Last summer, Father Aaron Wessman, director of vocations for Glenmary Home Missioners, learned that the Archdiocese of Indianapolis has witnessed an increased interest in vocations. When the archdiocesan vocation director mentioned that their incoming vocations doubled, Father Aaron inquired about the impetus. “He attributed it to archdiocesan-wide prayers and fasting for vocations,” Father Aaron explains. 

Upon hearing of this exchange, Wilmar Zabala, a vocation counselor, emailed Fr. Aaron asking, ’Why can’t we do the same?’ “This began the conversation with the Development and Communications departments,” Zabala says.  

The Prayer Partners for Vocations initiative was launched on Sunday, October 19, 2025. “October 19 is the feast of the North American martyrs who Glenmary takes as our patron saints because they were the first missionaries in North America. It’s also Glenmary’s founding day where we celebrate the beginning of our tradition following those great Jesuit saints,” says Father Aaron. 

As part of the launch, “we emailed donors who receive Cultivate [asking them] to sign up, and as of early January 68 supporters (16 of whom are Glenmary priests, brothers, seminarians/brothers-in-training, and co-workers) have responded to this request,” Zabala says. 

The Prayer Partners for Vocations is one part of Glenmary’s ongoing initiative to reignite, embrace and live out a culture of vocations at Glenmary. “It is a very simple thing. We ask vocation prayer partners to commit to three things: Pray daily, Fast weekly, and Contemplate monthly. The monthly contemplation component asks our prayer partners to consider the needs of our missions – poverty, unemployment, housing, food security, challenges facing migrants,” says Father Aaron. 

The initiative also includes a list of prayers and a map of the 180 counties in the United States that have no Catholic Eucharistic presence. “There are so many places Glenmary could go. The only thing holding us back from bringing all the gifts of the Catholic Church to places we’ve never been before is personnel,” Father Aaron stresses. 

Joseph Tedo joined the prayer partners initiative last year. A member of a vocation society for the Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York, Tedo became involved after seeing the decline in numbers of active clergy. “It’s not only praying for new vocations but also making people aware of the need for vocations,” Tedo says.  

“I believe that this initiative is bearing much fruit. The interest from donors alone has been tremendous, but we’re also seeing an uptick in men filling out the vocation survey on our website and wanting to know more about Glenmary. One of these guys is officially applying to join Glenmary!” Zabala states.  

“The Prayer Partners for Vocations is a new beginning but also a continuity with the past as we keep the great spirit and charism of Glenmary moving forward with new missionaries and new vocations,” Father Aaron say

-Mary Ellen Pellegrini 

Request your copy of The Prayer Partners for Vocations booklet at glenmary.org/prayerpartner