Sacred Heart pastor explains important role as vocation director for the Belleville diocese

The announced reassignment of Sacred Heart Catholic Church pastor Rev. Nick Junker has been fraught with emotion in this important Du Quoin church.

Yet it must be understood that these things are part of church life. A church's leadership will change, but our faith in that church remains strong.

Father Nick has provided the newspaper with the Belleville diocese's description of his very important new role in the church, followed by a Facebook post by Mayor Rex Duncan.

Quoting directly from the bishop's assignment:

"The Reverend Nicholas G. Junker, until now, Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Du Quoin, is appointed Diocesan Vocation Director, with residence and sacramental ministry at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, effective Sept. 1, 2013."

Father Nick states, "This assignment was made to address the need for more priestly vocations in the Diocese of Belleville. The duties and responsibilities of vocation director will most likely occupy 90% of my time, while ministry at Cathedral will occupy the rest. There is a Vocation Director designated for pretty much every diocese. He is in charge of recruiting, identifying potential candidates for the priesthood, and helping them through discernment, application processes and their seminary experience. Although the Cathedral will be my "home base," I will be on the road quite a bit visiting parishes, high schools and grade schools talking about vocations. I embrace this opportunity and hope with God's grace I can make a difference, because priestly vocations are sorely needed in the Diocese of Belleville.

"By way of comparison, other Dioceses in Illinois (Chicago, Rockford, Springfield, Peoria and Joliet) all have at or around 30 seminarians studying for their dioceses. In Belleville, we have three. So a new approach was certainly needed.

"Also, I have found many parishioners to be disappointed yet understanding."

This Facebook post was made by Mayor Rex Duncan

"We will surely miss Fr. Nick, but I'm hearing really good things about Fr. Joseph. Patient, warm, great with young parishioners. Looking forward to meeting him and welcoming him to Sacred Heart and Du Quoin. Also believe strongly that Fr. Nick is going to energize vocations in the diocese and bring in some great young priests in the Fr. Nick Junker mold. It's a win - win!!"