International priests see importance of promoting vocations here

Father Francis Kalapurackal celebrates Mass on Oct. 22, 2020, at St. Thomas More Church in Mooresville. As a priest born and ordained in India but now serving as a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Father Kalapurackal, currently pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis, seeks to promote priestly vocations among those born here. (Submitted photo)

By Sean Gallagher

During the past three years, as 17 international priests have come to minister in the archdiocese, adding to the many already serving here, the number of seminarians from central and southern Indiana has increased from 22 in 2020 to 32 now, with four men being ordained priests during that time.

“As we’ve taken on these international priests, we’ve also had the highest number of seminarians in many years here,” said Archbishop Charles C. Thompson. “It shows that we’re not neglecting one for the other.”

International priests serving in archdiocesan parishes are adding to the effort to encourage priestly vocations here. (Related article: International priests bring broad talents, experiences to ministry in the archdiocese)

Father Edward Suresh is a priest of the Diocese of Palayamkottai in southern India who came to the archdiocese last year. He ministers as the parochial vicar of Annunciation Parish in Brazil and St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greencastle.

Father Suresh recognizes the importance of promoting vocations to ordained ministry and the need to take a broad approach to it.

“We are in a [cultural] situation that creates a lack of vocation today,” Father Suresh said. “But we cannot just focus on the young men alone. We are supposed to focus on the parents who instill the real thirst for Christ in their kids.

“The family is a Church in miniature. It has capacity to work in a micro level to create more vocations.

“Whenever I have opportunity to visit the homes, I talk about my own vocation story, about my parents’ prayer and their sacrifice for my priestly vocation. It seems very simple, but it has a lot to convey about my vocation. That [hopefully will] inspire the parents and kids to listen to God’s call.”

Father Francis Kalapurackal was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Imphal in northeastern India in 1997. He began ministry in central and southern Indiana in 2013, was incardinated as a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis six years later and currently serves as pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis.

“We are not going to have priests borrowed from other places as a sustainable way of nurturing the local Church,” Father Kalapurackal said. “That means that we have to raise and promote local vocations. Wherever I’ve gone, I’ve added an intention in all Sunday Masses specifically for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

“My work is in God’s vineyard and God needs laborers in his vineyard. He will, at the right time, start calling and preparing people to succeed in that ministry so that there will always be priests to offer sacrifices for the people of God.”

Father Michael Keucher, archdiocesan vocations director, said having many international priests give up living and ministering in their homelands to come to minister here could inspire priestly vocations here.

“That example of sacrifice and devotion is powerful to our young people,” he said. “When you see priests giving up so much, I think the natural question that arises in the heart of a young man is: What might be God asking me do for him?”
 

(For more information on a vocation to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, visit HearGodsCall.com.) †