By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Father Tyler Underhill encouraged the eighth graders recognized during the Serra Club Vocations Awareness Banquet to not abandon what the Lord places in their hearts.
Father Underhill, parochial vicar at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, was this year’s keynote speaker at the 2025 Vocations Awareness Banquet at the Diocese of Evansville Catholic Center in Evansville. Father Underhill encouraged the recipients to continue to be open to the Lord.
“Today (Nov. 3), at Mass, St. Paul, the first line he says the call of God is irrevocable,” Father Underhill said. Once we have that call in our lives, we keep going along. Don’t abandon what the Lord’s placed in your heart.”
Father Underhill said in his time as a seminarian at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis and the Pontifical North American College in Rome, the calling from God to the priesthood was something that was never taken away. Even though there have been some trying moments since he was ordained to the priesthood two years ago, he said he has enjoyed every moment.
“It’s been a great experience,” Father Underhill said. “Being with people in their lows and in their highs. And just being able to witness as a minister of Christ.”
The Message photo by John Rohlf
Bishop Joseph M. Siegel said the awards were presented Nov. 3 during National Vocations Awareness Week, a week in which we pray, learn and discern in a special way the vocations of the church and also try to support those discerning their vocation in the church and in life.
Bishop Siegel said young people are probably often asked what they want to do when they grow up. He said this is a good question, but the real question that they have is, what does God want them to do with their lives when they get older? The whole process is about discerning that vocation from the Lord because he is the one who calls us to the life he has chosen for us, whether it be to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, marriage or even single life, he said.
Bishop Siegel encouraged all the recipients to take time to pray and think about different vocations in the church to help them to form their own understanding. He said the Lord gives that inspiration but we have to do our part. He hopes they will continue to seek to know what calling the Lord has chosen for them. That is the way we will find a joy in life, a true peace and that hope in life, when we say yes to the Lord, he said.
Serra Club President John East said the 42 award recipients this year from 19 parishes and schools is an increase from 39 award recipients from 18 parishes and schools last year.
East thanked many for helping make the event possible, including Bishop Siegel for taking time to join for this year’s event.
“It shows the significance of vocations and of this event when the leader of our diocese takes time out to join us,” he said.
Serra Club Member Bob Smith thanked every young person who participated this year. He stressed it is important that we discern. In today’s environment, they are conflicted with many challenges in their lives, he said.
“As you go through the award presentations, don’t think of your award,” Smith said. “Think of what other people have done that might help you in discerning your vocation. Because there’s a lot of different opportunities for discernment in what’s been turned in.”
2025 Serra Club Vocations Awareness Winners
Rivet Middle School, Vincennes
Alexa Benson
Cooper Stearns
Holy Spirit School
Hunter Smith
Azryel Sokolowick
St James School
Henry Sollman-Joyce
Kysten Newlin
St Wendel School
Luke Kiesel
Adleigh Spahn
Holy Trinity School, Jasper
Ellie Schmitt
Ana Kuczynski
Corpus Christi School
Charley Campbell
Mia Schaefer
Kaleb Wagner
St Bernard School
Isabella Lewis
Blakely Thompson-Wetzel
St Benedict School
Calvin Hall
Mason Franklin
St Peter & Paul Parish, Haubstadt
Eli Brundage
Molly Sefton
Holy Cross Parish, Fort Branch
Elizabeth Kiesel
Tyler Fuhs
St Joseph School, Vanderburgh County
Lyla Meredith
Lilah Mitchell
St Philip School
Nora Tekoppel
Nora Verkamp
Good Shepherd School
Jude Lovell
Laynee Thomas
St John the Baptist School
Cecelia Dewees
Emilee Kulage
Amena Neese
Resurrection School
Emery Hillenbrand
Elly Wassmer
Adelaide Wildeman
St Boniface Parish/Westside Catholic School
Anna Stolz
Ella Farmer
Holy Rosary School
Colin Croft
Myles Frazier
Cooper Payne
Christ the King School
Garvyn Bradley
Evelyn Freitag
Holy Redeemer School
Hadassah Gomez
Sutton Markland