On June 23, the Vigil for the Feast Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Bishop Schlert celebrated Mass for the opening of Quo Vadis and Fiat Days for the Diocese of Allentown. Over 40 young men and women began the weeklong discernment retreat at St. Mary, Kutztown. This year’s retreat, June 22-25, was held at Kutztown University.
Quo Vadis, held annually in the summer, is open to young men ages 14 to 18 to help them discern their vocation. Built into the retreat schedule are opportunities for fellowship, Mass, Adoration, and activities to help attendees proceed with their discernment in community.
Fiat Days, held at the same time as Quo Vadis, help young women ages 14 to 18 discern God’s call. This year’s theme was “Youth on a Mission.” Along with fellowship, activities for spiritual growth, Adoration, and Mass, a national speaker was invited with first class relics of St. Maria Goretti, Blessed Carlo Acutis (soon to be St. Carlo Acutis), and St. Jose Luis Sanchez Del Rio.
Both Quo Vadis and Fiat Days are run by the Office of Vocations for the Diocese of Allentown under the direction of Father John Maria, Director of Vocations.
Priests, deacons, and religious sisters from across the Diocese came to support those discerning their vocations. Retreatants were reverent through the Mass and excited for the week to begin. The lectors were retreatants from Fiat Days, and the Gospel was proclaimed by one of the newly ordained transitional deacons.
“I am so glad you decided to spend a few days with our religious sisters, our priests, and our seminarians for this time of Quo Vadis and Fiat Days,” said Bishop Schlert to the retreatants. “It is important for us to think about those words these days. ‘Fiat’ meaning ‘your will be done’ and ‘Quo Vadis’ meaning ‘where are you going?”’
Bishop Schlert highlighted the importance of stepping away from daily distractions to listen to God and discern His purpose for our lives. Bringing it back to John the Baptist, whose feast day is celebrated on June 24, the Bishop explained that while Jesus was foretold as the Messiah, John the Baptist also had a purpose in the story.
“Each and every one of us, just like Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and John [the Baptist], all have a specific purpose that God the Father was asking them to fulfill … each and every one of us is prepared for a purpose, created for a purpose, and has been given a mission while on this earth.”
Bishop Schlert explained that in every vocation—whether religious life, consecrated life, married life, or the priesthood—each person has a unique role to play in the Church and in the Kingdom of God.
Each person’s vocation, while it may seem similar to another person’s vocation, will be unique to that person because of how each person is formed as an individual. “We’re all unique. How we do a job for the same vocation is going to be unique because we’re going to be able to offer something to someone that no one else can.”
Retreatants were also reminded that, no matter what their age, it is important to put together what it is that God is calling them to do. “God will be using you with your gifts, your talents, your strengths, and your weaknesses to go out and do the work that He is asking you to do,” continued Bishop Schlert.
He shared the well-known quote from Venerable Carlo Acutis: “All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies.” Drawing on this, Bishop Schlert encouraged the retreatants not to be mimics of anyone else, but to use their unique gifts and vocations to follow God and be genuinely happy in life.
Let us pray as a Diocese for all men and women who are discerning their vocations.
By Jennifer Russell. Photo by Norm Steinruck.
