Cardinal George and Father Robert Barron, rector of Mundelein Seminary, hosted a major vocation event the day after Thanksgiving called, “Who Will Fill These Shoes?” The event was a huge success. More than 140 men came to Mundelein Seminary to explore a vocation to the priesthood. They were accompanied by nearly 80 priests and three auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese. Barron said, “There was tremendous energy and enthusiasm throughout the day and we hope to have a similar event next year.” He added, “I think ‘Who Will Fill These Shoes’ was the most successful vocation event we have ever had in the archdiocese. I was especially impressed by the number of priests who came and showed such enthusiasm for the priesthood and its future.” Barron said one of the benefits of the event was that “the men were not only able to see the beauty of our campus but they were also able to meet likeminded people who will encourage them in their journey.” The 140 men who attended the event were invited by their pastors. They ranged between 15 and 35 years of age. Bishop Francis Kane said, “The success of the event is a lesson to all of us that there are a lot of young men who are interested in the priesthood.” Cardinal George added, “The Lord never abandons the church he loves, and he gives vocations to ordained priesthood in every generation.” During his presentation on spiritual fatherhood, Barron stressed to the men in attendance that, “A father is someone who gives life, and that’s exactly what a priest does. A priest gives life in the spiritual order. And this is intimately tied to the sacraments. In baptism, he gives spiritual life; in the sacrament of reconciliation, he is the agent by which life is restored; in the Eucharist, he nourishes it; in confirmation, he strengthens it; in holy orders and marriage, he focuses it vocationally; in the sacrament of the sick, he heals it and orders it to its transcendent fulfillment. Radiating out from the sacraments is the totality of a priest’s life. All of his other fathering is a consequence of his sacramental life-giving.” After Barron’s presentation, seminarians shared their vocation stories and how they discerned their vocation. During the Mass celebrated by Cardinal George, the cardinal shared his own vocational journey. He said his father was initially hesitant in encouraging his vocation but finally told him, “If you’re going to be a priest, be a good one!” I will be contacting the men who attended the event to invite them to join one of the Vocation Office’s discernment programs. Men in high school are encouraged to participate in the Quigley Scholars Program. And men who are about to graduate high school or who already attend college are encouraged to consider applying to St. Joseph College Seminary at Loyola University. Father Mike Scherschel, assistant vocation director and recruiter for St. Joseph’s, said that one of the men who attended “Who Will Fill These Shoes?” has already contacted his office about transferring into St. Joseph’s Seminary for next year. Thanks to the incredible success of “Who Will Fill These Shoes?” the Vocation Office will be very busy over the next few months following up with the men who came to the event. Several men have already contacted my office to discuss their interest in the priesthood and I have invited all of the post-college age men to attend one of our Exploring Priesthood Weekends and our Insearch Discernment Program. Given the strong turnout for the event Cardinal George and Barron plan to make it an annual event. Barron said the success of the event “bodes very well for the future of vocations in the Archdiocese of Chicago.” For more information about vocations, visit www.chicagopriest.com.