By David Myers

Southwest Kansas Register

"Spiderman’s got nothing on you," Sister Mary Gabriel told nearly 300 students gathered for the Diocesan Schools Fifth and Sixth Grade Youth Day, which focused on vocations.

Sister Mary, who belongs to the order Sisters of Life in New York, came to Dodge City with Sister Gemma Marie, a Hodgeman County native, to speak at the Oct. 18 gathering, which took place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"In Baptism, we were given great power and great responsibility," Sister Mary said. "The moment you’re conceived, God gives you a vocation."

"If we knew how much we are loved," added Sister Gemma, "I think our heads would explode. I never thought that I’d be a Religious, or that I’d be living in New York. I grew up on a farm not far from here. God kept bringing people into my life asking, ‘Have you ever thought about becoming a nun?’

"God has a plan for every person here," she said.

The day included Mass celebrated by Bishop Ronald Gilmore, lunch, and four breakout sessions with instructors Fathers Wesley Schawe and Henry Hildebrandt, vocations director Becky Hessman, and superintendent of schools Ann Depperschmidt.

Citing his love of math, Father Schawe had children pull a numbered plastic chip from a basket, and then asked them to read the number aloud.

"One thousand, three hundred and seventy six," one child read, to which Father Schawe responded, "That’s how many miles I drove to school to study to become a priest. While I was in college, I started listening to what God wanted me to do. …"

It can be difficult to hear that call, Father Schawe said. "The best way is to pray."

Hessman had groups of children work together on a puzzle. When finished, each puzzle had one piece missing.

"You are that missing piece," she told the children. "God calls you to a special work of love that only you can do. ... The great thing is to discover your own call in life."

Father Hildebrandt, who spoke on "blessings," explained that "…When Jesus died on the cross he was suffering. How were people treating him? What were some of the mean things people did to him? Do you think Jesus liked that? But what did he do? He prayed for them. He asked God to love them and take care of them.

"…Does the sun decide who it will shine on?" he asked. "It shines on good and bad people. It doesn’t make any distinction. Jesus says that’s how God loves us. … Jesus asks us to take charge of our thoughts, actions. We decide how we’re going to live....

"You can change the face of the earth."

Speaking on "leadership," Depperschmidt told students that they were all leaders.

"You are leading in a positive way when you think about someone else and not yourself," she said. "When you help someone, it makes you feel better. Don’t wait for someone else to do something nice. It’s your responsibility to lead. Make good choices and lead in the right direction."

"El hombre araña no tiene nada sobre ti," la Hermana Maria Gabriel le dijo a casi 300 estudiantes del quinto y sexto grado de las escuelas Catolicas reunidas aqui para el Dia Anual de Jovenes Escolares, enfocado en vocaciones.

La Hermana Maria, que pertenece a la orden de Hermanas de Vida de New York, vino a Dodge City con la Hermana Gemma Maria, nativa del condado de Hodgman, para hablar en la reunion del 19 de Octubre, que tomo lugar en la Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

"En el Bautismo, se nos da gran poder y gran responsabilidad", dice la Hermana Maria. "En el momento que fuistes concebido, Dios te dio una vocación.

"Si supieranos cuanto somos amado," le agrego la Hermana Gemma, "Yo creo que nuestras cabezas explotarian. Yo nunca pense que seria religiosa, ni que estaria viviendo en New York. Yo crecie en un rancho no lejos de aqui. Dios se mantenia mandando gente a mi vida preguntandome, alguna vez haz pensado en ser una monja?"

"Dios tiene un plan para cada persona aqui presente," nos dijo ella.

El dia incluyo una Misa celebrada por el Obispo Ronal Gilmore, comida, y cuatro sesiones con instructores Padre Wesley Schawe y Henry Hildebrandt, y la directora de vocaciones Beck Hessman y el superintendente de escuelas Ann Depperschmidt.