Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin (USA), OFFICE OF VOCATIONS

Vocations director takes up the work of his father(s)

By Patrick Slattery

Staff Writer

LA CROSSE – Greater than his love of music and zest for life is Father Joe Hirsch’s mission to draw others into a close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

"What is God calling you to be?" is a question he asks often of others, especially young people.

For the spiritually motivated who experience a strong call to holiness, it could quite possibility be a call to the priesthood or consecrated life. As director of vocations for the La Crosse diocese, it’s Father Hirsch’s responsibility to accompany those called by God in this special way. Given his background, the work seems to be a perfect fit for him, and six months into it his zeal and hope for the future remain high.

A priest for 16 years, Father Hirsch assumed his vocations director duties last summer. He believes his experiences as associate at St. Mary’s Cathedral, chaplain at Assumption High in Wisconsin Rapids and his work as pastor of Sacred Heart, Cashton; St. Mary, St. Mary Ridge; St. Augustine, Norwalk and St. John, Summit have provided him a rich background to draw on for this work.

The third born in a family of nine and a native son of St. Patrick, Sparta, Father Hirsch said his own vocation path to the priesthood was not a straight and easy one. He didn’t enter the seminary until after holding a multitude of jobs and earning a degree in Spanish from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Among his adventures was seven months of travel in South America hitchhiking with his brother Phil, which included a month’s stay with Father Joe Walijewski in Peru.

He credits two fatherly figures for helping him to find the way to priesthood. The first is his own father, Mark Hirsch.

Father Hirsch said he distinctly remembers his father asking him during his senior year in high school if he was called to be a priest."

"No, too difficult," he replied. His father responded, "Well then why don’t you pray for the graces necessary to overcome the difficulties?"

Some years later, the future-Father Hirsch became friends with the newly ordained associate at the cathedral, Father Raymond Burke. Detecting the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood in Joe Hirsch, Father Burke recommended the young man give seminary life a try.

After studying at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Father Hirsch was ordained in 1986. Father Burke was a steady friend and mentor along the way. After ordination the two shared in the brotherhood of the priesthood and now enjoy the father-son relationship of bishop and priest.

One of Bishop Burke’s top priorities over the past seven years has been to increase the number of priests for the Diocese of La Crosse.

At present the diocese has 22 seminarians in college or theologate studies. This summer three seminarians will be ordained. Father Hirsch has set a goal of upping the number of seminarians by 10 next year, and indications are encouraging that this goal will be met or exceeded.

Throughout his priesthood Father Hirsch has devoted enormous amounts of time to being in the company of young people. The work of the Assumption High retreat team and the mission trips he has led to South America have been high points of his priesthood.

In today’s highly secularized culture, all kinds of distractions make it difficult to heed a call to the priesthood, notes Father Hirsch. Also a major factor, he says, is that many of today’s Catholic young people are growing up in homes where regular participation in Mass, the sacraments and prayer cannot be assumed.

Ideally, Father Hirsch hopes vocations will flow forth most readily from generous Catholic families committed to lives of holiness. Various initiatives led by the bishop are leading the faithful in this direction, Father Hirsch believes.

The likeliest candidates for the priesthood, Father Hirsch said, are not asking of themselves, "What do I want to do with my life?" but rather, "What is God’s plan for my life?" From there, he said, prospective priests need to ask themselves, "Am I willing to undertake a life that is significantly countercultural?" and "Am I willing to commit to regular prayer?"

Published in the Catholic Times, May 6, 2003

2002-2004. Office of Vocations, Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin (USA). Questions and Comments? Contact The Administrator.