Photo Caption: The home page of comeandfollowme.org, the new website of the Office of Priestly Vocations of the Diocese of Peoria, offers videos and resources for every age group only a click away.

By: By Tom Dermody

Even if you don’t feel called to the priesthood, there is something for everyone to enjoy and ponder at the new website of the Diocese of Peoria’s Office of Priestly Vocations: comeandfollowme.org.

If you do feel called to the priesthood, the website is a must-see.

“People are really happy about it,” said Msgr. Brian Brownsey, director, of the information- and video-rich site that was a year in the making with professional help from Converse Marketing in Peoria.

The website features profiles of all 34 seminarians of the Diocese of Peoria following the same format as the back of the recently released seminarian trading cards. (See related story Seminarian trading cards offer youth a new set of heroes.)

The seminarians tell why they became a seminarian, what they did before entering seminary, and share an interesting fact about their lives.

For example, visitors will learn that Deacon Thomas Otto — a Chillicothe native set to be ordained next May — runs marathons. Stephen Rogers of Champaign admits he once defeated his roommate in an eating contest “by consuming 23 full-size IHOP pancakes in one sitting.”

Three seminarians are featured in video interviews, with more on the way. Among them is Chase Hilgenbrinck, a native of Bloomington and former professional soccer player. His video features him in soccer action and being interviewed on Fox News after making his decision to leave professional soccer and enter the seminary for the Diocese of Peoria.

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been being a seminarian,” he says. “And that’s only because I’m doing God’s will.”

There are messages geared to junior high, high school, and college students as well as persons already in careers. Another page is devoted to issues of concern to parents. There are links describing the summer vocation awareness program Emmaus Days as well as the new parish-based weeklong summer camps called Totus Tuus.

Each page is headed with the question: “Everyone is called to do something. What’s your calling?” The graphics are in the style of the baseball cards and posters now being distributed around the diocese.
“Everything ties together,” said Msgr. Brownsey, saying the next step will be better utilization of social media including Facebook and Twitter to help create a culture of vocations.

While the site is designed to specially appeal to men between the ages of 15 and 25, the opportunity to learn about the seminarians and consider God’s plan for your own life afforded by the comeandfollowme.org knows no limits of age or gender. There are also links to websites of all religious communities serving in the Diocese of Peoria.

A series of 12 posters being offered through the Office of Priestly Vocations feature illustrations and quotes from six seminarians, Msgr. Brownsey, Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Jenky, and Jesus, as well as a group shot and individual head shots of the Diocese of Peoria seminarians.

In addition, the vocations office is also making available kits including book bags, water bottles, and pens with vocations themes. They were distributed at the recent diocesan youth rallies, and are good for confirmation retreats or mission trips, said Msgr. Brownsey.

For more information on any of the new efforts of the vocations office, contact Amy Chovan at (309) 671-1550 or by email at achovan@cdop.org.