By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
Although participation in the summer Quo Vadis and Quest trips is healthy for the Office of Vocations, there is still a need to retain contact with discerning young men throughout the year. For the first time, the office is offering Fireside during the last weekend of Advent.
 
Fireside will be held Dec. 21 and 22 at King’s Pointe Resort in Storm Lake. There is no cost to attend and meals are included. Storm Lake was selected due to its central location and facilities to house the participants for the event.
 
“The idea is to have a check-in with guys over the Christmas break,” explained Father Travis Crotty, director of vocations. “We have two events in the summer as things often are scheduled in the summer, and then we just kind of lose contact with the guys.”
 
This new event will focus solely upon college-aged young men who have graduated from high school. Participants do not have to be enrolled in college to attend.
 
Father Crotty said there are a number of young men in the diocese who regularly attend the Office of Vocations events and there is camaraderie between the participants.
 
“There are definitely guys who are discerning. But I think there’s the culture, especially surrounding the Quest and Quo Vadis young men in our diocese who get to know each other. They develop friendships with other young men who are all striving to be good Christian men,” he said. “That’s been something I don’t know we ever anticipated with Quest, especially a community that’s formed around that.”
 
Diocesan seminarians, with the exception of Thomas Kollasch and Anthony Vera, who are studying in Rome, Father Crotty will host the Fireside retreat along with Father Shane Deman, director of seminarians and the diocesan seminarians.
 
“We’ll meet for a meal and evening prayer at King’s Pointe, then have time for fraternity,” Father Crotty said, noting the men should arrive by 4:30 p.m. “We’ll have some of the seminarians share a witness or share their experiences of seminary or meeting Christ in a new way this year in their formation.”
 
Participants will join together for prayer Sunday morning, then Mass at St. Mary Parish, followed by brunch at the resort before departing.
 
Those interested in attending should contact Michelle at the Office of Vocations at (712) 233-7523, [email protected] or Father Crotty at [email protected] to RSVP. If there is inclement weather at the time of the event, participants will be contacted regarding a potential cancellation.
 
“As the seminarians of our diocese study at three seminaries outside of the diocese, they are always eager to come back home and reconnect as we all come back home for Christmas break,” the vocations director said. “This could be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with our faith with our seminarians and discern the priesthood.”
 
See more about the Office of Vocations at siouxcitypriest.org.