Vox Nova “On the Streets”: A Conversation with Apolonio Latar III

For this installment of our irregular series, Vox Nova goes indoors to dialogue with one of the Catholic blogosphere’s more philosophically minded writers, Apolonio Latar III.

Part 1

Part II

Part III

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 3:47 pm and is filed under Henry Karlson, Vox Nova. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

8 Responses to “Vox Nova “On the Streets”: A Conversation with Apolonio Latar III”

Tom Says:
September 6, 2008 at 7:41 pm
A few years ago I was in dialogue with the diocese of Las Vegas discerning whether to enter the seminary or not. I was under the guidance of vocations director Father Tony V. who had interviewed me (Father Tony is now in Reno), and I had met both with the Vicar of the Diocese as well as the Bishop for an evaluation. I decided along the way that I wasn’t ready. But one epiphany I was able to experience during my discernment was that a vocation is something you are on the inside that matches with what you do on the outside. It’s an extension of you innermost being that manifests itself outwardly for other to see. Most people have now clear idea of what a vocation really is.
Brett Says:
September 6, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Spiritual writer Frederich Beuchner says that vocation is where “your deep desire meets the world’s great need.” A decent enough definition.

But the Catechism (Prologue I.1) states simply that “(God) calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church.” Vocation is simply the call of God. And the thing we are all called to is to seek after, know and love God.

How that call is made manifest in each of our personal lives is another matter. Perhaps as the way we are to manifest our seeking, and knowing, and loving, we are called into religious life or into matrimony. If so, one is never “ready,” but one acts in hope. Whether one chooses to be a priest or a spouse or anything else, you never really know what you are doing. How could you? You don’t really know what either entails until you are already committed. And that’s why we have the church: to hold us accountable for when we made decisions and didn’t know what the heck we were doing. We can act in this hope because, I hope, we are trying to be faithful to humankind’s one true vocation: to seek, know, and love God. As long as we are clear on that, the rest with work itself out.

But many of my college students are anguished with discerning their callings. And by that they mean their jobs and careers. I ask them, are you first being faithful to your basic calling to love God? If not, no wonder you are deeply unsure. Calling, or vocation, comes outside of us from God as an invitation to experience life in Christ. The rest, everything, flows form that very basic fact. It is deeply personal, but does not start inside us. That’s my take on it.
Greg Says:
September 7, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I thought he would be angrier.
Christopher Says:
September 7, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I enjoyed Apolonio’s talk, but what’s with the ominous music in the background?
thewhitelilyblog Says:
September 7, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I couldn’t concentrate on the content because of the music. It would have been nice at the beginning and the end, though. For the viewer, some lead in questions that establish Apolonio’s credentials and background would have added to our understanding too.
X-Cathedra Says:
September 7, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I’m guessing that is Henry’s pad in the background? Still lacking the proper amount of unicorns I see…;)

Pax Christi,
Henry Karlson Says:
September 8, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Right, no unicorns! Down with unicorns! I won’t have any! But the Daleks stay.
Henry Karlson Says:
September 8, 2008 at 7:37 pm
The music was from Babylon 5…