HUNTINGTON — “You can cast a wider net with more fishermen out there,” said Father Joseph Fitzgerald, one of three new associate vocation directors appointed as part of an expansion of the diocesan vocations office.

Fathers Fitzgerald, Gerald Cestare and Irinel Racos have been assigned as full-time high school chaplains, with the additional title of associate vocation director. Each will also work with college campus ministry. They join Father Brian Barr, who has served as diocesan vocation director since 2007. Fathers Barr, Fitzgerald and Racos will also reside together to form a “vocations community.”

Father Barr said that the job of promoting vocations “is just too big for one person,” and when he presented the idea for a new structure for the vocations office, Bishop William Murphy agreed.

“Bishop Murphy said (vocations) are a priority,” he said. “There is not one parish that has not been impacted in some way by the declining number of priests.”

“On a national level, we are next to the bottom in terms of priest-to-parishioner ratio,” Father Barr said. “My predecessors (as vocation directors) did really great work, and this is still the situation. It is a bleak picture.”

When he looked at comparable dioceses that were having success with vocations, Father Barr noticed that the “places doing well have strategic plans and a generous allotment of personnel.”

“There are obvious benefits of four minds together working versus one,” said Father Barr. “Now, I will have three other guys suggesting things.”

Father Fitzgerald has been assigned to Holy Trinity Diocesan High School, Hicksville; Father Cestare to McGann-Mercy High School, Riverhead; and Father Racos to St. Anthony High School, South Huntington.

“They will be first and foremost high school chaplains,” emphasized Father Barr, who served as St. Anthony’s chaplain for five years. “We will somewhat redefine their roles, asking them to do even more work.”

The chaplains will work as a team, providing support for each other. “We are hoping to allow schools to work together in campus ministry, in a way we haven’t done before,” he said, including hosting some joint retreats and other programs and having chaplains fill in occasionally at each other’s schools to allow students to get to know more than one priest. He hopes eventually to work with the chaplains at the other high schools in the diocese.

High school communities are an important opportunity for evangelization, said Father Barr, who noted that developing personal relationships is essential to vocations work. “You could throw a great party, but if you don’t have friends, no one’s coming,” he said. “Our office puts together some really good events, but I send out flyers inviting young people, and they don’t know who I am. If your chaplain, who you know and like and trust, tells you about a program, you are more likely to go.”

“Youth ministry is my first love,” said Father Cestare, who is completing his term as pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Valley Stream. “It is difficult to leave. I’ve been very happy here, but I’m very excited. I love working with young people and offering them an experience of faith.”

Ordained in 1995, Father Cestare has served as an associate at Our Lady of Grace in West Babylon and St. Agnes Cathedral parish. “One of the things I’ve tried to do as a priest is make (the priesthood) an attractive possibility, to make kids see how we live life and be happy. We priests are entrusted with a precious gift.”
“A vocation comes from God, but too many people are not getting the invitation,” he said. “What I am most excited about is working as part of a team. It’s a new model with more talent.”

Father Racos, who is completing a term as associate pastor at St. Matthew’s, Dix Hills, is looking forward to his new assignment. “It is mandatory to get new vocations. Our youngsters need to be encouraged to say yes,” he said. He has visited St. Anthony’s already and is impressed with the work being done there. A priest of the diocese of Rieti, Italy, Father Racos looks forward to celebrating Mass on the college campuses. “Mass is the starting point. From there you can get to know their stories and it is enriching for both sides.”

The diocesan campus ministry currently operates at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point; Hofstra University, Hempstead; Adelphi University, Garden City and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

“I am really excited,” said Father Fitzgerald who has served at St. Kilian’s, Farmingdale, since his ordination in June 2007. “Encouraging vocations to the priesthood and religious life is an area very dear to my heart. I want people to know what an amazing gift the priesthood is.”

A teacher and high school coach in Atlanta before his ordination, Father Fitzgerald said he is very comfortable returning to a school environment and is quickly learning the history and tradition of Holy Trinity.

“I am looking forward the most to living in community” with the other vocation directors, he said. “The first community of apostles lived together and prayed together, sharing the miracles of the day. We will be able to do the same thing.”

“The common residence will help create a sense of team and mission,” said Father Barr. It will also be practical to be able to communicate without trying to find time to fit meetings into their busy schedules. Although Father Cestare will live in Suffolk County to be closer to McGann-Mercy in Riverhead, Father Barr emphasized that he will still be “very much part of the team.”

“It’s exciting to be starting this new community in the name of vocations during this year for the priest,” said Father Barr.