Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit!
You're currently viewing Catholic CyberForum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our online cyberparish, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.
Join our community!
Messages posted to this board must be polite and free of abuse, personal attacks, blasphemy, racism, threats, harrassment, and crude or sexually-explicit language.
If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Locked Topic
The formation of priests
Topic Started: Wednesday, 16. May 2007, 23:22 (625 Views)
Gerard

John,

Also agreed. Peter was married.

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

Gerry

If God is already dealing with it how can our prayers help?

John
Goto Top
 
Fortunatus

I'm reminded of a joke that I shan't repeat in detail but the punch line is:
"My son Isaac is a rabbi and earns $50,000 dollars a year."
"Oy, vey! Is that any job for a Jewish boy?!"

If you look round at many of our friends and co-parishioners it is easy to see at least a sub-conscious similarity with that attitude. Our parish has not produced a priest in at least the last 30 years as far as I know.
Ned may be right. Maybe God has, to an extent, "turned his back" but whereas the priesthood always was a live option for Catholic boys it is hard enough these days even to get altar boys. Time was when the announcement from the pulpit that J--- M------ was going to junior seminary would have been greeted with joy.
Can we honestly say that would be the case today? I'm not sure that it would.
I find it hard to believe that God does not want priests (unless He is teaching us a lesson for some reason); more likely that we are not listening to His call.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Gerard

John,

Its a mystery but, as one of the Wesleys said, "God does nothing but in answer to a beleivers prayer."

I would point you to Ezekiel 22:29-30

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

I agree with some of what Fortunatus says but not all. I would hate to see a return to the days of junior seminaries with boys placed into them at far too early an age. I do not know what the fallout rate was but I do remember a steady trickle of such boys rejoining our school all through the secondary education years.

I do not think that the reluctance of families and individuals to encourage and welcome vocations is entirely due to material considerations, or at least not in the way that is usually meant. Rather, I think the Catholic community has matured and instinctively realises that there is something flawed about the job of priest as we presently structure it. What parent would want their boy to go into a narrow, male-only seminary environment with no choice as to how the rest of his life was to be structured? If the seminaries reflected real life, presented different personal and social models and then allowed candidates to choose for themselves whether to adopt a traditional priestly life style or a more modern one then we might see a transformation.

John
Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
Here is my proposal, to send the message out to boys, that Church is MANLY, not just something that appeals mainly to women.

More of you grown men should come forward, and offer to be altar servers. If you attend weekday Mass and no server is present, step forward, don't leave the priest without a server.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Gerard

Rose,

I think that would portray quite the oposite impression.

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
MickCook
Member Avatar

KatyA
Sunday, 2. November 2008, 23:37
This may be of particular interest to Mick and Karin. Yesterday, at St Francis Xaviour, Liverpool Stephen Patterson SJ, a former parishioner of St. Mary’s Oldham and former Oldham Rugby player, was ordained by the Most Rev. Patrick Kelly. Our PP attended the ceremony and commented that there were many young Jesuit priests and seminarians both there and at his First Mass in St Mary's today. So there are young men still answering the call.
Unfortunately, he is destined for the Missions - Peru I think. Please keep him and all seminarians and newly ordained, in your prayers
KatyA
Now there's a thing! One of the art teacher's at Oldham School of Art when I attended was Mr. Patterson and my boss at Rotary Screens of Ireland (where I was employed as a colour separation artist) was Mr. Patterson (from Rochdale and not related to the other). My boss at Oldam Disability Information and Advice Line (DIAL) was David Good - who once played for Oldham Rugby before his accident. I was baptised in St. Mary's church in Oldham.

Yep - I think I will remember this guy (Fr. Stephen Patterson) in my prayers.
:)
Mick
The Cook Companies
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Derekap
Member Avatar

Being a former Rugby Player he should be good at tackling problems!
Derekap
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
paul

Rose,

Could not grown women volunteer to be altar servers too?

paul
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

paul
Tuesday, 11. November 2008, 21:04
Rose,

Could not grown women volunteer to be altar servers too?

paul
How would that help in the formation of priests?

KatyA
Goto Top
 
Derekap
Member Avatar

In my lifetime I have seen jobs that were considered mainly for men with perhaps one or two women gradually change to jobs mainly for women and perhaps one or two men. For example, counter staff in banks, railway stations and post offices.

It seems likewise with young altar servers. Apart from prayer I frankly don't know the answer. If one were to discriminate against girls one might hurt their feelings and devotion. In any case better a girl server who serves well than two boys who don't.

I was never an Altar Boy but I've served countless Holy Masses when servers have not been available - mainly on weekdays of course.

Derekap
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

Daughters of Charity launch state-of-the art vocations website

Begin.ie, the vocations website for the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul in the Irish Province, is well worth a visit. The site has integrated videos, games, blogs, and other features with content that might be attractive to discerners. To visit the site see: http://www.begin.ie/
Independent Catholic News
Goto Top
 
SeanJ
Member Avatar
Administrator
Katy,
I went to school with a lad from Owdam. Reggie Burch. He was very interested in chemistry and he left school after O levels.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Karin
Member Avatar
Karin
I agree that we are all called to a ministry of some sort in our lives. Teachers have a ministry to educate. Chaplains minister to the sick and infirm. Parents minister to their children and each other. Those who are care-givers also have a ministry to those they care for. Whether single or married, we each have something to offer.
Karin

Hvaljen Isus i Marija. Kraljica Mira, moli za nas.
"Praised be Jesus and Mary. Queen of Peace, Pray for Us."

Offline Profile Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Archived Discussions · Next Topic »
Locked Topic