1 PRIESTS FOR TOMORROW SPRING 2020 Covid-19: A Prayer of Solidarity For all who have contracted coronavirus, We pray for care and healing. For those who are particularly vulnerable, We pray for safety and protection. For all who experience fear or anxiety, We pray for peace of mind and spirit. For affected families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety, We pray for policies that recognize their plight. For those who do not have adequate health insurance, We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone. For those who are afraid to access care due to immigration status, We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all. For our brothers and sisters around the world, We pray for shared solidarity. For public officials and decision makers, We pray for wisdom and guidance. Father, during this time may your Church be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all. Grant peace. Grant comfort. Grant healing. Be with us, Lord. Amen. Diocese of La Crosse 3710 East Avenue South | La Crosse, WI 54602-4004 Phone: 608-791-2667 | diolc.org/vocations 2 Every Sunday evening, priests, Lord says to me, “Alan, no need deacons, religious and many to fear the plague that prowls lay people join in praying Night in the darkness, for I am with Prayer from the Liturgy of the you.” And, “Trust that upon you Hours, also known as the no evil will fall, and no plague breviary. Sunday Night Prayer approach where you dwell, for has, as part of the prayer, a my angels are watching over recitation of Psalm 90. I am you.” I do not know if I will struck by a couple of lines in the get the Covid-19 Virus (maybe psalm that are so apropos to us I already did and had no at this time in history: symptoms?), or what it will do to Father Alan Wierzba “You will not fear the terror me if I do catch it. Regardless, Director of the Office for Vocations of the night, … nor the plague God knows, and God is with that prowls in the darkness… each of us. Now is simply a For the Lord is your shelter time for patient trust – to take “You will not fear the terror and refuge; upon you no evil responsible precautions – but shall fall, no plague approach to trust that Jesus is with us, of the night, … nor the where you dwell, for you has he and that nothing, certainly no commanded his angels to keep plague that prowls in the virus, is more powerful than His you in all your ways.” love or the power of His cross darkness…For the Lord is I, as so many of you, feel and Resurrection. Through periods of worry, fear, and the power, compassion, and your shelter and refuge; uncertainty of what the future authority of our Lord, we will upon you no evil shall fall, holds for me, for our Church, overcome this just as He and for our country. I watch overcame death itself. no plague approach where the news and feel discouraged Thank you for your support by unemployment numbers. of our priests for tomorrow. you dwell, for you has he I see the footage of people Please keep them and your commanded his angels to on ventilators in New York priests and deacons and hospitals struggling to breath religious in your prayers. Pray keep you in all your ways.” and I get scared thinking, “What for the health and safety of all will happen to me if I get it?” I who are working with Covid-19 get anxious at the grocery store patients, for the researchers when someone gets “too close” and scientists to find a vaccine. to me, or when I touch a public May God’s angels keep you and doorknob. My heart breaks at your loved ones safe and well; MARK YOUR CALENDARS the long lines for food and as I may we soon have an end to May 2, 2021 pray for those who succumb to this pandemic and the suffering Diaconate Ordination the effects of the virus. It is a it is causing our world. And may reminder of how fragile we are we find strengthen in our faith June 26, 2021 and how much we need faith. that the Lord is our shelter and Priestly Ordination These are difficult days, but refuge, now and forever. Amen. these are also times when the words of Psalm 90 resonate so — Rev. Alan Wierzba strongly, and comfort me the Director of the Office most as I pray with them. The for Vocations 3 How has the pandemic affected you? My experience of the Coronavirus She said, “God does not want to take good things outbreak has occurred in three away from you, and if he takes, it is only to give you stages: the initial outbreak in Ita- so much more.” Obviously, I cannot wait to go back ly, the two-week quarantine upon to Rome, or receive a parish assignment here in our returning to America, and then diocese, but it would be wrong to only long for those the statewide stay-at-home order things without thanking God also for the good things that started right as I left quaran- he has given me in the meantime. tine. Each has come with its own — Isaac Pecha graces, which I share below. In late February, a few towns For us seminarians who study in the north of Italy were put on lockdown, but in Rome, it was very unexpected Rome continued as normal. I even remember telling to be called back to the U.S. by a classmate on March 4th, “I don’t think classes will our bishop. We found out that we be cancelled unless someone in the university gets were coming home around din- sick.” The next day, the government announced that ner time and were at the airport they were suspending all school activities. Then on about 12 hours later. This, for March 9th, the lockdown was extended to the whole me, was a simple lesson in obedi- country. We were called back to America, with a ence. There is a necessity for fast flight out in 11 hours. I said my goodbyes, packed a acting obedience in the priest- single suitcase, and we left Rome. An hour after we hood. Like the Apostle Andrew who dropped his nets landed on the 11th, the U.S. suspended travel from and instantly followed Christ, so too the priest needs Europe. During this stage, my biggest graces were to be ready to take a new parish assignment at a call the clear reminder of how little we are in control of from the bishop. Formation never stops! Even when things, and having a bishop who acted so wisely as we can’t be in a seminary. to call us home when he did. — Eric Mashak When we got back to America, the four of us La Crosse seminarians had to quarantine together for Greetings, brothers and sisters in two weeks before we could go to our families. In the Christ. I pray that everyone is do- unused rectory where we stayed, we established an ing well and is staying healthy. If horarium and continued to pray, study, and enjoy you or your family or your friends fraternal time as usual. There was a sliding glass have been deeply affected by the door, and on Sundays a nearby priest would say Coronavirus, please know that Mass on the porch outside (with us safely con- they are being prayed for in a tained in the house). This was the greatest grace special way. of the personal quarantine—a concrete reminder of Like other places, St. Francis how lucky we are to have the sacraments, and the de Sales Seminary had to ad- lengths to which priests will go to bring them to us. just to the Coronavirus situation. After finishing our The day before our release from personal quar- spring break, we had classes the week of March 9th. antine, Governor Evers issued the statewide stay-at- On Friday, March 13th, around 11 a.m., we received home order, so as soon as the health department an email stating that the plan was to continue with cleared us to leave, we all went straight back to classes on the following Monday. Later that evening our families. Since then, I have been at home, still around suppertime, all that changed when emails taking classes online, spending time with my family. were sent about going to online classes until Easter Having little to do besides pray, study, and hang out and that formation would be suspended for a couple with my family members has been a great grace. of weeks. Seminarians would be allowed to St. Fran- I am reminded of the words of one of my favorite cis Seminary under quarantine during that time if holy women, Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo. they so wished. For the seminarians of the Diocese 4 of La Crosse, we received an email after supper scattered success and have found time to pray stating that we were to go home as soon as pos- each day. With the rest of my time, my family has sible. I have been home since March 14th. played various board and card games. This time Since then, classes will be conducted online has definitely been one bringing my family closer through the end of the semester, and seminar- together.