Catholic Diocese builds vocations with Internet

DES MOINES, Iowa - Tapping the new generation raised on the Internet, the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines has unveiled a Web site aimed at helping it recruit men for the priesthood.

Combined with calls from the pulpit, periodic banquets with bishops and sports events, organizers say http://www.vocationsonline.com is a 21st century way to cultivate the church's next generation of clergy.

''We really have a window of opportunity right now,'' said the Rev. John Acrea, the diocese's director of vocations. ''I talk with youth ministers and directors and they say there's really an openness to God's call these days.''

Web surfers can find vocational information suited for students and for people already in the work force. There are contacts and prayers, and links to testimonials from men who pursued a religious calling.

At least 25 Catholic dioceses have created Web sites to reach a younger audience, said the Rev. Edward Burns, executive director of the Bishops' Committee on Vocations and Priestly Formation.

The Des Moines Web site is based on one created for the Diocese of Joliet, Ill., by the Rev. John Regan. Of the 28 men in the diocese's seminary this year, about five initially contacted Regan through the Web site.

A Web site allows potential priests to learn about religious life on their own terms, Regan said.

''They want a kind of anonymity,'' he said. ''They don't necessarily at the beginning want to be known. It's a private way for them to get information that's going to be helpful for them.''

The recruiting drives are aimed at offsetting a growing shortage of priests. A two-year study released by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in June found a 20 percent decline in the number of priests since 1985, while the nation's Catholic population increased by 7.6 million during the same period,

The Des Moines diocese has 84 active priests to minister to nearly 100,000 Catholics in 85 parishes in Des Moines and the state's rural southwest quarter, and expects 30 priests to retire during the next decade. Twelve seminarians are working toward their ordination and Acrea wants to guide 20 more by 2002.

The Internet is just one more tool in the search for men interested in the priesthood.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh developed a television advertising campaign broadcast during weekend football games, targeted at men aged 18 to 45.

''What they attempt to do is to show that a priest is an ordinary man called to do extraordinary work,'' said the Rev. David Bonnar, director of vocations for the Pittsburgh diocese.

The Des Moines diocese has held basketball games with a traveling group of priests called ''The Running Revs'' to encourage vocations. Priests regularly hold banquets to talk to people interested in a religious life. And Acrea is distributing 10,000 stickers with the Web site address to students.

The diocese also plans a series of billboards whose messages include ''White Collar Workers Needed: Priesthood'' and ''Priesthood: It's Awesome.''

''I want the same kind of people who are going to be doctors and brain surgeons and lawyers and CEOs to be priests,'' Acrea said. ''And they're all chased after by everybody so we have to get into the mix and recruit.''

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On the Net:

Diocese of Des Moines: http://www.dmdiocese.org

National Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.nccbuscc.org./vocations

Diocese of Joliet: http://www.vocations.com

Diocese of Pittsburgh: http://www.diopitt.org/