Dear Friend,
It’s hard to believe this calendar year is already coming to an end! I pray that over the course of 2025, the work we do has blessed you in some way. Have you been encouraged by any of our podcasts, articles, events, books, videos, social posts, or studies?
One of my greatest blessings is hearing about how you’ve been impacted by our offerings. Today, I want to tell you about three young men from our High Calling Program and the notes they sent me earlier this year, sharing their stories of impact.
But first, some context: I spent three weeks with our discerners, teaching a module on spiritual warfare and the discernment of spirits. During our evenings together, I challenged them to be real men. Men who don’t run away when things get difficult. Who are ready to fight for a culture and a Church–and the souls within it–even when that same culture has largely abandoned them. I urged them to allow themselves to be transformed in Christ and to become fully themselves, alive in Him. Brave, bold, great-hearted men. I ache for them to know that this is what they were made for.
Imagine what I felt, at the end of the class, when I read this feedback:
“I was going to abandon ship, but I’m staying in the program and continuing to discern.”
“You allowed me to see the lies I was believing, and I’m going to stay and pursue my vocation.”
“I had my hand on the exit hatch, but this class confirmed that I’m meant to stay and fight toward my calling.”
I get emotional now, remembering those words.
Each of these men will impact thousands and thousands of souls in his life. Most men in our program do go on to seminary and will become a new generation of faith-filled priests, advancing the salvific work of the Church.
Those who discern otherwise only become better husbands, fathers, laborers, and leaders because of their time with us. They become better men. And we are privileged to help them rediscover the dignity and responsibility of their masculine vocation as they live it out, however God has called them. You know how badly we need real men in our midst.
Everything we do at Avila is oriented toward helping the individual Christian become most fully themselves and live out their vocation with renewed vigor and holy zeal. That vocation includes state of life, yes, but also, and more fundamentally, our universal vocation to holiness. Union with God. Divine Intimacy.
For that reason, you won’t find saccharine spirituality here. Only solid, timeless Catholic spiritual wisdom, revealed by God to be the path to true happiness. That’s what led you here to begin with: you know that authentic revival can only happen if it begins in the human heart, is fed by truth, and fueled by love.
We’re serving more students, discerning men, and spiritual directors than ever before. Right now, for example, there are 129 men discerning the priesthood in our High Calling program. There’s simply no way to quantify that long-term impact on the Church.
We are not in the business of forming just intellects in our programs. We transform lives. And when I say “we” be assured that I’m including you.
With that in mind, may I ask you to consider making a gift, and see it doubled, before year-end?
That’s right–because of the generosity of one of our faithful supporters who has offered to match all year-end donations up to $200,000, your offering will be doubled when you donate before the end of 2025.
Make a gift here: https://secure.spiritualdirection.com/cye25
Your gift now will have twice the impact–right when we need it more than ever. You see, I’m hoping we’ll have 200 young men go through High Calling formation next year. If they do, we’ll have served over 1000 men since we started the program. You heard me – 1,000 men. If the average priest impacts 3,000 people a year (according to the USCCB) and 700 of these men become priests (our average retention rate), then you are playing a part in impacting over 2 million Catholics each year! Can you imagine what the Church of the future will look like with Catholic priests on fire for Jesus? This gives me great hope. Does it move your heart as well?
This is a big goal, but an achievable one.
It is, however, only possible with grace and with your help.
Bishops do what they can to offset the cost of this life-altering human and spiritual formation for their men (which is a fraction of the cost of seminary, saving their dioceses tens of thousands of dollars), but many of them still need assistance.
They are so grateful when you partner with us, and with them, to draw these men deeper into the heart of the Father and to respond to Him with radical generosity and courageous self-giving.
I’ll share just one recent note from a diocesan vocation director:
I am writing to express my profound gratitude for your gracious acceptance of our four discerners into the High Calling Pre-Seminary Program. Your support and commitment to their spiritual and formation journey mean a great deal to us and to them as they embark on this important path. Additionally, we are immensely thankful for your assistance in securing the generous scholarship. This significant financial support will cover most of their tuition fees, alleviating a considerable burden and allowing them to focus more fully on their formation.
Your dedication and the exceptional service provided by you and your staff play a crucial role in the Church’s mission of preparing our future priests. Your efforts greatly contribute to the glory of God and the salvation of souls, and we are truly blessed to have your partnership in this sacred endeavor.
We sincerely appreciate the work you do in guiding these young men as they discern their vocations. Please share our thanks to your staff and benefactors as well, and know that you are all in our prayers as you continue this vital ministry.
And thank you for considering making a final, year-end donation today. Nothing is too small. And with the matching gift, every offering will go even farther to make a massive difference in the lives of future priests and those they’ll serve.
https://secure.spiritualdirection.com/cye25
Gratefully yours in Him,
Dan Burke
Unum est Necessarium
P.S. While I’m the first to caution against any false sense of urgency, the chance to grow our High Calling Program exponentially through the matching gift program really does end when 2025 ends. I invite you to pray about this time-sensitive opportunity. If you feel called to give, please use this link: https://secure.spiritualdirection.com/cye25.
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Image: Unsplash
