Several Diocese of Owensboro seminarians visited and assisted at St. Peter of Alcantara Parish in Stanley during the weekend of Oct. 18-19. (Back row, left to right) Owensboro seminarian Hunter Dickens, pastor Fr. Will Thompson, New Hampshire seminarian Guillaume Temkitt. (Front row, left to right) Owensboro seminarians Wes Wheatley and Tommy Rhodes. COURTESY OF FR. WILL THOMPSON
How to support diocesan seminarians during National Vocations Week and beyond
BY WKC STAFF
The academic year for the Diocese of Owensboro’s seminarians is in full swing and the Office of Vocations has remained busy with seminary visits and vocations-promoting activities.
The weekly Vocation Tuesday celebrations continue to draw young and old alike to pray and support vocation ministry. Starting with a holy hour and confession opportunities at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Sts. Joseph and Paul Owensboro, Mass follows at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend the holy hour and/or Mass.
On Oct. 14-16, Bishop William F. Medley and Fr. Corey Bruns, vocations director, traveled to Conception Seminary College in Missouri to visit the diocese’s two college seminarians, Chris Paris and Caleb Neitzel. On Oct. 29-31, the bishop and Fr. Bruns visited seminarian Hoan Tran, who is completing his English language studies at Divine Word College in Iowa, after arriving from Vietnam this fall.
Hunter Dickens, Tommy Rhodes and Wes Wheatley are doing their major seminary studies at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in southern Indiana, and Juan Carlos Lazo Soriano continues his pastoral year at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Henderson.
In light of National Vocation Awareness Week, which is observed this year from Nov. 2-8, we invite you to write letters of encouragement to our seminarians.
Write to Hunter Dickens, Tommy Rhodes and Wes Wheatley at 200 Hill Dr., St. Meinrad, IN 47577. Write to Chris Paris and Caleb Neitzel at 37174 State Highway VV, PO Box 502, Conception, MO 64433. Write to Juan Carlos Lazo Soriano at Holy Name Parish, 511 Second St., Henderson, KY 42420. And write to Hoan Tran at 102 Jacoby Drive SW, PO Box 380, Epworth, Iowa 52045.
Join the St. Thérèse Vocation Society: As a cloistered nun in a Carmelite monastery, St. Thérèse of Lisieux was known especially for her prayers for priests and her desire to be “an apostle to apostles.” This is a fantastic opportunity for those who are homebound, suffering from illness, or anyone who wishes to join intentional prayer and sacrifice for vocations for our diocese at home. Contact Fr. Corey Bruns at [email protected] or (270) 421-7868.
Conception College Seminary Come & See: The Office of Vocations is sponsoring an “Encounter with God’s Call” seminary discernment Come & See Weekend from Nov. 14-16 for high school juniors through recent college graduates (ages 16-25). There is no cost to attend. Contact Fr. Corey Bruns at [email protected] or (270) 421-7868.
During the weekend of Oct. 18-19, St. Augustine Parish in Reed welcomed several seminarians who served at Mass, as well as a young parishioner who altar served for the first time. Pictured are Jackson Cecil, who served for the first time; high school servers Zach and Garrett Peerman; pastor Fr. Will Thompson; Owensboro seminarian Chris Paris; and New Hampshire seminarian Guillaume Temkitt. COURTESY OF FR. WILL THOMPSON
Originally printed in the November 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
