By Doug Weller
The Register

Salina — Praying the Rosary in support of vocations is one of two keys to increasing the number of priests and religious, maintains Deacon Dick Kramer.

He is one of seven people to lend his voice to a project to do just that.

The “Rosary for Vocations” CD has been distributed to parishes and is available to any interested individual.

“Everyone I’ve talked to says praying the Rosary and spending time in adoration is what really leads to vocations,” Deacon Kramer said. “This is one of those two keys.”

Bishop Edward Weisenburger recently launched the “Rosary for Vocations” program, where 10 CDs will be given to each parish to be distributed, in turn, to the homebound to encourage prayers for vocations.

In addition to Bishop Weisenburger and Deacon Kramer’s voices on the CD, five others well-known in the Diocese of Salina participated: Capuchin Father Michael Scully, Reg and Jan Konrade, Nancy Sherffius and Sister Barbara Ellen Apaceller.

“The rosary CD project is a great idea, and I am honored to have been asked to record one of the decades,” said Sherffius, religious education coordinator at St. Mary, Queen of the Universe Parish in Salina. “I believe that inviting parishioners with limited mobility to pray the Rosary once a week for vocations helps draw them closer to our parish family.”

Deacon Kramer, who is assigned to St. John the Evangelist Parish in Herington, said he believed many others also would want to take part.
“We have a lot of people here who work at Fort Riley or for the railroad, and when they’re traveling, they can listen to it and say the Rosary along with it,” he said. “I think it’s really great.”

Sherffius said St. Mary’s parish nurse, Doris Worcester, has started to distribute the CDs as she visits homebound parishioners and has had positive responses. “I feel all of us should accept the same invitation and pray a Rosary for vocations — with or without the CD — once a week,” Sherffius added.

Anyone can request a CD by contacting Darlene Streit at the Chancery by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or calling (785) 827-8746. A gift of $2 per Rosary CD to cover the cost of the disk plus postage is suggested. The entire CD also will be available on the diocesan website at salinadiocese.org, where anyone can listen to it from a computer, tablet or smart phone.

Father Scully now is based in Lawrence but has been a longtime pastor, teacher and school administrator in Ellis County.
The Konrades are directors of the diocesan Office of Family Life, and Sister Barbara Ellen is coordinator of the diocesan Office of Catholic Formation.

The Rosary CD is a project of “Stewards of Hope,” the diocesan pastoral plan. Now in its second year, the pastoral plan adds a particular focus each year in an effort to help revitalize parishes and inspire the faithful.

The focus this year is on formation for ministry, including vocations to the priesthood, permanent diaconate and consecrated life, as well as forming lay ecclesial ministers and lay leaders.

Salina — As part of this year’s “Stewards of Hope” emphasis on vocations, Bishop Edward Weisenburger is distributing to parishes a CD recording of people in the diocese praying the Rosary for vocations.

The CD is expected to be completed sometime in September. Each parish will receive 10 free copies, and priests are asked to distribute them specifically to shut-ins, asking for their help.

“The purpose of the CD is for parishioners, especially shut-ins or those who might be limited in other ways of assistance, to pray a rosary once a week for vocations,” Bishop Weisenburger said. “While there are many other worthwhile activities we can and should undertake to foster vocations, in this project, my goal is that we place prayer ahead of all other efforts.

“Indeed, while we oftentimes speak of the primary importance of prayer, our actions do not always betray that belief,” he continued. “In this way, we will be putting into action our belief in the fundamental role of prayer; moreover I have no doubt that the Lord will bless us in response to our prayers.”

If there is additional interest beyond the 10 copies provided to each parish, the diocese will produce more copies for a modest fee to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing.

“Also, we hope to have a link to it on our diocesan Web page where people could click on the audio and pray with the recording,” Bishop Weisenburger said.

This is the second year of the four-year “Stewards of Hope” diocesan plan. Each year adds a particular focus in an effort to help revitalize parishes and inspire the faithful.