Help them walk the mile in a priest's shoes.

When it comes to training our military forces, we don’t ask bankers to handle the task. Or when we want to teach men and women to be the best doctors they can be, they aren’t sent to law school.

Then, who better to show seminarians what the life of a priest is like? That’s why part of the formation process in almost every diocese is having young men spend time in parishes engaging in various types of ministry and “rubbing elbows” with experienced priests. For an example of how important this is, click here.

I remember with great fondness the “pastoral year” I spent at St. Rose of Lima parish in Portland, Oregon, under the excellent tutelage of Fr. Richard Hunegar. I gained experience ministering to the sick, the homebound, youth, young adults, and so much more. And I became St. Rose’s “favorite son” in the process.

If you or someone you know has a seminarian spending a summer or an entire year in your parish, it’s a fantastic opportunity to show your support of his priestly vocation. While he may or may not go on to be ordained, it will be something he’ll remember forever, and will be time very well spent.