Representatives from 13 Catholic congregations came together at St. John's University’s D’Angelo Center plaza on October 23 for the institution's fourth annual Vocation Festival. The event was designed to inform students about different paths within religious life and encourage them to consider vocations in the Church.

The festival featured a range of options, including priestly service in the Diocese of Brooklyn and missionary work with groups such as the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters and Idente Missionaries. Students had opportunities to ask questions about religious service and explore various ways they might serve both locally and internationally.

Among those attending were Pedro Williams, a first-year student, and Ka’lei Kaai, a senior. Both are philosophy majors planning to join the Redemptoris Mater Diocesan Missionary Seminary after graduating from St. John’s.

Ka’lei Kaai shared his personal experience: “I remember going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and being super touched,” he said. “We were asked to stand if you have ever felt the call to be a priest. Something inside me said, ‘If you do not stand up, you will regret it.’”

Pedro Williams described his own journey: “It was at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY,” he recalled. “I decided I wanted to do whatever God wants me to do. If he wants me to work locally, that is fine. If he wants me to evangelize in Africa, I will pack my bags. If he wants me to stay here and study, that is what I will do.”

The festival was organized by Rev. Luis Romero, C.M., who serves as Vocation Director for the Congregation of the Mission of the Eastern Province. St. John’s Vincentian heritage was highlighted through participation by both the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity.

Sr. Helen Sanchez, M.P.F., Director of Formation for the Religious Teachers Filippini based in Morristown, NJ, also spoke about her experiences: “I joined at 15—back then you could do that,” Sr. Helen said. “It has been such a rewarding experience. I have visited all our missions around the world and have loved teaching high school. The love you encounter from God and the community is like nothing you can expect.”