Marian Project raises awareness about following God's call

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
May 13, 2004

The Diocese of Sioux City sponsored three Marian Project dinners throughout the diocese for young women.

The dinners were held on May 4 at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City, May 10 at St. Mary's Church in Storm Lake and May 11 at Corpus Christi Church in Fort Dodge.

"I think that we need to help our young people discover how it is that they discover what God wants of them in their lives," said Father Brian Hughes, vocations director of the diocese. "Most of them are going to be called to be mothers and fathers and husbands and wives. That is a good and holy thing, but I am also sure that God may be calling some of them to be priests and sisters."

Women who are juniors in high school and older were invited to attend to discuss the idea of seeking God's will as they contemplate their future. The call that each woman receives could lead her to religious life, married life or single life. At the dinners, this was expressed to the young women.

Each of the dinners began at 6 p.m. with evening prayer. Msgr. Roger Augustine, diocesan administrator, gave the homily during the prayer service. Following the prayer, the women shared a meal together. There were priests, women religious and young women at each table. They were able to talk and share things about their lives.

Part of the evening included presentations by three women religious from different religious orders. One sister gave a talk about the nature of religious life and two other sisters presented their vocation stories. The cloistered Carmelite community was also represented via a short video presentation.

"I thought it was kind of exciting to share with others about my own faith journey," said Sister Julie Tebbe, PBVM, a music teacher at Mater Dei School in Sioux City. "At the beginning of my speech, I talked about unpacking the story of my heart and of my life. It was exciting to do that and to know that they were there because they wanted to be there. They were attentive to how my faith has been unfolded and how God has been a part of my life."

Sister Julie shared her personal vocation story with the young women at Sacred Heart in Sioux City by unpacking a duffel bag of things that she encountered on her journey. She explained how things like a stuffed animal, a pair of sandals, a watercolor painting and a ceramic earth help her to remember significant happenings along the road to her vocation.

She felt that this was an effective way to bring young women's awareness to a different level, "especially because it happened around the sharing of a meal. I think when you share a meal with someone else you have an opportunity to sit and to share not only the meal, but also conversation and lives."

Other women religious spoke at the dinners as well. Sister Elena Hoye, PBVM, spoke at all three dinners about religious life in general. Sister Janet May, OSF, director of campus ministry at Briar Cliff University, presented her personal vocation story at Sacred Heart in Sioux City. Sister Delores Hannon, RSM, of Fort Dodge and Sister Nancy Miller, OSF, vocations director of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, talked to the young women in Storm Lake and Fort Dodge about their journeys.

"I thought there was a positive spirit," said Father Hughes. "The biggest part of this is putting seeds in people's heads."

He added, "They need to pray about what God wants them to do and to keep an open heart. This is the root of all vocations, not just vocations to the priesthood or religious life, but vocations to the single life and vocations to the married life. What is it that God wants me to do with this great life that he has given me?"

About every 18 months the diocese plans to host a series of Marian Project dinners for young women. The last set of dinners was held in the fall of 2001 and the next set will be in another 18 months. This is a similar method that the diocese uses with the Operation Andrew dinners for young men.

According to Father Hughes, one thing that is repeated over and over again at the Marian Project and Operation Andrew is not necessarily to be a priest or religious, but rather to "seek the Lord's way in your life and you will be happy. You will find your own place."