Viatorian Voices: Conversations on the Way

In this episode, we offer brief explanations of various outlooks you can adopt to process major moments of discernment. Each "lens" comes with a short description and some directions, and we hope these tidbits can be of help to you as you think, converse, and pray amid important decisions. (This episode debuted on June 24, 2024.) For a copy of either of our discernment aid books, email vocations@v...

Each summer, the Viatorians hold the Viatorian Youth Congress. VYC is a four-day leadership and faith formation retreat for teens from our parishes and schools. This time together is focused on prayer, Eucharist, and service, and learning to identify God's ongoing invitations and discern a response. We send our youth back to their home communities as Viatorian Youth Leaders who have discerned a re...

Br. John Eustice, CSV professed first vows as a Viatorian in 2005. After several years of religious life, he discerned a call to priesthood, so he approached leadership about resuming theological studies and put together a plan for priestly formation. Now, after several years of philosophy, theology, practicum, and other formation, Br. John has been ordained a transition deacon (June 2023) and is...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices has caught up with several Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers; now, we're turning our attention to college students for the last installment in this series. Her...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices is catching up with Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers. Here, we talk to Eddie Jurkovic. Eddie grew up at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Viatorian pari...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices is catching up with Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers. Here, we talk to two teachers. Georgina Martinez grew up at Viatorian-founded parish, St. Thomas More in...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices is catching up with Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers. Here, we talk to Brooke Major, who studied science as an undergrad, has continued on to earn a master's...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices is catching up with Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers. Here, we talk to Iris Sanchez, who works as a campus minister at Cristo Rey St. Martin, and Ben Paolelli...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices is catching up with Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers. Here, we talk to Mike Leahy, a school counselor formerly at Saint Viator High School and now for Lake Zu...

As teens reach college and young adulthood, big questions arise and get asked often: what do you think you'll major in? What career are you preparing for? To help others with faithful discernment, Viatorian Voices is catching up with Viatorian young adults into the first years of their careers. Here, we talk to Pre-Associate Patrick Aller, who works in hospitality for Hilton and event planning and...

In the Viatorian ministerial and spiritual tradition, we are teachers of the faith. This continues today in many ways, including our continued stewardship of Catholic high schools. In this roundtable, we talk to two young adults who are striving to teach the faith to young people -- Zach Wulbert and Associate Brian Hansen, who are both Theology teachers at Saint Viator High School. They share thei...

In this episode, we’ll explore God’s invitations with Fr. John Peeters, CSV. John professed first vows in 1960, and his experience in religious life is unique. He has been a translator, novice master, and pastor, and he's served on three different continents -- just a few parts of John's unique experience that he shares here. (This episode debuted on January 15, 2024.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

Trevor Lyon graduated from Saint Viator High School in 2022 and headed on to Creighton University, where he is studying theology, psychology, and music. At Creighton, Trevor has continued to live his faith through university programs, including the young men’s faith-sharing group, Fishers of Men. Trevor participated in VYConnect events as a high schooler, and then he served as young adult leader f...

Viatorians are committed to walking with young people and are called to serve the holy altar, often through liturgical ministry leadership. In some cases, all these ministerial preferences align and form people to serve. Associate Anthony Gugino went from VYC participant to VYC leader to VYC music director, and later added local leadership to his resume when he took charge of the Sunday evening Ma...

CELEBRATING NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK In part 3 of our 3-part series for NVAW, we take a longer look at lay association with the Viatorians. Here, we reflect on the Viatorian invitation, the faith life of Viatorian associates, and why people ought to give Viatorian association and/or religious life a try. Associates Barb D'Urso and Curt Saindon weigh in, with reflections and stories from t...

CELEBRATING NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK In part 2 of our 3-part series for NVAW, we take a longer look at fatherhood, marriage, and family life. Our hope is to help form and inform young men who will discern their state of life -- religious life, priesthood, single life, or marriage. Associate Brian Hansen, Jacob LeSage (a young adult parishioner of Maternity BVM), and Pre-Associate Dan Mast...

CELEBRATING NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK In part 1 of our 3-part series for NVAW, we take a longer look at Viatorian religious life. Br. Peter, Fr. Charlie, and Br. Rob bring perspectives from various eras and generations of the congregation, offering a variety of insight around the common foundation of Viatorian life. (This conversation was recorded in October 2023 and debuted on November 6,...

BOLDER DREAMS: MINISTERIAL FORMATION SERIES conclusion In our 12-episode series, we invited guests to speak to the Viatorian Community on various key areas that are integral to our ministry. By seeking input from those who are not Viatorians but who are surely kindred spirits, we hoped we could bring fresh, challenging, and helpful insights to bear on our work. In this final episode, we gather the...

Continuing our two-part conversation with Sr. Debbie, she has some advice for Viatorians: follow the boldness of our founder in proclaiming the Gospel and accompanying youth. We can continue to support one another in our vocations and work together to make young men aware of the potential in Viatorian religious life for them. (This episode debuted on October 23, 2023.) Part 1 is here: https://open...

BOLDER DREAMS: MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES Sr. Debbie Borneman, SSCM is the Director of Mission Integration for the National Religious Vocations Conference (NRVC). In her work, she trains, collaborates with, and supports vocation ministers from women's and men's religious communities nationwide and beyond. She sees a landscape where the Holy Spirit is moving, where God's call endlessly continue...

John Kyler has served the Church as a teacher, music minister, composer, campus minister and publications editor. He drew on his various experience to reflect on hospitality in Catholic communities through a new book, Welcome All as Christ . His advice to the Viatorians: continue to welcoming people for who they are, name their gifts, and empower them to lead and serve. (This episode debuted on Oc...

BOLDER DREAMS: MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES Fr. Brendan McAleer, CSC has experience in campus ministry, vocation ministry, and media production. All along the way, to keep in touch with friends and family as well as to share his vocation, he has enjoyed using Instagram. Now as a producer for Grotto Network, he is striving to use new media and storytelling to help bring people to more engaged fai...

BOLDER DREAMS: MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES Molly Mattingly is an experienced music ministry director and university campus minister. She has helpful insights on accompanying and empowering young people in ministry and putting a focus on honoring them and their witness. Her advice to Viatorians: listen to young people and help them continue to build on their valuable experience. (This episode de...

BOLDER DREAMS: MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES Before joining the Viatorian staff in 2019, Dan Masterton worked in Catholic high school campus ministry. He worked at schools in California, Indiana, and Illinois for seven years and directed over 30 retreats in that time. In 2021, Dan authored Exploring Faith: A Guide to Retreat Ministry with Young People, which was published by the National Catholic...

BOLDER DREAMS: Ministry Formation Series Longtime youth ministry leader Kim McMillan reflects on the integral components of youth ministry, the centrality of relationship-building, and helping young people sustain their growing faith. Her advice to Viatorians: intentionally help teens make the leap from their high school and family life into adult faith, including belonging to a faith community su...