Dr. Fred Litke looks over the agenda for Vocare 2014, the Diocese of Owensboro’s first annual vocations celebration at the Owensboro Convention Center. MEL HOWARD | WKC| FILE PHOTO
Diocese’s first associate director of vocations pioneered way for today’s vocations office
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Retiring after serving as associate director of vocations for the Diocese of Owensboro for 10 years, Dr. Fred Litke says he has “thoroughly enjoyed the work.”
Dr. Litke was already retired from his optometry practice when Bishop William F. Medley asked him to come on board as the diocese’s first associate director of vocations.
“Fr. Andy Garner was the vocations director at the time and we were really close,” said Dr. Litke. He explained that Fr. Garner originally served in this capacity full-time, but was later put in charge of a parish as well.
“Fr. Andy said, ‘I’m going to need some help,’” said Dr. Litke. Fr. Garner and Kevin Kauffeld, then-diocesan chancellor, suggested Dr. Litke to the bishop.
“The bishop asked me and I said sure!” said Dr. Litke.
He created his own job description based on other dioceses’ vocations offices, and also attended an NCDVD (National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors) convention. Fortunately, they happened to offer training for new vocations directors.
“I got a tremendous amount of information to get me started,” he said.
Over the years, Dr. Litke said working with the seminarians has been the most rewarding part of his ministry – “to see them start that adventure.”
He said Fr. Corey D. Bruns, who was ordained this spring, was in formation for the 10 years that Dr. Litke served as associate director of vocations, “so it was really rewarding to see him along all the steps of the way.”
He is also grateful for the success of the Office of Vocations’ annual Vocare celebration, which he along with then-vocations director Fr. Jason McClure established as a celebration of vocations and a fundraiser for seminarian education. (Vocare has been suspended for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
As a layperson, Dr. Litke had a unique perspective when serving in vocations ministry. In fact, he emphasized how much laypeople should care about and support vocations.
He quoted Pope St. John Paul II’s words in his 1996 book, “Gift and Mystery: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination,” that “There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist.”
“That’s always rung in my ears because we don’t have sacraments without priests,” he said. “It’s vital. It’s necessary. There are no two ways about it.”
Dr. Litke admitted that seeing seminarians discern out of seminary was always a challenge.
But, “the whole goal of seminary is to find out if you’re called to the priesthood – it’s not to make you a priest!” he said.
“The process works,” he said, explaining that seminary is a time to “find out if he’s called,” which is a joint effort between the seminarian and all who teach and guide him along his formation process.
Dr. Litke said another challenge across the board for today’s vocations ministries is the priest and seminarian shortage.
He said he was once talking with his son – Fr. Austin Litke, OP; a Dominican priest based in Washington, D.C. – and rhetorically asked “Why is God not calling anyone anymore?”
His son responded that “He is – they just aren’t listening.”
Admittedly, in this media-saturated culture, young men may never hear God’s voice over the noise, said Dr. Litke.
“I do think they miss out and the Church misses out when they don’t hear the call,” he said.
However, he says one of the biggest blessings and inspirations for his ministry in fostering vocations was the gift of his son’s priestly vocation.
“I can truly say he’s the happiest person I know on earth,” said Dr. Litke. “He just exudes joy. His life isn’t a bed of roses but following his vocation has been a total joy to him – that he’s truly following what he’s supposed to be doing.”
Following his retirement, Dr. Litke and his wife, Nancy, are moving to Florida, but plan to return and visit their friends and family in Kentucky.
Originally printed in the September 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
