Spotlighting vocations and the beauty of a life lived for God

As vocations director for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Fr Dishan Candappa has the vital role of helping men who are discerning a vocation to diocesan priesthood and guiding parishes in how to support those considering priesthood or a religious life.

It is not an easy job, requiring a careful evaluation process, checking motivations and speaking to priests who know the candidates. He may find himself in the delicate position of having to tell someone that he is not suited for the priesthood.

‘It’s difficult, but there are some signs—obviously, if someone isn’t applying for the right reasons or isn’t ready or there are any ... impediments.

It’s better to have fewer people who are quite clear in their calling than just let anyone in.

‘I’ll be very clear if it’s a yes, a no or maybe. If it’s a yes, it has to be mutual: they have to want to apply, and I have to be happy for them to apply.’

If Fr Dishan is comfortable that a person could make a good candidate, the applicant is put through medical and psychological tests and reference checks—a process that is ‘probably more intense than joining the army’, he says.

His job is then to make recommendations to the Archbishop of Melbourne, who has the final call. The misconception that passing through the discernment process might be easier nowadays because of a ‘shortage’ of priests in the Archdiocese is firmly quashed. ‘There’s been an uptick in the number of applicants in the last few years, but I have to say no to a number of people,’ Fr Dishan says.

Kids aspire to be footballers from a very young age because they see heroism in the sport. Likewise, we show the beauty of a life lived for God.

‘The Archbishop looks at [each application] carefully. Just because I recommend someone, he doesn’t automatically say yes. He can come back with a yes or a “Hey, I need more information”. And it’s my task to tell the person that their application hasn’t been accepted.

‘We’ve been very careful, Fr Dishan says, pointing out that the decisions he and the Archbishop make can ‘have at least a 50-year repercussion for the diocese. That’s a priest lifespan basically. It’s better to have fewer people who are quite clear in their calling than just let anyone in and have big problems down the track.’

The Vocations Office also, but more rarely, guides women and men who seek a religious life but do not aspire to the priesthood. Fr Dishan says his job is to guide them elsewhere, depending on the individual circumstances. But the second main role of the office is to promote vocations through school visits, which Fr Dishan likens to inspiring young people in much the same way that sports heroes do.

‘We use the AFL analogy,’ he explains. ‘Kids aspire to be footballers from a very young age because they see heroism in the sport. Likewise, we show the beauty of a life lived for God.’

The Vocations Office has a team of six priests overseeing promotions in schools and parishes. Seminarians are their best promoters, Fr Dishan says, because they are relatable. ‘We target parishes with young people. It’s about planting seeds.

‘I can think of two priests who credit school visits for their vocations, but it’s hard to quantify.’

Research shows that most vocations come from good practising Catholic families, so how can we expand on that a little bit?

His parish ministry, at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Gladstone Park, naturally complements this work. The thriving parish in Melbourne’s outer north-west is made up of families and a substantial young adult group, from which a seminarian recently emerged.

Coincidentally, the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary this Good Shepherd Sunday, which always falls on the fourth Sunday of Easter and is also designated as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations each year. Wishing the faithful a happy golden jubilee, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli described Good Shepherd Sunday as ‘a day when we look to the Good Shepherd, trusting in his call to each of us to come into his protective embrace. This is a day of prayer for vocations to priesthood, seeing in the Good Shepherd the model for priestly shepherds after the heart of Jesus.’

Archbishop Comensoli observed that the celebrations had extra meaning this year, coming just days after the election of a new pope. We are, he said, in ‘a new moment of cultural shifts and social forces that need addressing, and the Church has a vital role to play in this. Leo, Leone, Lion. We might especially pray that Pope Leo be given such a heart, for our sake, who look to the Lion of Judah … Jesus Christ to be our defender and guide.’

God does call ... It’s a tremendous thing to give your life.

Good Shepherd Sunday has kicked off an important period of vocations promotion for 2025, and Fr Dishan and his team have a lot of work ahead. One of their newer focuses will be targeting families at the parish level. ‘Research shows that most vocations come from good practising-Catholic families, so how can we expand on that a little bit?’ he asks.

‘We need to spend more time with families, because families feel tremendous pressure in modern societies. And I’m not sure that we are doing enough for our families as a Church to support them.

‘So if we want to do more, we also want to get good families together and see how they can help us to plant seeds. For centuries, we didn’t have to worry about a vocations office because families were like, “If God calls you to be a priest or nun, that’s an amazing thing. Go do it.”’ But now, he says, people are more likely to discern a call to be a doctor or a lawyer. ‘Having a religious life is hardly ever mentioned, even in good Catholic families.

‘We’re just trying to get that story again of parents seeing the beauty of a vocation, and not pushing their kids, but even just introducing them to [the idea and saying], “Hey, God does call, and if he does call, it’s a tremendous thing to give your life.”’