside of the office (social media included), and how to keep Jesus and prayer in the center of all you do.
Thursday PM Workshop | Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, OP
The Current State of Campus Ministry and Vocation Promotion
Fr. Joseph-Anthony will discuss the historical arc of campus ministries over the past few decades. He will focus on how the emphasis of campus ministry has evolved in response to the needs of students in different generations. This will conclude with looking at how vocation promotion is integrated in the current landscape of campus ministry in the United States.
Thursday PM Workshop | Fr. Derek Aaron
Knights of the Holy Temple
TBD
Tuesday AM Workshop | Bishop Ed Loshe
Confidentiality, Conscience, and the External Forum: Canonical insights for assessing candidates for seminary admission and formation.
Vocation directors often struggle with questions over what can or should be asked of candidates and what should not. This presentation will look at the distinctions between the internal forum, external forum, and conscience and what properly belongs to each; how the non-sacramental internal forum can and should be used at times; the use of psychological instruments in admissions and formation; the role of agency for vocation directors and formators, and other related topics.
Tuesday AM Workshop | Fr. Brian Alford
From Seminary to the Presbyterate: A Vicar for Clergyโs Perspective on Men Preparing for Ordination
Once a man is ordained to the priesthood, he is transferred to the care of the Vicar for Clergy for the diocese. He inherits the fruit of the relationship that has been fostered by the Vocation Director and the seminary, and in many cases, that transition is seamless. However, there are times when a man enters the priesthood with areas that maybe have not been addressed during formation. Speaking from the perspective of a Vicar for Clergy, I will share some reflections on things I wish I had been more attentive to as Vocation Director, with an eye toward how that may affect the manโs transition from seminary to ministry.
Tuesday AM Workshop | Randy Raus
The Upper Room Generation: Guiding Teens to a Life of Vocational Clarity
The Upper Room Generation: Guiding Teens to a Life of Vocational Clarity is a workshop for those accompanying young people as they seek Godโs call in their lives. Rooted in Scripture and the Churchโs rich tradition, this session will explore practical strategies and spiritual best practices to help teens discern their vocation. Weโll discuss how to create a culture of prayerful listening, Eucharistic devotion, mentorship, and trust in Godโs providence, equipping Diocesan Vocation Directors to walk with teens as they climb to the โUpper Roomโ of clarity and mission.
Tuesday AM Workshop | Sr. Mercedes
Drawing from the Wellspings: Seeing Christโs work in us and in our ministry
โAll the good we do in the exercise of our ministry is the work of Christ and not our own, for we can do nothing without him. Yet we glory in him, from whom all the effectiveness of our work is derivedโ Saint Leo the Great
In this workshop, for Administrative Assistants, Sr. Mercedes will talk about the importance of centering Christ in ourselves and in the work performed in the vocation offices.
Tuesday PM Workshop | Tanner Kalina
Create Digitally, Connect Personally
Social Media. We all have mixed feelings about it. But could it actually be the resource that allows us to cast the widest net? And if that’s the case, how could we use it in a way that Jesus would if he were in our shoes?
Tuesday PM Workshop | Fr. Brett Brannen
How to Let a Guy Go
One of the most unpleasant duties of a vocation director is when he has to give a seminarian the news that he will be unable to continue as a seminarian for the diocese or religious order. This news will likely cause the seminarian great pain, and some embarrassment back home. Yet we all know that at times it becomes evident that a man simply should not become a priest, at least in the particular diocese or order. This may be because of some serious formation issue or it may be that he is just not a good fit. Not only do we want to bring this news with kindness and compassion, but we also need to give the reasons only after careful consideration and perhaps consult with diocesan officials. This same conversation sometimes has to be had with a discerner, not yet a seminarian, whom we have determined will not be invited to apply. Finally, our work as vocation director is always first the work of a priest; and that is to walk with these men wherever they are called, and to help them find their true vocation even after they are no longer a seminarian.
Tuesday PM Workshop | Fr. Boniface Hicks
The Impact of the Spiritual Direction relationship on personal discernment and prayer
The relationship of a Spiritual Director and directee plays a vital role in spiritual development, discernment and personal prayer. Far beyond simply processing information and giving answers (which Chat GPT can probably do much better), the spiritual director plays a formative role in a personโs life, modeling and then deepening that personโs relationship with God as the spiritual director relationship develops. Something comparable occurs in the vocation directorโs relationship with a candidate, but also with noteworthy differences. These God-focused, affirming, committed relationships are vital and even developmental in a world that is increasingly fragmented. In this talk, we will focus on the impact of these relationships and the dynamics of these relationships that will bring about the greatest benefit for men in discernment.
