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| Priesthood of the Future | |
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| Topic Started: Thursday, 21. June 2012, 09:17 (1,031 Views) | |
| Mairtin | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 09:17 Post #1 |
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In 1969, despite the social upheaval that was taking place worldwide and the internal fallout within the church over Humane Vitae, the future appeared generally positive for the Catholic Church; the changes from Vatican II were taking effect, people were getting involved in new ways, despite a few dissenting voices, laity and clergy were getting more actively involved than had seemed imaginable just 10 years previously and there was a tremendous air of excitement. One highly regarded young priest didn’t see it quite like that, however; in a now famous interview about the impact of social unrest throughout Europe in particular over the previous 12 months, he forecast:
The young priest was Joseph Ratzinger and he certainly got that part right with an almost uncanny prescience of what was to befall the Church over the next 40 years. In the interview, he continued:
So are we likely to see that part and when? |
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| Anne-Marie | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 10:52 Post #2 |
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Not during the present papacy. And that because Pope Benedict appears to be visibly declining, and seems unlikely to have the time left to make significant further changes. Until we know the identity of the next pope, we can't even expect (or not) such changes, welcome though they would be to many. The idea is particularly interesting in that it just might result in the effective de-clericalising of the Church... for better or worse. |
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Anne-Marie FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI | |
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 11:12 Post #3 |
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Why did the young Father Ratzinger say those changes would have to be implemented 40 years on, and no in the immediate future? It strikes me as "Oh well if the day comes when there are not enough priests do do everything we will be reduced in calling upon any talents the laity might have, if any." Announcement of appointments of new bishops give the total population, Catholic population and numbers of priests, deacons and religious. It is odd that the fewer priests the higher the Catholic population. I can only assume that wider involvement of laity being essential that is what is happening and it is bearing fruit. The priest has his role, much of which is reserved to the ordained priesthood. If any of them say they are overburdened with administrative responsibility, I ask why, is there nobody else who is more talented than they in purely secular matters. Do the rest of us have to wait until we have only a few dozen priests to half a million Catholics? |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Mairtin | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 11:33 Post #4 |
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He didn't forecast when they would happen, just that they would.
He wasn't talking about admin tasks, he was talking about the ordained priesthood. |
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 11:53 Post #5 |
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Sorry, Mairtin, my mistake! As a small community, she will demand much more from the initiative of each of her members and she will certainly also acknowledge new forms of ministry and will raise up to the priesthood proven Christians who have other jobs.[/quote] That is a practical solution. I do not see it happening in the near future, "the Church" (meaning the senior clergy) do not like change. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that there are men who have taken early retirement, are well educated and grounded in relevant fields, and would serve us well as priests in areas of low population. In a team ministry with a few priests, there would be one bearing responsibility for the whole circuit, available as mentor and guide to others who had a shorter training and are new to priesthood. Nurses used to be there for purely practical tasks. Now we have specialist nurse practitioners, highly trained and experienced. Why cannot the Church do something similar? |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Mairtin | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 13:05 Post #6 |
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I think Fr. Ratzinger was also talking about priests who would have other jobs, effectively part-time priests.
I can see it happening through the role of deacon being enhanced. |
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| Eileenanne | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 15:18 Post #7 |
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You mean deacons becoming priests? That is the only way they can be useful where there is a shortage of priests. Eileenanne |
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| OsullivanB | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:04 Post #8 |
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Many deacons are married. How do you see that playing out, Eileenanne? |
| "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer | |
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| Eileenanne | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:29 Post #9 |
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I don't. I was making the point that I don't see how the role of the deacon can be "enhanced" (Mairtin's word) in any way that would help alleviate the shortage of priests. Eileenanne |
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| OsullivanB | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:36 Post #10 |
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Perhaps a deacon could have all the powers and responsibilities hitherto exercised by the parish priest, while a priest acts as the sacerdote for a number of such parishes. |
| "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer | |
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| Eileenanne | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:39 Post #11 |
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It COULD come to that, and I am sure that kind of thing happens in mission territory, where lots of the responsibility falls on catechists, not even ordained deacons, but I am sure it would be very much a last resort. I don't like to think of priests as mass saying machines - although you word is a much nicer one! Eileenanne |
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| OsullivanB | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:42 Post #12 |
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Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to treat England as mission territory. |
| "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer | |
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:45 Post #13 |
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Oh what a shock you will get if a deacon buries you. |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Angus Toanimo | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:47 Post #14 |
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Perhaps the then Father Ratzinger saw what he perceived to be an erosion of the priesthood to the point that no young man would bother seeking a vocation to it as, apart from celebrating Mass and administering Extreme Unction, what's so special? Did he forsee that sin would be played down therefore a rare need for a priest to act as a confessor? |
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| Angus Toanimo | Thursday, 21. June 2012, 16:48 Post #15 |
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What a shock he'll get if she comes back and haunts him. |
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3:40 PM Jul 11