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5 I n a world where consumerism runs rampant and career is king, young men are still finding heavenly success in listening to the "still, small voice" of the Father. Their mission, which they have chosen to accept, is to draw nearer to God the Father and to emulate God the Son through the power of the Holy Spirit for the good of his beloved Church. With eight men ordained to the priesthood two summers ago, six men ordained to the transitional diaconate last summer, and twelve men received into their propaedeutic (or spirituality) year this fall, that mission is spreading like wildfire in the Archdiocese of Denver. What is making that difference? The power of witness, says Fr. Jason Wallace, Vocations Director for the Archdio- cese of Denver. "What drew me to be a priest is what's drawing a lot of men in our archdiocese to be priests," Fr. Wallace said, recalling his involvement in the Church as he grew up. Beginning with the example of his parents and their getting him involved in the church community, Fr. Wallace ended up serving Mass and spending time with his parish priests. "They became my biggest role models. I said my priest loved us more than we loved ourselves, and when you experience that kind of love, it makes you realize what God's love is like." Their spiritual fatherhood was pivotal in Fr. Wallace's life, leading him to become even more involved in the parish, developing his prayer life, and coming to know the Good Shepherd who called him into service of the sheep. One such spiritual father was Fr. Robert Dabrowski, a Polish priest freed from the Dachau concentration camp by the Oklahoma Thunderbirds at the conclusion of World War II. Looking for a way to honor and thank those brave soldiers, Fr. Dabrowski became a missionary, serving in a small Oklahoma parish where the Wallace family first met him. Though he had experienced profound atrocity and suf- fering, Fr. Dabrowski's witness of holiness, pastoral care, and dedicated service struck young men in the parish. "Because one man was faithful to his calling, six of us from my parish went to the seminary around the same time I did. It was a beautiful testimony to what a good priest can do," Fr. Wallace shared of Fr. Dabrowski, as well as the priests that followed him. In his work as vocations director, Fr. Wallace said he sees that his experience of spiritual fatherhood is not uncommon. ⊲ An Interview with Fr. Jason Wallace, Vocations Director DENVER CATHOLIC | NOVEMBER 2023 The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek Juan Antonio de Frías y Escalante Copyright © Museo Nacional del Prado BY ANDRÉ ESCALEIRA, JR. Digital & Social Media Manager for the Archdiocese of Denver