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Quo Vadis Recap
The annual young men’s discernment retreat, Quo Vadis, was held the weekend of December 17 – 19, 2021, at Savior Pastoral Center. Retreat master was Fr. Luke Ballman, a priest of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, who currently serves as Executive Director of the U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV) since 2019.
There were 39 young men from around the archdiocese in attendance at this year’s event according to Fr. Dan Morris, Vocations Director of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Feedback from the men who attended the retreat has been very positive. One young man in college appreciated how although the retreat is for guys that are open to and may have even felt a call to seminary and even the priesthood, the talks and panels were more about giving discerners the tools to come to know and respond to God’s will. Another first-time attendee had this to say: “I want to thank you again for a wonderful Quo Vadis retreat. It truly made a huge impact in my life. That is probably the best present I could have asked for and one I will never forget.” Finally, another young man offered this: “This was by far the most challenging retreat I have been on and I’ve returned home with many things to pray with. It was great to see my brothers again and have many insightful conversations with them. I will be in touch with future steps I feel called to take with discernment.”
Very pleased with the turnout, Fr. Morris was once more reminded how it takes the faith and efforts of so many—all members of the Body of Christ—to make for such an experience. Fr. Morris concluded by adding that it is because of the faith and efforts of all—Archbishop Naumann, Fr. Luke Ballman, our priests, seminarians, Serrans, and more—that a good number of the young men in attendance are already in the seminary application process. "Please pray for these men, that they be given the grace and clarity to respond generously to what they have come to know as God’s will," Fr. Morris petitioned.
“We are grateful to these young men for considering a call to the priesthood and sharing the Quo Vadis experience,” Fr. Morris commented. He also expressed thanks to all who made this year’s retreat a success, especially local Serra Club members who contributed once again to defraying expenses and creating another “monumental snack table,” adding “the guys enjoyed great food all weekend!”
