Detroit — Fr. Tim Birney, director of priestly vocations with the Archdiocese of Detroit, knows the culture is becoming more digital than ever before.

He also knows that when it comes to encouraging vocational discernment, being aware of the culture’s trends is vital.

Reaching into that digital sphere, the archdiocese’s Office of Priestly Vocations has turned to its seminarians for help in recording a series of video testimonies for its website, DetroitPriest.com.“I think most vocation directors around the country are trying to utilize social media, which is where young people are,” Fr. Birney said.

With videos ranging from three to five minutes long, each seminarian shares highlights from his vocational discernment, what led him to the seminary, and some practical advice for those discerning a priestly vocation.

The videos were announced through Facebook and Twitter, and “received a lot of positive reactions,” Fr. Birney said.

“There’s no one story that’s the same,” said Fr. Birney, ranging from men who grew up in big Catholic families and always recognized a call to the priesthood, to men who served in the workforce before arriving at Sacred Heart.

Fr. Birney first presented the video idea to seminarians at one of their monthly gatherings, which typically involve either morning or evening prayer, and then a meal together.

It didn’t take much to get the seminarians on board, and after buying some equipment and teaming with a few tech-savvy seminarians, Fr. Birney began a two-month filming process.

Beginning each film with “Tom, tell me about your vocation story,” the videos were an opportunity for each seminarian to dig deep, Fr. Birney said. During the editing and uploading process, he noticed the seminarians working with the videos “were inspired.”

“Since I’m the vocation director, I hear all of the seminarians’ stories, but it was interesting to see how the editing seminarians were inspired by hearing their classmates’ stories,” he said.

In one video testimony, Deacon John Kopson, a Theology IV student, explained that after meeting with his childhood pastor in preparation for confirmation, his pastor said, “I don’t run into many young men who have the characteristics of what it takes to be a priest. And I see those characteristics in you.”

Deacon Kopson recalled being immediately filled with two reactions: first as a compliment, and second as “almost a resistance,” since he was dating at the time and wanted his own life goals.

But once in college, Deacon Kopson said he “became an expert at figuring out what I didn’t want to do with my life,” though he did grow deeper in his Catholic faith.

He entered the seminary, but then left, not thinking he would return. Despite this, he continued to sense a calling to the priesthood.

“I remember going in front of a tabernacle on my birthday, and asking the Lord, ‘if you want me to be a priest, I need you to give me a desire to be a priest,’” said Deacon Kopson. “I think in that process the Lord was very patient and generous with me. But what happened was that my will was conformed to the will of Christ.”

Romeo Cappella, a Philosophy II student, had been raised a Lutheran, but entered the Catholic Church at age 15, he said in his video testimony. At age 16, he started thinking about the priesthood.

“The summer right before my senior year of high school, I went to a Steubenville youth conference and I was really touched,” Cappalla said. “I went back to my high school and started a pro-life club,” an experience he said helped him “grow a lot of fortitude from doing God’s will.”

Visiting Sacred Heart Major Seminary for a high school retreat, he felt a lot of peace, and knew this was where he was supposed to be.

In his advice at the end of the video, Cappalla suggested, “Don’t be afraid to give up anything to the Lord because whatever you give to him, he can pay you back immeasurably.”[gallery columns="6" link="none" ids="22960,22961,22962,22963,22964,22965"]