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“The Quo Vadis retreat is the most significant discernment retreat for men of the Archdiocese,” Fr. Dan pointed out, adding, “Retreatants are present by invitation only.”  I asked him about this interesting concept.  Fr. Dan was quick to acknowledge that “invitation” does not signal exclusivity.  “What an invitation to these young gentlemen means is that they already have a relationship with the Vocation Office and/or their parish priest or chaplain.  Furthermore, these men have already shown signs of spiritual maturity when it comes to their relationship with Jesus Christ,” Fr. Dan explained.  Such a relationship develops through having previously attended other vocation events or taken part in other discernment groups, or through a consistent engagement in faith-related ministries at the parish or in high school.  

As many as 50 – 75 young men attend the weekend experience, held annually at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, KS.  The theme for this year’s retreat, scheduled December 17 – 19, is “After His Own Heart.”  The retreat master is Rev. Luke Ballman, a priest of the Archdiocese of Atlanta who currently serves at the USCCB as the head of the Office of Consecrated Religious and Priestly Life.

The event begins on Friday evening with a pizza dinner, followed b by the first of three 45-minute retreat talks, which are followed by small group discussions.  Later that evening, men get to hear the witness of three priests of the Archdiocese.  “We strive for some differences in these witness talks,” Fr. Dan said.  While all priests may relate in some way to the group, the effort is to give the young men an appreciation that vocation stories are as individual as are the men who receive the call to priesthood.  “It gives the young men the opportunity to understand that priests and seminarians are every day, ordinary guys that love Jesus Christ,” he noted.

Saturday morning is a special time during the Quo Vadis weekend.  This year the group will once again be able to travel to visit the Community of the Lamb to celebrate Mass with Archbishop Naumann, followed by a catered lunch with the religious community.  Last year, because of COVID, the group stayed at Savior Pastoral Center and invited area religious to the Saturday morning event, along with a limited number of Serrans (again due to COVID).  “This proved to be as successful as the past off-site experiences,” Fr. Dan mused, adding, “the Holy Spirit always has a way of bearing fruit in such situations.”  He also added that it is good for the guys to meet the very people who are praying for, and supporting them in the discernment of their vocation.

Saturday evening includes a panel of seminarians designed specifically to advantage the reality that the seminarians, in being contemporary to the retreatants, can speak to them perhaps in ways that older men may not. 

The Quo Vadis weekend includes two opportunities for attendees to experience Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, the opportunity to receive God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, an opportunity for a one-on-one meeting with Archbishop Naumann, as well as a chance to speak personally with Fr. Dan or the retreat master, Fr. Luke Ballman.  Of course, there is also time for recreation, sports, board games; and, as Fr. Dan put it, “a chance to hang out and get to know our seminarians for a substantial amount of time.”

“Experiencing the fraternity enjoyed among our seminarians is often a guy’s greatest takeaway from the weekend,” he added.

I asked Fr. Dan how Serra Club members can contribute.  He was quick to recognize past contributions of Serrans, including the preparation and distribution of prayer cards for retreatants, praying for retreatants and retreat staff through the Quo Vadis weekend, financial contributions for gifts for the attendees, and underwriting activities for the attendees.  Last year, retreatants each received a Word on Fire Bible.  Fr. Dan described what was a particularly poignant moment at the 2020 retreat.  “At the end of the retreat last year, we told the group that Serrans aren’t just praying for you.  We impressed upon them that Serrans are a group whose children and grandchildren are their peers, and that the Serran prayer is a very personal prayer for the young men and their generation.”  He added his belief, “This helped our retreatants get a bigger sense of the Church.”  Fr. Dan also mentioned a legendary desert/snack table assembled and replenished throughout the weekend by Serrans.  “The guys simply could not stop talking about the world’s best snack table!” he exclaimed.

Fr. Dan described his conviction that Quo Vadis is an important event that has led to an increase in the number of young men considering a priestly vocation.  “Currently,” he said, “we have more than ten young men in application for entry to the seminary next year.”  “This is remarkable work of the Holy Spirit through experiences like Quo Vadis and the ongoing mission of Serrans throughout our Archdiocese,” he added.

I also spoke with seminarian, Aaron Waldeck, about his experience at Quo Vadis during his years at KU, prior to the seminary.  “That was a long time ago,” he said with a smile.  Waldeck is currently in a Pastoral Year at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Kansas City, KS.  He will return to Theology III at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in the fall of 2022.  

“I attended Quo Vadis in winter, 2015, during my junior year at KU,” Waldeck mused, adding “It was a time when I was not ready to commit to attending seminary.  I figured this was a low-pressure way to really determine where God was calling me after college.”  

I asked Aaron what he learned during the weekend discernment experience.  He said that he learned that he was not the only one tentative and uncertain in considering seminary life and the priesthood.  He related that the weekend afforded him his first opportunity at praying the Liturgy of the Hours in community with other men seeking God’s will in their lives.  The most significant takeaway for Aaron was clarification of seminary, seminarians, formation, “and a host of other things which were previously unclear.”

“As a result, I began to feel like God was indeed calling me in the direction of seminary, at least for a year, at least to give it a try.”

In response to a question about what he might say to young men considering the Quo Vadis experience, Waldeck offered the following.  “There is no pressure. It's all in your head. You don't get ordained a priest because you attend Quo Vadis. God is only asking you to take one step at a time.”  He added, “You don't commit to something in one weekend that in fact takes 7-9 years to complete.”

His final, well-spoken piece of advice: “Consider giving God space and time to speak to you.”