By Father Marty Goetz
A priest rushed from Church one day to keep his tee time. He was halfway down the first fairway, waiting to hit his second shot, when he heard “Fore!” and a ball slammed into the back of his head.
Soon, the golfer who had made the drive was on the scene to offer his apologies. When the priest assured him that he was all right, the man smiled. “Thank goodness, Father!” he exclaimed. “I’ve been playing this game for 40 years, and now I can finally tell my friends that I’ve hit my first holy one!”
Again you might be wondering to yourself: “What does a golf joke have to do with vocations?” (Or maybe you think you’re reading a reprint from an earlier edition of The Catholic Messenger or that the vocation director has run out of ideas for another column.) Again this year, with the help of The Catholic Messenger and the Serra Club of Davenport, students from across the Diocese of Davenport were invited to participate in a vocation promotion contest. The prize? The winners would receive not only a pizza party, but the opportunity to play putt-putt golf with Bishop Martin Amos. Students in grades two to 12 were encouraged to use their imagination and write either a prayer for vocations or create a picture or poster about vocations. The response was phenomenal! I am pleased to announce that we received more than 250 entries from across the diocese.
The entries were wonderful. The artwork and prayers were creative and inspiring, which made it very difficult to choose the winners. I want to share with you some of the prayers that were entered; you’ll see why it was so hard to pick only 16 winners:
Dear Lord,
Every day I wonder what you will call me to do.
Please guide me in the right direction and lead me down the right path.
My life is in your hands and I will follow what you want for me.
In your Holy Name … AMEN!
— Kourtney Lyons
(There are some days when I wonder what Jesus is calling me to do. May all of us ask for direction and guidance.)
Lord,
Please help us find a vocation to love and serve you
through the life of married, single, religious brother or sister, or priesthood.
Also, help us stay true to that vocation and never turn away from you … AMEN
— Christopher Kenefick
(May all of us do great things for Jesus and stay ever close to him!)
Voice
Of God
Calling
All of us
To
Inspire
One another by using our gifts and talents to
Nourish the Christian Spirit and
See God’s will for us!
— Sarah Huber
(Each of us has a gift to inspire and bless someone in our lives, if only we use our gifts and talents. A pretty smart sixth-grader!)
Most of the winners were able to join Bishop Amos and myself for pizza and putt-putt golf last week. Judging from the winners and all of the entries that were submitted, I would say the Davenport Diocese has many more “holy ones” out there! Are you ready to do your part so that all of us will win?
(Fr. Goetz is vocations director for the Davenport Diocese. Contact him at (563) 888-4255 or goetz@davenportdiocese.org.)
Winners of the vocations contest
Bettendorf
Isabel Bebber, fifth grade, Lourdes Catholic School
Anna Davlin, eighth grade, Lourdes Catholic School
Burlington
Chris Kottenstette, senior, Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School
Clinton
Taylor Determan, junior, Prince of Peace College Prep
Jacob Kaczinski, junior, Prince of Peace College Prep
Davenport
Ben Gradert, eighth grade, John F. Kennedy Catholic School
Sarah Huber, sixth grade, All Saints Catholic School
Carly King, fourth grade, John F. Kennedy Catholic School
Kevin Kurth, sixth grade, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School
Kourtney Lyons, eighth grade, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School
DeWitt
Isaac Blandin, second grade, St. Joseph Catholic School
Carly O’Connor, fourth grade, St. Joseph Catholic School
Hope Petersen, fourth grade, St. Joseph Catholic School
Kali Roling, sixth grade, St. Joseph Catholic School
Katie Roling, seventh grade, St. Joseph Catholic School
Iowa City
Jake Keating, sophomore, Regina Junior/Senior High School
Muscatine
Chris Kenefick, fifth grade, Saints Mary and Mathias Catholic School
Victor
Chelsea Pierce, freshman, St. Bridget Parish
Other winning written entries
Dear Holy Spirit, Guide me to understand what God is calling me to do. Open my heart and help me to answer his call every day of my life. He is always calling me, so help me take some of the distractions out of my life so I can hear him clearly. Amen. – Chris Kottenstette
God, by your light may I be guided through good times and many hardships. If it is your will, let me serve you as a brother, sister, deacon, priest or bishop. Let me be protected by your hand, and loved by your heart, and spoken of by your word. Let me be a sign of your presence everywhere I go, so that I may make your name known throughout the nations. Amen. – Ben Gradert
Dear God, What can I do to serve You? I know there are many different types of jobs and callings, but I would like mine to be the best one for me to serve You. Being missionaries, priests, nuns, deacons or anything else are many ways for me to do Your will. So please help me and others find the right way to do that. Amen. – Carly O’Connor
God, our Father, please help us to recognize our true calling. You have a plan for us all, please help us to realize our vocation. Lord help us know that calling because we might not be able to recognize it on our own. Help us to know what to do. Amen. – Kevin Kurth
Dear God, Help those who have not heard your call. I pray that you will show us the way to find our vocation. Let us know that it’s okay to be uncertain. Help us on life’s journey. Protect and guide us on our way. Help us hear your call. Lead us in your footsteps. I pray this in your name, Jesus Christ. Amen. – Taylor Determan
