Sunday, February 24, 2008 Many still open to joining church
THE fear was that those responding to the call for either priesthood or sisterhood are dwindling.
The church need not fret, though, because thousands are still open to it, going by the number of participants to the 11th Vocation Jamboree 2008.
Thousands of teenagers gathered at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) for the overnight activity, which ends.
Fr. Randy Figuracion of the Salesian of Don Bosco said they expected around 10,000 youths from at least 140 parishes under the Archdiocese of Cebu.
Better numbers
This, he said, will be an improvement from the 6,000 who joined last year.
He said the number of participants was overwhelming, and raised the hope of the more than 80 different religious congregations, including the Religious of Mary Immaculate, that set up tents at the CICC in a bid to encourage the youth to join them.
Sister Gumer San Pedro said they looked for aspirants who are mature enough to understand the responsibility of being a nun.
“We don’t have to get so many, really. We go slow in our selection and we favor those who are already mature, preferably those who finished college already,” said San Pedro.
Figuracion said there is less interest in the consecrated life nowadays, and called it a “crisis of vocation.”
“It is a phenomenon all over the world, especially in western countries. It could be because of materialism, loss of value, drugs and others,” he said.
Minds not made up
And the predominantly Christian Philippines is not spared, which he said could be because of western influence.
A number of youth who joined the jamboree said they have not made up their minds yet about their future.
But Joannes Monteclar, 18, said the priesthood may not be for him.
“Being a priest may be a very difficult task because it’s a big responsibility. Being in the priesthood is definitely a calling,” he said.
Asked if he has been called, Monteclar smiled and said, “Mura’g wala (I think not).”
Required attendance
Nineteen-year-old Kristi Nacague, a University of San Carlos psychology student, said the jamboree was a requisite for their Religious Education class.
She did not close her door to the “religious life,” though, saying she was still searching for her life’s vocation.
“I’m not sure what I want to be...I haven’t thought about it,” Nikki Pugoy, 18, also said when asked if she was interested in becoming a nun.
Figuracion said the jamboree aims to give the youth an option and to consider the consecrated vocation.
The jamboree has the theme “Jesus: Our Way.” (JGA)
