Bishop Dennis Walsh presides at a discernment Mass in St. Marguerite Chapel at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport last month. Concelebrants were, from left, Father Andrew Rauenbuehler, Father Chris Weber, Father Dale Mallory and Father David Brownfield.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
The Diocesan Office of Vocations is feeling optimistic amid the success of the Called by Name initiative and a series of discernment events last month. “I’m convinced that the Lord is working in the Diocese of Davenport,” said Father Andrew Rauenbuehler, diocesan director of vocations. “He’s moving the hearts of young people in their openness to hearing his call and responding to it.”
During the Called by Name initiative earlier this year, the Office of Vocations encouraged local Catholics to write down the name of someone in their parish they believe may have a calling to the priesthood or religious life. About 260 names were submitted, and each received an invitation to a men’s or women’s discernment event, along with a personal letter from Bishop Dennis Walsh. “I was really happy with it; I thought it went well,” Father Rauenbuehler said. “It’s evidence that parishes were taking it seriously and actively engaging with the process.” He credits parish vocation teams for hosting holy hours for vocations and actively promoting the initiative within their communities.
Women’s discernment
About 40 women attended a discernment breakfast at St. Mary Parish in Iowa City on April 18. Franciscan Sisters of St. George the Martyr in Alton, Illinois, spoke about their experiences and answered questions. Mother Susan Rueve and Sister Anthony Worrell of the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Divine Teacher in Davenport also shared testimony.
Attendance at the breakfast was up about 25% from a similar event last year. “There is an attraction to community living, having a vibrant spirit of mission and living out a community’s charism,” Father Rauenbuehler observes. “Just as (these things) attracted women in the past, I think that’s what they’re looking for today.”
While some Midwest orders have stopped accepting new members, others are growing and actively recruiting, Father Rauenbuehler said. “There seems to be an increase in the number of women who are discerning and a number (of orders) are actively seeking to … engage with them and assist with their discernment process.” The diocese is working to create a resource database to help connect women with growing communities “so they aren’t left on their own.”
Discerning priesthood
Nearly 35 men attended one of two Duc in Altum (Cast into the Deep) discernment events last month in Iowa City and Davenport. Bishop Walsh presided at Mass at the start of each event and, during the dinner that followed, shared his thoughts on discernment, priesthood and his own personal experiences. Father Rauenbuehler and other diocesan priests shared testimony and answered questions, as well. “I thought it was a good couple weeks of getting to meet the guys face to face and invite them into the next steps of discernment,” Father Rauenbuehler said.
Upcoming camp for teens
The diocese will host a new event this year for boys ages 14-18. The Summer Summit Camp will take place June 20-21 in rural Nichols and feature outdoor activities with scouting leaders, Mass, prayer opportunities, discernment, games and more. “It’s long been something I’ve seen other dioceses do for young men to get into a new environment around each other, be around priests (and) encounter a life of prayer and the sacraments in a new place,” Father Rauenbuehler said.
The priest is confident that the seeds planted through diocesan discernment events — and encouragement from parish communities back home — will bear fruit in future years.
For more information about discernment and upcoming events, contact Father Rauenbuehler at rauenbuehlera@diodav.org.
