Vocations

An overview of the vocational life of Venerable Fulton Sheen

Fr. Bitterman and Arthur Bautista

An overview of the vocational life of Augustus Tolton

Vocations Director Fr. Tim Monahan talks with Juan Carlos Vargas, who currently resides at Casa Jesus with Fr. Monahan, about discerning for the priesthood and his backround at Cristo Rey High School and St. Xavier University.

An overview of the vocational life of Blessed Solanus Casey.

Priest Talk with Friends: discussion on vocations with Fr. Steve Titus and Pat & Beth McIntyre

An overview of the vocational life of Fr. Damien, SS.CC. Fr. Damien was known for his ministry from 1873 to 1889 in the Kingdom of Hawai'I to people with leprosy. Fr. Damien was canonized in October, 2009 and is now known as Saint Damien of Molokai.

An overview of the vocational life of Fr. Stanley Rother, first U.S.-born martyr. Fr. Rother will be beatified at a mass in Oklahoma City on September 23, 2017.

Fr. Timothy Monahan interviews Fr. Miguel Venegas, who was ordained into the priesthood this past May

Fr. Timothy Monahan introduces himself as the new Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago. He talks with Erica Zapien, who works in the Vocations Office, about life and vocations.

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks with Christian Shiu and Robinson Ortiz who will be ordained transitional deacons on Saturday, May 13.

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks with Fr. Mark Augustine about inviting young people to be open to God's call to Priesthood and Religious Life.

Today we talk about vocations with Rhonda Gruenewald the Author of "Hundredfold: A Guide to Parish Based Vocation Ministry."

Today's show was with Joshua Smyser de Leon talking about Campus Ministry at DePaul and the Totus Tuus program.

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks to Sr. Lovina Pammit and Fr. Mike Scherschel about discernment opportunities in Chicago for men and women who want to discern a vocation to priesthood or consecrated life.

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks with Mark Teresi with the National Fund for Catholic Religious Vocations.

Seminarians Discussing Discernment Programs in the Archdiocese of Chicago

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks to Deacon Bob Puhala and Kasia Kasiarz about the vocation of permanent deacons.

Archdiocese of Chicago Vocations Director Fr. Francis Bitterman talks with Fr. Mark Augustine, Director for Recruitment and Admissions at St. Joseph College Seminary, and Fr. Tim Monahan, Associate Pastor at Mary Seat of Wisdom in Park Ridge, about World Youth Day. All three attended WYD in Krakow, Poland, and shared their experiences from that journey.

Discussion with two former Totus Tuus Missionaries: Chip Chipman, a Seminarian for the Archdiocese; and Ben Valle, the Youth Coordinator at St. Mary of the Annunciation in Freemont Center. They shared their experiences as missionaries evangelizing grade school and high school students throughout the Archdiocese and how the program impacted their own vocations.

Fr. Francis talks with Chicago Seminarians who will be Ordained Deacons on May 15. They discussed their experiences in seminary and what they were looking forward to as newly ordained Deacons..

Fr. Francis interviews Fr. Carlos Rodriguez about his vocation story.

Fr. Francis interviews Deacon Pawel Barwikowski, Deacon Dominic Clemente, Deacon Miguel Flores, Deacon Matthew Litak and Deacon Michael Trail about their forthcoming ordination into the priesthood.

Fr. Francis interviews Fr. Matt O'Donnell, Pastor of St. Columbanus Church

Fr. Francis talks to Fr. Brad Zamora and Megan Miller about Night Fever

Fr. Francis interviews seminarians Chip Chipman, Jeff Grosich and Robert Ryan

Fr. Francis interviews two Life Scouts from the Boy Scouts of America who just completed the St. George Trek in New Mexico. The Saint George Trek is The National Catholic Committee on Scouting's high adventure Catholic leadership program for older Catholic Boy Scouts and Venture Crew members at Philmont Scout Ranch. The program brings Catholic high school youth from around the country together with priests, religious and seminarians for eleven days of backpacking in the context of a vocation retreat

We talked about discerning a vocation to be a Deacon and the process one follows to actually be ordained a Deacon. And we discussed the different forms of ministry a Deacon performs.

Fr. Francis Bitterman interviews Deacon Bob Regan who will be ordained a priest the following day.

The 3rd Year Theology Seminarians for the Archdiocese of Chicago discussed how to discern a vocation, life in seminary, and their upcoming Deacon Ordination on May 9th.

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks with Fr. Mike Scherschel from St. Joseph College Seminary about discernment

Fr. Francis Bitterman talks with Deacon Matt Alexander

Fr. Bitterman talks with Chip Chipman

Fr. Bitterman sat down with Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago, and talked with him about his 50+ years he has spent in the priesthood.

Fr. Bitterman talks with University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary Rector Fr. Robert Barron about this year's Who Will Fill These Shoes? Event scheduled to take place at Mundelein Seminary on Friday, November 28.

