Priests’ challenge: Evangelizing a secular culture

Father John Nepil is vice rector of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver and has served as chaplain of Legatus’ Denver Chapter since 2022. He grew up in a military family, moving frequently as a child, and settling in Denver in 1991. He was a self-described “pagan” in his youth but he had a conversion experience in his senior year of high school. He entered the seminary for the Archdiocese of Denver and was ordained a priest in 2011. 

Father Nepil has served as a college chaplain and parish priest. Today he works in administration and teaches theology at the seminary. He earned his doctorate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce in Rome.

What is the state of priestly vocations in Denver?

Across the United States, vocations have been down the past decade, so we’ve experienced a lull in recent years as other dioceses have. However, things are picking up, and we’re doing better now. We’ve ordained 200 priests from our seminary in the past 25 years.

What are some of the challenges our newly ordained priests are facing?

They face the sheer, infinite demands of pastoral life. We have fewer priests today and a greater need. It is a huge challenge for our guys to live healthy, balanced lives in the face of these demands.

They must also evangelize in a secular culture, and they are discovering that things that worked in the past no longer work with our young people. Many have deep, philosophical views that undercut the faith. These include relativism, which makes it hard to believe that there are eternal truths that are knowable and have been revealed. They have an ethos of self-creation — I create what is meaningful to me — and emotionalism — if it doesn’t feel good, it can’t be true. We have a lot of work to do rebuilding the faith.

I encourage everyone to pray for the next generation of priests. God is calling regular men to this vocation. The kind of priest I want to raise is both holy and human, someone with whom you’d enjoy sitting down and having a drink.

Colorado has become known for its liberal social culture, including legalized recreational drug use and abortion at all stages of pregnancy. How is the Church responding?

It is true; the Denver of today is not the Denver I grew up in! We’ve been blessed with strong episcopal leadership for decades who have done a good job forming priests and laity in the faith. While faithful Catholics may be a small minority, we have to hold true to what we believe and not be afraid to engage in the secular realm.

Recreational cannabis use has been legal in the state since 2012; some Catholics believe that it is morally permissible to use it and invest in its production and distribution. What do you say?

I do not agree. I am a former heavy user of marijuana, and by experience I can tell you its recreational use makes you stupid and selfish. Unlike tobacco or alcohol, it doesn’t facilitate communion with others.

You belong to the Companions of Christ. What is this group?

It is an association of diocesan priests started 17 years ago. It involves priests who oversee different parishes living together at one rectory in a family environment: coming together for meals, prayer, recreation, and study. Presently, I take most of my meals with the seminarians, but three days a week, including Saturday nights, I have meals with priests in the association.

What message do you like to offer members of Legatus?

I remind them that they have an important role as laity in sanctifying the temporal realm. It is a mistake to think that one must work for the Church to promote the faith. Their Catholic worldview should penetrate their business and social lives.