QUEZON CITY, Philippines (UCAN) – Vocation promoters in the Philippines say their efforts have been more productive when they personally contacted young men instead of relying completely on communications technology.

Father Christopher Santos, vocation director of Novaliches diocese based in Quezon City, northeast of Manila, cited students’ feedback during his campaigns in schools. They had told him that they want to learn about the priesthood directly from priests.

“It is important for a vocation promoter to personally visit schools because at least the young men can ask questions on vocations,” said Father Santos.

He added that during his visits to private high schools, he gathers fourth-year students together or goes to classrooms to give a talk about the priesthood. He also answers their questions about the priesthood and about the faith in general.
The priest said he times his visits for later in the school year because “students may easily forget what I say to them” at the start. He also assigns Novaliches seminarians to speak to altar servers on the priesthood, on Saturdays during the October school vacation.

Novaliches diocese’s youth ministry’s website has started a forum on vocations but Father Santos said vocation promotion is still primarily focused on school campaigns.

Catechists in public schools are urged to spot students who may have an interest in religious vocation as well as ability to study philosophy and theology.

Father Santos said 14 men have been accepted this year as seminarians in Novaliches. In 2007 when he started as vocation director, just five applicants were accepted.

The diocese of Novaliches was among five Church jurisdictions created from the former Manila archdiocesan territory. Created in 2002, it covers the northern parts of Quezon and Kalookan cities. Thirty-seven diocesan priests minister to 1.5 million Catholic residents comprising 88 percent of the population in the diocesan area, the latest Catholic directory reports.

Since the diocese’s establishment, the vocation director has been the only personnel directly handling vocation promotion, Father Santos recalled. The office’s main concern today is the establishment of a formal vocations office and the creation of a network of schools to engage in promotional efforts.

Around the rest of the Manila area, vocations have been declining because many families want their sons to work after college, Father Jason Laguerta, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Vocations told UCA News.

He, however, acknowledged increasing vocations in the central Philippines Cebu archdiocese and Bohol diocese, and in Tagum diocese in the south.

While ideally there should be one priest ministering to 5,000 Catholics, one priest currently ministers to 8,000 Catholics on average around the country, Father Laguerta said.

Based on his experience, using technology for vocation promotion is an “initial step,” but “one-on-one encounters are more effective since you get to see them, and they also get to see you as a priest.”

Jesuit Father Xavier Olin shared how Internet has helped his work. The order’s national vocation director cited four applicants who “never knew about the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) until they saw the vocation announcement on Facebook,” an online social networking site.

“One of them, an information technology specialist based in Malaysia, was searching and searching until he came here, and said he is ready to resign from his job. He will submit an application in October,” Father Olin said.

The Philippine Jesuits post lists of vocation activities, tips on discernment, and “frequently asked questions” on vocation on their website. They maintain a blog site, and post YouTube videos on Jesuit founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, information on the Jesuits, and an inspirational music video for vocation applicants.

However, Father Olin agreed that personal contact is invaluable. He cited a recent study of his order that found 95 percent of participants in Jesuit vocation seminars in the last 10 years reported getting information about the order from peers and Jesuit priests. Seventy-two Jesuit seminarians from various Asian countries are in the country preparing for priesthood.