On the road to priesthood

Vocation seminar helps young men share hopes, dreams, anxieties

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By Fran Perritano, Contributing writer

Douglas Villanella has thought about the priesthood since he was a boy.

“I have wanted to be a priest from a very young age, about 7 or 8 years old, and that desire was present throughout my life, though it wavered at times,” he said. “I suppose it was an ‘aha moment’ when I first felt it, but what becoming a priest actually meant was certainly a gradual calling that fed my desire to become a priest throughout the years.”

Still, at age 18, he was uncertain — until he attended a vocation seminar.

“I went the year I was applying to seminary at the recommendation of my spiritual advisor at the time,” Villanella said. “I was 18 then and a bit scared to move forward. Even though I was in the process of applying, coming to this retreat and speaking with the priests and seminarians that were present gave me the courage I needed then to keep moving, even though there was still a lot to figure out.”

Villanella assisted Father Jason Hage, director of vocation promotion for the Diocese of Syracuse, with the New York State Discernment Retreat Jan. 8-10 at the Good News Center in Utica. During the retreat, 16 discerners participated in panel discussions, presentations, prayer services, quiet time, camaraderie and Mass as they shared their hopes, dreams and concerns with one another.

“The discernment retreat is all about providing a safe space for men discerning the priesthood to explore their vocation in a more focused way, and to do so in community,” said Fr. Hage, who is also pastor of Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish in Utica. “This retreat helps discerners understand that they are not alone on their journey and that the questions they wrestle with are held in common with other men who are currently discerning the priesthood. This community of discerners is meant to provide strength and encouragement to those who are pursuing the call.”

The history of the retreat dates back about 20 years when current Syracuse Bishop Douglas J. Lucia was the vocation director of the Diocese of Ogdensburg.

“(He) was actually one of the original founders of the New York State Discernment Retreat,” Father Hage said. “This retreat was always meant to be a collaborative effort between all of the dioceses of New York state so they could combine their efforts, energies and resources to provide discerners with the best possible retreat experience as well as a fuller experience of community.”

Father Hage attended a retreat when he was in college.

“It was, by far, one of the most important experiences I ever had on my road to the priesthood,” he said.

The priest shortage around the country and in our diocese is well documented. Nine men have been ordained in the Syracuse diocese over the past five years. Currently, there are nine seminarians, two of whom are slated to take their vows this spring.

Ben, a 24-year-old from the Syracuse area, was one of the discerners at the seminar. He said he’s been thinking about becoming a priest since he was a kid.

“I used to play priest in my living room at my house,” he said. “I used to have Sunny D and loaf of bread on the table and used to wear a blanket around me, do the entrance on my hallway walk. I’ve always been fascinated with the priesthood, and I’ve always wanted to see what it was like.”

Ben said the vocation seminar was a blessing.

“I’ve been discerning to be a priest for a while now and I thought it was a great opportunity to get to meet other people and experience and learn more about the faith,” he said. “It’s been fantastic! Father Hage has been really, really nice to me. Everyone here is very kind and it’s been a wonderful experience.”

Villanella, 24, grew up just outside of Binghamton, with St. Mary of the Assumption in Binghamton as his home parish. He’s in the stage of seminary formation called the “configuration” stage.

“It’s a later stage of formation when the seminarian studies theology and the different aspects of formation are focused more on configuring, or conforming, the seminarian to Christ in the particular life of the priesthood,” he explained. “I’m in the middle of this stage right now between the second and third years of study. God willing, I will be ordained to the priesthood in two and half years in the spring of 2027.”

How valuable is the retreat?

“Very,” Villanella said. “Being with other men discerning the same call, even if for a couple of days, hearing each other voice concerns and inspirations shows the fact that we are not alone. We all struggle with something when discerning a call. In realizing that fact, one discerning can also see that they don’t need to have it all figured out at this point. God leads us one step at a time.”