Come and See Weekend

By: Mark Loyet, Director of Pastoral Ministry

DURING THE WEEKEND of November 6-8, the Office of Vocations and the Office of Pastoral Ministry once again teamed up to bring a group of six young men to visit St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, LA for its semiannual “Come and See Weekend.” St. Joseph is where our diocese sends its college-age seminarians who have not yet studied philosophy.

Normally, “Come and See Weekends” are big events where many dioceses across the south send young men to visit the seminary. Sometimes over 100 young men attend. However, due to Covid-19, the BIG Come and See Weekend was canceled last spring and this fall. Nevertheless, our diocese obtained permission from seminary leaders to bring a private group so our young men were some of only a few who shared in the experience this fall; a few other dioceses made private visits at other times.

Throughout the weekend, attendees participated in a range of activities as you can see on the schedule on the next page, and each of our attendees said they had a lot of fun, learned much about seminary life and were moved by the experiences.

On Saturday evening, as we were all sitting around the dinner table, Fr. Jerry Daigle (our diocesan Vocations Director) asked the young men, “What has been your favorite experience this weekend?” Interestingly, all six of the young men answered, “participating in Vespers with the monastic community.” Vespers is the evening installment of the Liturgy of the Hours. During Vespers, the Benedictine

monks gather in the abbey church to speak and chant prayers in a call and response format which is beautiful and serene. The young men said it was moving to see the monks participating in prayer that takes place several times a day, every day of their lives. They described it as very peaceful and said it was cool to see something they had only heard of in the past. Witnessing this ancient practice truly does take the observer outside of his time and place to an experience that is almost otherworldly.

Overall the weekend was an excellent experience for the retreatants, and chaperones who gave their time and talents to make the trip possible. I would like to ask for you all to pray for the young men who attended this trip; that they will continue to discern God’s call in their lives and be open to whatever He wills for them. Further, please pray for all young men and women discerning their vocation in our diocese. We are certainly in need of priests, but we are also equally in need of holy marriages and women religious.

Rumor has it that the seminary is hoping to resume having the “big” Come and See Weekend this spring, but I guess we will have to wait and see. If not, we will schedule another private trip for our young men. If you or someone you know is interested in attending the next Come and See Weekend, start thinking about it or encouraging them now. The date will likely be in March or April and it will be advertised well in advance.

Back row: Fernando Cordova (Chaperone), Nathan Lirette (Attendee), Tristan Frisk (Seminarian), Luke Holbron (Attendee), Jacob Albritton (Seminarian) Front row: Darrius Flennoy (Attendee), John Patrick Frantz (Attendee), Michael Calvaresi (Attendee), Trey Weaver (Chaperone), William Voorhies (Attendee)