Everyone can do something to support vocations--through prayer, encouraging our current seminarians, inviting people (including one's own children) to consider a vocation, or praying for vocations, both as individuals and as parish communities.  (Find out if yours has a "Parish Vocation Committee"; if not, ask about starting one.)        

       There is a great financial need for support for vocations, and many ways to give, including the Monsignor Michael J. Glynn Seminarian Education Trust, recently established within the Diocese’s Catholic Foundation, in the hope that others will also contribute to this Trust--the interest from which will support the formation of future priests for our diocese. It is a way of remembering and honoring the late Msgr. Glynn while supporting a cause that was very dear to his heart, as evidenced by the way he often inquired about and enjoyed meeting the seminarians.

       It costs over $20,000 per year to educate each seminarian; the Jackson Diocese covers the cost of tuition, room, board, books, fees, etc., along with providing each seminarian with a small monthly stipend to cover their miscellaneous expenses. Various Knights of Columbus Councils throughout the Diocese have also been generous by "adopting" individual seminarians to support them spiritually and financially.

       The great news is that God has blessed us with a good number of seminarians, including new prospective students from Mexico and Guatemala. The tremendous challenge is the greatly increased financial cost.

       Ways to save and raise money will have to be found. Already it is obvious that we will have to alter the manner in which we support our undergraduate college seminarians, who spend up to four years in preparation for the four year graduate theology program. Instead of totally covering all of the cost of their college education, for example, we could cover half, asking the college seminarians to make up the other half through family support, grants, and loans, as is done in most other dioceses. For graduate theology students we would continue to cover the entire cost. In any case at no time would any potential seminarian be denied an opportunity because of his lack of funds.

       Each year the Vocations budget is funded by an Extension Society Grant, the Knights of Columbus Annual Fund-raiser, the Catholic Service Appeal, the annual Easter Vocations Special Collection, interest from the Catholic Foundation, and interest from the diocesan reserve account. The shortfall is made up by money from diocesan reserves, a source which has been steadily depleted by the increased Vocations need.

       The future stability of the Vocations budget will come from funds such as the Msgr. Glynn Seminarian Education Trust. Within the Catholic Foundation there are about 20 such funds (named in memory of various laity and clergy), the interest from which is earmarked for Vocations.  Some Dioceses have millions of dollars in in similar vocations trusts, which creates a tremendous amount of interest income each year. We are taking baby steps in that direction, but have a long way to go to reach that amount of capital.

       If you would like to find out more about the Msgr. Glynn Trust (or any of the other named Vocations trusts), or if you would like information about any other way for you or your parish to contribute, please contact me at the address, phone number, or email address given below.  To give directly to the Msgr. Glynn Seminarian Education Trust, make the check payable to The Catholic Foundation, Diocese of Jackson, PO Box 2248, Jackson MS 39225-2248.

       Thank you for your prayers and support for the future shepherds of our Diocese. May God continue to call and conform men to the image of Christ the Good Shepherd.  -Fr. Kent Bowlds