By Melliza Palazo
Vocation Co-Chair for St. Pius X Church and President of the Serra Club of Portland
National Vocation Awareness Week is a beautiful tradition for our parish and school. Yet, the true fruit of this celebration comes when its spirit extends beyond one week and continues throughout the year. The Church invites us not only to celebrate vocations for a few days each November, but to cultivate a daily culture of vocation—one where every person, especially our children, learns to listen for God’s call with trust and joy.
With God’s inspiration and grace, the Vocation Committee of St. Pius X, together with the Serra Club of Portland, hosted a special panel discussion in celebration of National Vocation Awareness Week titled “Different Paths, One CALL: Journey to the Priesthood and Religious Life.” This event highlighted the many ways God calls people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to a shared mission of service in the Church.
The panel featured Brother Louis Nguyen, OSB, a physician by education who was called to serve as a Religious Brother of the Order of Saint Benedict; Deacon Shawn Daniel, a psychology and political science graduate who served in the U.S. Navy and as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Reserve before responding to God’s call to the priesthood; and Monsignor Dennis O’Donovan, who served as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Portland and Moderator of the Archdiocesan Curia.
Each speaker shared how God patiently guided their steps—often through unexpected turns—toward a deeper yes to a life of prayer, sacrifice, and joyful service. Their journeys reminded us that a vocation is both a gift and a mission: a gift, because God lovingly calls and accompanies each person; and a mission, because every vocation exists for others—to bring Christ’s love to the world. Through their witness, our community was reminded that God’s call is always personal, yet never isolated.
We were also honored to host a vocation talk for our middle school students and their teachers for the 7th year, continuing a cherished tradition during National Vocation Awareness Week. This special event invited students to reflect on how God may be calling them to serve the Church and community in their own unique way.
This year, we were especially blessed to welcome our very own Fr. Peter Julia, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Portland and Chaplain of the Portland Serra Club. Fr. Peter shared his personal journey to the priesthood, describing how he learned to listen for God’s voice, faced challenges, and deepened his faith along the way. He also spoke about his ministry as a Chaplain with the Oregon Air National Guard, showing how priests serve in many different settings while bringing Christ’s love to others.
Our middle school students were deeply engaged as Fr. Peter shared heartfelt stories from his life and vocation. The talk created a joyful and welcoming atmosphere, and both students and teachers expressed appreciation for the opportunity to learn from his experience. Fr. Peter’s presence and testimony inspired our young students, showing that a vocation grows through prayer, trust, and the courage to follow where God leads.
Several students later shared how his talk helped them think more deeply about their own future and how they might serve others. Below are some reflections from our St. Pius X students, capturing the lasting impact of this meaningful vocation encounter.
“The part that I really enjoyed of Fr. Peter’s talk was when he told the story about fixing the leak in the church on Christmas. His story was a prime example of how everything happens for a reason and even though it’s not always clear, God always has a plan for us.” | Sophia, 8th grade
“I liked how Father Julia kept everyone hooked on the story by making it engaging and fun. I think it helped everyone a lot.” | Ashley, 7th grade
“The vocation talk was overall very fun to listen to, it felt like as a middle school we were being told stories and how to know if God is calling you to have a specific purpose, like a priest.” | Grant, 8th grade
“I appreciate how Fr. Peter talked about how he did not feel a calling to serve Christ until he was in college. Lastly, I liked how he encouraged us to ask God what his plan for us is. I think his talk was inspiring to many people.” | Erin, 8th grade
“I really liked how he explained very clearly how he got to the point of where he is now and how he used examples from his life to show how good God is (like the story with the mother). I also liked how he answered with patience all the questions that were asked by students.” | Sarah, 8th grade
“Fr. Peter’s talk was very engaging. He tried to help everybody understand what vocations are and how you can use yours to help the world.” | Jacob, 8th grade
“I liked how Fr. Peter Julia told us stories about his life as a priest and as chaplain for Air National Guard. It was interesting to learn how he had two callings.” | Chloe, 8th grade
“I liked the way of how he explained his entire journey as chaplain for the Air National Guard and as a Priest.” | Shloka, 8th grade
“Hearing Fr. Peter’s stories, inspires me to help others more.” | Abigail, 6th grade
“I thought it was a cool how you could be a priest in the military.” | Riley, 6th grade
Pictures from the Discussion Panel.