Quo Vadis retreat helps young men discern vocation

More than 30 students attended the Quo Vadis retreat for young men entering grades nine-12 that was held July 23-26 at the Pontifical College Josephinum.

Quo Vadis, which is Latin for “where are you going,” is an opportunity for young men to discern God’s will in their life and equips them with the tools to do so. The retreat, which was first held in the Diocese of Columbus in 2018, is offered each summer.

This year, Quo Vadis concluded with a Mass for attendees and their families celebrated by Bishop Earl Fernandes at the Josephinum.

Founded on pillars of prayer, discernment and brotherhood, the retreat offers time for personal reflection and interaction with seminarians and priests. It includes praying the Liturgy of the Hours, a rosary walk and Eucharistic Adoration.

The retreat also offers sports and activities for fellowship, including glow-in-the-dark capture the flag, dodgeball, kickball and constructing balloon towers.

Quo Vadis is named for an interaction, according to tradition, that took place between Jesus and St. Peter in the first century. St. Peter was fleeing Rome at the outbreak of persecution of Christians and is said to have met Jesus, Who was heading into Rome to face persecution. 

Peter asked Him, “Quo Vadis, Domine?” (Where are You going, Lord?) To which Jesus responded, “I am going to Rome to be crucified,” and disappeared. Peter turned back into the city to embrace martyrdom.

In the same way, the Quo Vadis retreat is an opportunity for young men to encounter Jesus and spend time discerning how the Lord is calling them.

“It’s an opportunity to meet other guys who are thinking about the priesthood, to spend time in prayer and to spend time in fraternity with seminarians,” said John Haemmerle, a seminarian for the diocese studying at the Josephinum. 

“We play a lot of sports, make a daily Holy Hour, pray the Liturgy of the Hours and hear talks from some of our priests about their priesthood and their experiences with discernment. So, it’s really a good retreat, not just if you’re thinking about the priesthood, but for any young man who wants to discern God’s plan for him.”

Leonard Burgland, who will begin his first year of seminary for the diocese this fall, said Quo Vadis offers a balance between taking discernment seriously and embracing the joy of the Catholic faith.

“It puts you in that mindset of, ‘Hey, we’re going to take this seriously,’ but then it also has that fun element,” he said. “We’re also going to joke around; we’re going to have a good time; we’re going to play. And so, it’s those two things working together, showing us that the faith should be serious but also joyful.”

Levi Starinsky, 15, who will be a sophomore at New Albany High School, said he enjoyed spending time in prayer and fellowship during the retreat.

“It was really fun being able to connect with brothers who are interested in the priesthood,” he said. “Overall, the experience was great because having Holy Hour every day and being able to see and be in Adoration every day and being able to pray was really nice and comforting, and I had lot of joy doing it.”

Starinsky said he also enjoyed spending time with priests and seminarians and hearing their vocation stories.

“They’re such fun guys, and they’re really dedicated to the faith, and being able to connect with them and ask them questions, it was really great,” he said. “It helps you get a sense of what it would be like (as a priest).”

Starinsky said the seminarians’ vocation stories taught him the importance of “putting all your faith in God and letting Him do what He wants to do.”

Parker Grove, who will begin his second year of seminary at the Josephinum, shared his conversion story with the high school students.

“There’s been a series of really good talks,” he said. “I gave my conversion story. I talked about how, when I grew up, I used to be a communist; I was very anti-Catholic. I went through this radical conversion. I brought my mom into the faith. I was able to share that and how I got into seminary, and that got a good reception.”

Many students were also introduced to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Grove said, and daily prayer was helpful for those attending.

“When we have small-group discussion, we ask the group, ‘What do you think would be helpful?’ And I think they all have the right answer. They said Adoration was a big part of it, listening in silence to what the Lord is trying to say to (them) and reflecting.

“Also, having parents who are supportive of vocations, and if they think you have that call, they let you know.”

Haemmerle said Quo Vadis can give young men a more concrete understanding of the priesthood.

“I think a lot of guys have drawn close to the Lord through prayer and experienced new insights into the priesthood – things that they didn’t know about the priesthood – because a lot of people don’t know many priests,” he said.

“Learning about the priesthood is a good first step in discernment because then it’s less abstract.”

For Dominik Eppler, 14, who will be a freshman at Columbus Bishop Hartley High School, Quo Vadis was an opportunity to begin discerning his vocation.

“I’d rather start early on discernment than later and thinking about what God wants me to do,” he said. 

Eppler said he “enjoyed the mix of group activities and prayer time, and small group was nice to be able to share opinions and what we feel God was saying. … I really enjoyed the Holy Hour. It was nice being able to just rest in God’s presence.”

Eppler said he wants to continue attending Quo Vadis. 

“I want to do this every year so that I can always keep hearing God’s voice and keep trying to listen to what He wants me to do, and then, not make any decisions yet, but be on that path to try and make a good decision,” he said.

Kenny Kight, 17, who will be a senior at Columbus Bishop Ready High School, said he met people at Quo Vadis who he can turn to for guidance.

“I met a lot of people – a lot of good people, that is – and had a lot of fun,” he said. “I think (Quo Vadis) will help a lot because I figured out the right people to ask about my vocation, how to pray about my vocation.” 

Benedictus Ayi Adjanoh, a seminarian for the diocese, said seminarians and priests can help direct young men in discernment.

“As young men, we need to ask ourselves a lot of questions. We want to know what God wants us to do; we want to receive the will of God, and sometimes, we don’t know what to do. So, here, it is like we are directors,” he said of how the seminarians can help guide young men.

“It’s like the call of Samuel in the Bible. Samuel was guided … when God was calling him. He heard the voice, but he didn’t know who was calling him, so there’s someone there (Eli) to direct him. So, it’s kind of like the seminarians; we are here to help the people … for them to move in what God wants them to do.”

Burgland agreed that discernment is a journey extending beyond Quo Vadis.

“It’s not something you do once, and you’re done,” he said. “It’s something that you do every day. You wake up, and you say, ‘I am going to do the Lord’s will, and I am going to discern what that is each and every day.’ So, I really hope that they take that away from this retreat.”