March 5, 2010
Seminarians run to call attention to the vocation call for all
Seminarians who competed in the 2009 mini-marathon pose in their t-shirts, inspired by Scripture quotation from St. Paul: “I have competed well, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith!”(II Tim 4 7) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Marathons and mini-marathons often call attention to issues and causes. The May 8 Race for Vocations in Indianapolis calls attention to a central message of Catholic Christianity — that everyone has a vocation.
St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy includes the often-quoted line, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”
Seminarians from the Diocese of Evansville and the Diocese of Lafayette have joined seminarians and others from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to promote the race and to spread the message about vocations to a larger audience.
“I’ll be running the 5K this year,” said Tyler Tenbarge, a college student preparing for the priesthood in the Diocese of Evansville. He participated last year — finishing in 32nd position in the field — and wants to “raise more awareness and offering the training up for young men and women in our diocese who are considering or actively discerning their vocation.”
The Race for Vocations takes place within the One America Festival Mini Marathon and 5K each May in downtown Indianapolis, according to information on the website of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis vocations office.
Sponsored by the young adults of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the Race for Vocations welcomes people of all ages to run or walk in the mini or 5k to both promote and pray for vocations to the priesthood, religious life, sacred married life and sacred single life.
The race began in 2008 and has been growing in interest and participation.
“I became involved in the race as many of my friends in seminary and in the greater Indianapolis area were training and talking about the event,” Tenbarge said. “When I found out it was about vocations, I was intrigued.”
Last year, more than 200 runners wore the vocations t-shirts. This year, organizers hope for up to 500 to participate.
Training for the race includes prayer — during the months ahead of the race and the evening before, when they will attend a Mass for vocations and a pasta dinner.
“The participants wear cool vocations runners shirts that create a greater awareness of Catholic vocations,” said Father Alex Zenthoefer in a bulletin announcement distributed to parishs in the Diocese of Evansville Father Zenthoefer is the director of the diocesan vocations office. “Please join the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Diocese of Lafayette and Diocese of Evansville this year as we Race for Vocations by, ‘competing well, finishing the race, and keeping the faith’” he said.
Participants are encouraged to pray for vocations during training, with the suggestion to “pray a rosary each time you run in prep for the mini and offer it up for vocations.”
Participants are also encouraged to “Ask for commitments of prayers for vocations from your family, your friends or your parish.”
The Mass for Vocations will be celebrated Friday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m. EDT, at St. John Church in Indianapolis.
Visit www.heargodscall.com to learn more.
Contact Courtney Mitchell, Vocations Administrative Assistant, cmitchell@archindy.org or call (317) 236-1490.
Participants may register on-line at www.500festival.com to walk or run the mini-marathon of 13.1 miles or the 5k.
The dinner and Mass the night before, a t-shirt and a tent-site get-together after the race are all free. The race fee on the Indy 500 website is the only cost.