Tuesday PM Workshop | Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck
The Sacred Balance: Fostering Vocation Vitality in both Discerners and Directors
Early in ministry, a priest experiences the dichotomy of calling his people to excellence in holiness, discipleship, and in configuring their lives to Christ, while struggling to live excellence in those same areas himself. This dichotomy is often reinforced and enhanced when the priest becomes a formator, judging the readiness of men to stand in the person of Jesus Christ as His priest. In the hiddenness of specialized ministry, it seems that we can either soothe inadequacy by dulling the call to excellence in one of the parties, or we can find a sacred balance, which calls both higher. This session will address the unique demands and personal struggles within vocation ministry that often go unnoticed, and we will discuss strategies that will help us to live the vibrancy that we are looking for in the vocations we serve.
Msgr. Stephen J. 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. For 18 years, he served as the Executive Vice President and then the President and CEO of Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, MD, a residential treatment program for clergy and religious men and women. He is author of over a dozen books such as the Paulist Press bestseller I Am Awake and Twenty-Third Publicationsโ Fire on the Earth. He is author of the Spirit Daily book: When the Lion Roars: A Primer for the Unsuspecting Mystic. His 2021 book Diary of an American Exorcist: Demons, Possession, and the Modern-Day Battle against Ancient Evil has been a bestseller for both Sophia Institute Press and Amazon, and is being published in five different languages, the latest being Portuguese and Polish. On May 1, 2025, his latest book My Confrontation with Hell: Real Demonic Encounters of an Exorcist was released by Spirit Daily. A licensed psychologist in the State of Maryland, Msgr. Rossetti has a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Boston College and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Catholic University. He received a Proclaim Award from the U.S. Bishopsโ Conference, a Lifetime Service Award from Theological College, the 2013 John Paul II leadership award from the National Catholic Education Association, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Maryโs Seminary and University. Msgr. Rossetti is a research associate professor at the Catholic University of America (CUA) and the President of St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal (www.catholicexorcism.org). Msgr. Rossetti is the chief exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington and has conducted hundreds of exorcisms for over 18 years. He helps to train exorcists around the country and abroad. He has over 250k followers on social media (e.g. Instagram (msgr.rossetti), Facebook, TikTok (msgrrossetti)) and YouTube (@stmichaelcenter), with over 22 million views in two and a half years. He conducts a monthly online healing and deliverance session which typically has over 25k people participating.
Miguel Naranjo
Naranjo is the Director of the Religious Immigration Services section of CLINIC. He leads a group of immigration attorneys who assist more than 170 archdioceses, dioceses and religious communities throughout the U.S. in bringing international priests, brothers, sisters, novices, seminarians and other religious workers into the U.S. to serve the church.
Naranjo joined CLINIC in 2006 and has been practicing immigration law since 2002. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Fr. Craig Giera
Reverend Craig Giera earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree at Wayne State University in 2001. He completed his Bachelor of Philosophy degree at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in 2006, followed by the MDiv and STB degrees at Sacred Heart in 2010. Fr. Giera finished his Doctorate of Ministry in Leadership from Duke University in 2019.
Fr. Giera was ordained to the priesthood in 2010. He served for two years at Guardian Angels Parish in Clawson, and then served for three years at St. Fabian and St. Colman parishes in Farmington Hills. In 2015, he served as Pastor for five years at St. Ephrem Parish in Sterling Heights. In 2020, he was appointed Director of Priestly Vocations and holds the position today. He is currently on the Presbyteral Council and is on the Committee for Sacred Art and Environment. Fr. Giera has held various roles concerning Art and Sacred Space.
Fr. Eric Augenstein
Fr. Eric Augenstein was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 2004. A native of Indianapolis, he received a Bachelors Degree from La Salle University (Philadelphia) and Master of Arts and Master of Divinity Degrees from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. In 2013, he became Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and served in that role full-time for six years. In 2019, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis initiated a team-based approach to vocations ministry, and Fr. Eric now serves as Director of Seminarians as well as Pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Church in Indianapolis. He currently serves as Secretary on the Executive Board of NCDVD and has served in liturgical and support roles for the National Eucharistic Congress, the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), and SEEK.
Fr. Conor Sullivan
Fr. Conor Sullivan, Psy.D., is a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, who currently serves as a psychological consultant at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. Ordained a priest in 2014, Fr. Conor went on to receive a Doctorate in Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Divine Mercy University. He has been involved in candidate assessments and growth counseling for seminarians and priests, integrating his priestly identity with mental health counseling.
Maggie Hagenauer
Maggie Hagenauer comes from Indianapolis, Indiana where she worked in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Vocations Office for four years. Maggie worked alongside the Vocations Director and Director of Seminarians while being the only full time person in the office. She helped organize the seminarian housing for the National Eucharistic Congress and clergy central for NCYC. Currrently she is the Director of Evangelization and Discipleship for Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Indianapolis.
Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P.
Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P. entered the Dominican Province of St. Joseph in 2010. He made his solemn profession on August 9, 2014 and was ordained a priest on May 21, 2016. In the spring of 2010 he graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a Bachelor of Arts and subsequently received a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and Masters of Divinity from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception. Fr. Joseph-Anthony served as the Chaplain to Catholic Hoos at the University of Virginia from 2017-2024. In 2025he began to serve as the Promoter of the Rosary for the Province of St. Joseph. He is a co-host of the Godsplaining podcast alongside three of his Dominican classmates. Over the years he has worked in overseeing large-scale liturgies which include World Youth Day Krakow, USCCB Convocation, Fr. Emil Kapaun Homecoming, Amazing Parish conferences, and the National Eucharistic Congress. A native of St. Clairsville, OH, he is the youngest of three.
Fr. Derek Aaron
Coming soon…
Bishop Ed Loshe
Coming soon…
Fr. Brian Alford
Father Alford serves as the Vicar for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. He also serves as the Rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, IL. He has been working in vocations since 2013 as has been working as Vicar for Priests/Clergy since 2017.
Randy Raus
Randy Raus serves as the President and CEO of Life Teen International, the largest Catholic youth ministry movement in the world. With over three decades of ministry experience, Randy has led Life Teen through global expansion, innovative program development, and deep investment in parish-based evangelization. Under his leadership, Life Teen currently partners with more than 1,600 parishes across 30 countries, offering dynamic resources, transformative events, and mission-driven campsโall rooted in the Eucharist and the heart of the Church. A Catholic convert, husband, father of eight, and grandfather, Randyโs passion is forming the next generation of saints by leading teenagers into deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.
Sr. Mercedes
Sr. Mercedes was raised in Brooklyn, NY in a Dominican immigrant family. She studied International Relations and Spanish at the University of Southern California. Sr. Mercedes has always had a great love of travel and personal encounter, leading her to work for a Manhattan-based non-profit, planning trips and bringing medical supplies and doctors to Cuba and Nicaragua prior to entering religious life. Sr. Mercedes entered the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor in 2011 and professed her Final Vows in 2019. Sister has taught Spanish and Humanities at a high school in Phoenix, was a librarian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and currently serves as the Vocations Director for her community.
Tanner Kalina
Tanner Kalina is a Catholic evangelist who has dedicated his life to helping bring as many souls as possible into the fullness of the Gospel. He has appeared in videos for Ascension Presents โ as well as videos for EWTN, FOCUS, and the National Eucharistic Revival. He is the author of the book, Aching for Greatness, the Co-Founder of the Saints Alive Podcast on Hallow, and a member of the National Eucharistic Congress. He currently lives with his wife in northern Colorado
Fr. Brett Brannen
Fr. Brett Brannen was ordained a priest in 1991 for the Diocese of Savannah, where he served as vocation director (10 years) and as a pastor of five different parishes. From 2005- 2011, he was the vice-rector of Mount St. Maryโs Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD. From 2019-2023, Fr. Brannen was the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. Fr. Brannen has preached numerous retreats for diocesan priests, seminaries and religious communities, as well as discernment retreats for vocation candidates. He regularly leads diocesan Clergy Conferences on priestly health and holiness, and on promoting vocations to priesthood. He taught many years at the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha and with The Theology of the Body Institute (TOB and the Identity of the Diocesan Priest). He is the author of โTo Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthoodโ (2010) and โA Priest in the Family: A Guide for Parents Whose Sons are Considering Priesthoodโ (2014). Fr. Brannen is currently the Vicar for Priestly Life and Vocations in the Diocese of Savannah, and pastor of St. Michaelโs Church on Tybee Island, Ga.
Fr. Boniface Hicks
Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. became a Benedictine monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1998. Since his ordination to the priesthood in 2004 he has provided spiritual direction for many men and women, including married couples, seminarians, consecrated religious and priests, even as he completed his Ph.D. in computer science at Penn State University. He became the programming manager and an on-air contributor for We Are One Bodyยฎ Catholic radio in 2010 and has recorded thousands of radio programs on theology and the spiritual life. He has extensive experience as a retreat master for laity, consecrated religious and priests. He became the Director for Spiritual Formation for Saint Vincent Seminary in 2016 and Director of the Institute for Ministry Formation at Saint Vincent Seminary in 2019 and has offered many courses on spiritual direction and the spiritual life. While continuing his other responsibilities he is also currently enrolled in the STL program at Sacred Heart Seminary on the New Evangelization. He is author of Through the Heart of St. Joseph and together with Fr. Thomas Acklin, OSB he is author of the book Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Fatherโs Love and Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Fatherโs Love, all published by Emmaus Road Publishing.
Fr. Hicks can be contacted via the Institute for Ministry Formation at imf@stvincent.edu.
Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck
Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck is a native of central Illinois and has been a priest of the Diocese of Peoria for 11 years. He attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD from 2008-2014. As a priest, Fr. Chase has served as a high school chaplain, a college chaplain at the University of Illinois Newman Center, and is beginning his 6th year as Vocation Director in Peoria. Fr. Hicks can be contacted via the Institute for Ministry Formation at imf@stvincent.edu.