As part of their education, students are also made aware of different ways God may call them to live their lives: vocations to consecrated life, priesthood, or religious life.

Focus 11, a multi-day event organized by the Office of Vocations, provides opportunities for sixth-grade students from across the diocese to encounter people living out these vocations and to encourage them to consider where God may be calling them as well.

National Vocation Awareness Week occurs each November, so it was a fitting time for this event. Participants experienced a variety of sessions to assist them in encountering the Lord in prayer as well as learn about vocations. They heard a talk from a seminarian, played games, asked questions to a panel, prayed Lectio Divina, and concluded by attending Mass.

During Lectio Divina, students had the opportunity to encounter the Lord in Sacred Scripture, focusing on the Wedding at Cana and the trust and reliance shown as Jesus performed His first miracle. Students shared profound insights into how it inspired them to trust the Lord even if they don’t understand the whole plan, much like those who had no idea why Jesus wanted them to fill the jars with water at the Wedding at Cana.

The panel discussion engaged the students and offered an opportunity to anonymously ask questions to a variety of people from the community who are living out a call to consecrated life, religious life, or priesthood. These questions ranged from “Do you play video games?” to “Why do you wear a veil” to deeper questions such as “How do you know what God wants for you?”

“We asked some interesting questions, and I expanded my knowledge on what priests and sisters do,” said Emma, a sixth-grade student from the Cathedral School of St. Jude.

As panelists were answering questions, one of them summed up finding a vocation with a profoundly simple explanation.

“Our primary relationship is with God,” she said. “It’s a foundational level of prayer.”

It was this concept that encompassed the talks and experiences shared with the students. Mark Wegener, one of the 28 seminarians for the Diocese of Saint Petersburg who is currently serving in his pastoral year at Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa, gave a short talk on the final day and answered questions that the students had. As he spoke, he gave them a reminder that finding your vocation isn’t something complex, but it really is about knowing God has a plan that is going to be for your benefit.

“God created you, He loves you, and He has a plan for you,” Mark said. “He wants you to live your best life and ultimately spend eternity with Him in heaven.”

Throughout the days of Focus 11, emphasis was placed on having faith and trust in the plan that God has.

“In the end, we’re all part of the Body of Christ. We’re all called to be seeds,” said Father Xavy Castro, director of vocations for the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, in his homily on the final day. “We’re all called to follow the Lord in faith and to trust in His will for us.”

Focus 11 is an incredible opportunity for our sixth-grade Catholic school students to have seeds planted in their hearts and allows for the Lord to bear fruit as they listen to how God is speaking to them. They were often reminded that there are many among them who will be married, but also some who may be called to a different vocation.

“Some of you are set apart for an amazing call. Some of the guys here are called to be a priest – to devote his life to be united to Christ in persona Christi. Some women here are chosen to live a life devoted totally in love of the Lord,” said Father Castro in his homily.

The students also gave insight into how to discover their vocation after experiencing the day learning and praying.

“If you want to figure out what God’s calling you to do, go to Mass and try to ask Him,” suggested Emma.

Austin, a sixth-grade student from St. Lawrence Catholic School echoed the same sentiment.

“Sit down, be quiet, and pray. Just ask Him to know and to do what He wants you to do,” he said.

As Father Castro reminded them in his homily, God is calling each person, and a vocation is a way to love God and share that love with the world.

“Each and every one of you is chosen by God for a particular purpose in this life. Each of you is chosen to be another Christ, to be the sign of God’s love in this world, to be a sign of the Sacred Heart.”

For more information about vocations in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, click here.

Focus 11 and the Office of Vocations is funded by contributions to the Catholic Ministry Appeal. For more information or to make a contribution, click here. 

To view photos from Focus 11, click the arrows below.