Does God Still Call to the Priesthood? Father Nikolaus Klemeyer, L.C., Rector of the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Europe, Is Optimistic in This Regard.
From Father Nikolaus’s words, it appears that rather than a ‘vocation drought,’ what is happening is that current young people “tend to need more time, but I am surprised at how clearly they then manage to confront their own lives with God’s plan and make very sensible and mature decisions.” We also take a brief look at this first year of the European Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ and highlight some initiatives in this vocational pastoral work.
It Seems There Is a Vocation Drought, What Is Happening That Fewer Young People Are Entering Religious and Consecrated Life?
It is true that there is a vocation drought. At the same time, God continues to call. Maybe the numbers are not what they used to be, but many young people are seriously questioning the meaning of life and what God wants from them. They tend to need more time, but I am surprised at how clearly they then manage to confront their own lives with God’s plan and make very sensible and mature decisions.
We see the need to guarantee a young person very close and constant accompaniment.
Father Nikolaus, Are Young People Still Considering the Vocation to the Priesthood?
I have worked directly with university students for a few years. And it is surprising how many young people genuinely consider the vocation to the priesthood and consecrated life. It involves a priest who accompanies them with great closeness and consistency. These are processes that are not completed in weeks but sometimes require years of maturation. The reasons why many do not pursue a priestly vocation later are very varied: it could be the environment in which the young person lives, a lack of follow-up from the priest, fears that overwhelm us…
But the fact is that if there are forums where young people have natural and regular contact with priests, they get to know them, collaborate with them in evangelization, receive Christian formation… questions about vocation also arise.
The Legionaries of Christ Decided to Unify the Novitiates of Europe into One in Madrid. What Can You Tell Us About This First Year?
This first year was special because we only had one brother from Spain in the novitiate, plus three from Mexico, and none from other European countries. However, a few young people from Germany have just been with us for a few weeks, and it is noticeable that internationality is an enrichment for the novices themselves.
I perceive that the very diverse ways of vocational pastoral care in countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, or France, for example, more than presenting problems, are an enrichment, and we can still explore this further.
In Spain, a ‘Postulancy’ Will Be Created for the Next Course. Can You Explain What This Initiative Consists Of and Who It Is For?
In many territories, the so-called postulancies are being initiated this way. As I mentioned before, we see the need to guarantee a young person very close and constant accompaniment. The postulancy aims to offer this. The young person thus has the opportunity to get to know themselves better, understand the meaning of the vocation, and mature a vocational decision within a community oriented to this purpose.
Young people need to experience “a close and natural novice: following the vocation is possible. It’s not for superheroes.”
Father Nikolaus, What Other Initiatives Are Planned to Be Implemented?
A few weeks ago, we did the Camino de Santiago, from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela: the Primitive Way. Several young people accompanied the novices. This was a very positive activity because the young person experiences the novice as close and natural, but also with a clear vocational orientation. This is always something attractive; and it shows that following the vocation is possible. It’s not for superheroes. This is very important.