Fr. Bitterman talks about the Insearch Discernment Group with Fr. Dick Mueller the founder and director of Insearch

Interview with Fr. Brad Zamora, newly ordained priest, Associate Pastor and Director of Liturgy at Holy Name Cathedral.

Fr. Francis Bitterman, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago, chats with newly ordained priests Fr. Jamie Mueller and Fr. Dan Folwaczny.

St. Joseph College Seminarians Charlie Plovanich, Theo McManigal and Dylan Conover continue their discussion on discernment as they reflect on the priestly promises of celibacy, obedience and simplicity of life.

In the first half-hour, Fr. Francis Bitterman, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago, talks with Sr. Elyse Ramirez about Pope Francis calling for "The Year of Consecrated Life." They talk about their reactions, plans for the year, and upcoming events for both CAVA and the Vocation Office. During the second half-hour St. Joseph College Seminarian Charlie Plovanich continues his discussion with Theo McManigal and Dylan Conover on why more and more young men are responding to God's call to the priesthood. During this half hour, they discuss why the college seminary is a good fit for them at this point in their lives and what they've been discovering.

In the first half-hour, Fr. Francis Bitterman, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago, turns the mic over to St. Joseph College Seminarian Charlie Plovanich for a special show on why more and more young men are responding to God's call to the priesthood. Charlie's guests include college seminarians Theo McManigal and Dylan Conover. Hear their vocation stories and a lively discussion on the joys and challenges of discernment. In the second half-hour a group of young adults led by current seminarians studying for the priesthood at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary, discuss an upcoming event called Night Fever. Guests for the second half hour are: Deacon Bradley Zamora; Deacon Matthew Marshall, Colin Parrish; Michael Metz; and Courtney Bonty.

Fr. Francis Bitterman, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago, speaks with Fr. Mike Scherschel, Assistant Vocation Director from St. Joseph College Seminary, and college seminarians Charlie Plovanich and Adam Gonzales. They discuss not only the Program of Priestly Formation at St. Joseph College Seminary, but also the Quigley Scholars Program--a discernment program for men in high school. Charlie and Adam explain how they found two great programs that fit exactly what they were looking for at this point in their lives.

Sr. Elyse Ramirez and Fr. Francis Bitterman talk about vocations. They specifically talk about the renewed interest among young people towards vocations to priesthood and religious life. They also discuss the huge turnout of men to the "Who Will Fill These Shoes?" event at Mundelein, as 14O men came to the event. Another topic is the increase of interest in religious communities, and finally upcoming vocation events around the dicoese are discussed..

The first half hour was on the Insearch Discernment Program. Fr. Mueller, the founder and director of the program, was my guest along with Fr. Kevin McCray and Seminarian Christian Shiu who both went through the program. We talked about why the program began, what the program entails and how it helped both Fr. McCray and Christian discern their calling to the priesthood. The second half hour was with Fr. Barron talking about the event he is hosting at Mundelein Seminary on Friday, November 29th called "Who Will Fill These Shoes?" The goal is to invite men in Chicago between the ages of 16-35 to come up to Mundelein to learn more about the priesthood. The day goes from 10am until 2pm. It will begin with a presentation on the priesthood by Fr. Barron, followed by an opportunity to meet seminarians and hear their vocation stories, next we will celebrate Mass with Cardinal George and end with lunch and tours of the campus. During the show we also talked about priests that inspired both of us and the need to invite young men to discern God's call.

Fr. Francis Bitterman talked to Fr. Matt O'Donnell about him being the youngest pastor in the diocese, ministering in the African-American community and how to increase African-American vocations.

Fr. Francis spends the half-hour chatting with newly ordained Fathers Tom Byrne and Kevin McCray, talking about their ordination day and first masses, what life has been like as a newly ordained priest in their parishes and their advice for men discerning a call to the priesthood.

Fr. Francis Bitterman spoke with Brad Zamora, a current seminarian at Mundelein Seminary, about being in the last graduating class from Quigley H.S. Seminary, his years at St. Joseph College Seminary, and what his friends and family thought of his pursuit of priesthood at such a young age.

Fr. Brian interviews Fr. Matt O'Donnell and Fr. Francis Bitterman who are completing their first year as ordained priests. They spoke about their motivation to becoming priests and the way they are able to spread the Gospel in their respective communities.

Fr. Brian interviews Fr. Matt O'Donnell and Fr. Francis Bitterman who are completing their first year as ordained priests. They spoke about their motivation to becoming priests and the way they are able to spread the Gospel in their respective communities.

Three Mundelein Seminarians, Jamie Mueller, Seth Brown and Derek Ho, discuss their recent pilgrimage to Jerusalem. They share with us their favorite sites visited while in the Holy Land.