Growth in Alaska priesthood traced to Archbishop Schwietz’s influence

CatholicAnchor.org
Of all the many ways that newly retired Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz has impacted the archdiocese during his 15 years of leadership, perhaps his most enduring legacy will be the exceptional rise in vocations to the priesthood.

Until recent years, there was a nearly decade-long drought in priestly ordinations. However, in the last three years, two men have been ordained, and another is scheduled for this summer. There are currently six men in seminary, which is the highest number the archdiocese has ever seen. Furthermore, several other young men are either working on seminary applications, or seriously discerning whether God is calling them to the priesthood.

Inspiring men to discern and pursue the priesthood has been a priority for Archbishop Schwietz throughout his time leading the archdiocese. As he sees it, a vibrant priesthood is important for the local church and the spiritual growth of the faithful.

Archbishop Schwietz finds it especially difficult for parishioners to learn the faith at a deeper level when there is a shortage of priests.

“I find it a real shame that there are parishes that have a priest only once a month or a couple times a month. It seems to me that as a bishop, I have a responsibility to try to change that so they can have a priest, and they can have the Eucharist weekly,” he told the Catholic Anchor shortly after giving way to his successor Archbishop Paul Etienne on Nov. 9. “To me it’s imperative to encourage priesthood.”

The retired archbishop believes his role in encouraging vocations has been to have personal contact with people.

“I think that young people appreciate a personal interest on the part of the bishop,” he said. “I try to get personally acquainted with young people. I like to reach out to them — whether they’re thinking about a vocation or not — but especially those that I know are thinking about the priesthood, and try to get to know them and be available to them.”

He believes that personal contact leaves a deeper impression upon a generation who are accustomed to the more impersonal communication that is a hallmark of the digital age.

The Catholic Anchor spoke with several recently ordained priests and seminarians about the influence Archbishop Schwietz has had on their own vocations. The recurring theme was how much his personal outreach and spiritual accompaniment has meant to them throughout their journeys.

Father Arthur Roraff was ordained in 2015 as the archdiocese’s newest priest, and he is currently the assistant vocation director. Speaking from firsthand experience and his work with current and prospective seminarians, Father Roraff knows the influence that the archbishop has on discerning men.

“Vocations are a reflection of the seriousness with which an archbishop takes his role as a shepherd. I think that the increase in vocations in our archdiocese is a reflection of the seriousness with which he takes his call as a shepherd to lead people to Jesus Christ,” Father Roraff said. “There has been an increase in vocations because Archbishop Schwietz is a holy man, and priests want to follow a holy man.”

Deacon Robert Whitney, who is slated to be ordained this summer, is one who has experienced this influence.

“[He] has been massively influential on my vocation. It was all because of his great closeness to me, his personally walking with me from the time he arrived in Anchorage,” Deacon Whitney said. “He always took time to speak with me, to get to know my family, call me to serve Mass for him, or to help him with some other task.”

Deacon Whitney sees this personal touch as flowing naturally — and supernaturally — from Archbishop Schwietz’s character. As Deacon Whitney sees it, his retired archbishop is a kind, gentle man who genuinely loves his people, and who has been endowed with the apostolic power to teach, govern, and sanctify his flock by virtue of his consecration as bishop.

Seminarian Spencer Hodgson appreciates the warmth and personable nature of Archbishop Schwietz, as well as how committed he is to those discerning their vocations. “He’s been so invested in me and the other seminarians, and really cares about us,” Hodgson said. “He’s been a really good role model for me of what the priesthood should and could look like, as well as a good role model for how to be a man and a father.”

One of the several ways Archbishop Schwietz has reached out to young men discerning priesthood is through vocation dinners twice a year. This was a tradition that he brought to Anchorage from his time as bishop of Duluth, Minn.

“They have been very important, I think, for setting the tone for encouraging guys to think about the possibility of priesthood,” he said of the dinners. “I know at least a few of them got a real impetus from attending those to move forward with the application process.”

Hodgson attended several vocation dinners, which introduced him to other young men discerning the priesthood. Deacon Whitney never attended before entering seminary but has since shared his vocation story at several of the dinners.

The creation and dissemination of vocation posters is another way the archdiocese has reached out to parishes and schools to raise awareness of and encourage men to discern the priesthood. Additionally, most years a vocations panel takes place with priests, bishops, seminarians and religious at the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference. Archbishop Schwietz also sees the global World Youth Day gatherings as invaluable for introducing young men to holy and joyful priests.

As there are still some area parishes that do not yet have a resident priest, Archbishop Schwietz has actively recruited clergy from outside Alaska to fill in the gaps. There are currently priests from the Philippines, Korea and Colombia doing just this. There are also priests from the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Vincentians and Dominicans all serving within archdiocesan parishes.

Archbishop Schwietz believes these outside priests have impacted seminarians and young men discerning the priesthood.

“I think young people see that these priests from other cultures are very interested in them,” he said. They are “happy priests who come from a very different experience, but are very generous and willing to leave their homelands and families behind and serve in the name of Christ. That’s very encouraging for them.”

Archbishop Schwietz looks ahead with great confidence toward the future when someday Alaska will have enough homegrown priests to man all its parishes and bring the sacraments to the people of God all across Alaska. He believes it is critical that parishes see priests come out from their own communities and looks forward to the day when there will be enough local vocations that the archdiocese will be able to assist other dioceses experiencing priest shortages.

“One of the more moving experiences as archbishop has been each time I have been able to ordain someone to the priesthood,” Archbishop Schwietz told the Anchor. “It has really been moving and emotional because it is so important for the church. It is beautiful to see how a person is willing, with great generosity, to lay their life down for the Lord.”