If we in the U.S. want a vocation increase, the first thing we need to do is... pray! When you really think about how often you pray for vocations, it can surprise you how little it is! I've made it a habit to pray for vocations whenever I hear someone complain about a priest (or when I complain myself), when I'm in a situation in which I can tangibly feel the priest shortage, or when I hear someone compliment a priest (or when I think about holy and orthodox priests in my own life). Of course priests contribute greatly to priestly vocations: a holy, orthodox priest is more likely to influence young men than a priest that doesn't care about their vocation or one that takes issues with Church Dogmas!
The second thing we need are strong bishops! Further inspiration will come from the strong and solid bishops that will lead their diocese into a new era. Pray for our bishops! Their teaching and leadership can help increase vocations as well.
The third thing that can help increase priestly vocations in the U.S. rests with we, the laity. Are we open to our son(s) becoming priests? Do we encourage those young men that are contemplating the priesthood to pray, or do we just list the negatives? Do we only complain about priests in front of people, or do we encourage and build them up as well?
What ideas do you have for an increase in vocations (be they priestly or religious)?
The second thing we need are strong bishops! Further inspiration will come from the strong and solid bishops that will lead their diocese into a new era. Pray for our bishops! Their teaching and leadership can help increase vocations as well.
The third thing that can help increase priestly vocations in the U.S. rests with we, the laity. Are we open to our son(s) becoming priests? Do we encourage those young men that are contemplating the priesthood to pray, or do we just list the negatives? Do we only complain about priests in front of people, or do we encourage and build them up as well?
What ideas do you have for an increase in vocations (be they priestly or religious)?
Have you considered that the shortage of seminary candidates in the Latin Rite Catholic church and abundance in the Ukrainian church may be due to the mandatory celibacy requirement in the Latin Rite?
ReplyDeleteWhen I ask theology students and young men if they've ever considered the priesthood, they say no because they see having a spouse and children as enabling closeness to God, not as an obstacle to God.
@Rosanne:
ReplyDeleteI have considered it, and I think that there are some valid points to that arguement. I have 4 things that need to be said about it, however.
1. Allowing married men to become priests is not the only answer. The Orthodox Churches, which allow married men to become priests, are also having a priest shortage (though one not as bad as ours in the Latin Rite). So it's at least not the only answer, and could possibly not even be an answer (or at least an answer that would work).
2. Some things will be lost if the Catholic Church allows married men to become priests. A lot of the things that we take for granted, like a priest being able to go to the hospital at the drop of a hat, will be lost. He will have to split his time between the priesthood and his family. Many Anglican priests (both those that have converted to the Catholic Church and some that haven't) will say similar things. Celibate priests is not a stain on the Church, but instead is a benefit to the laity. It should be a bittersweet issue.
3. Those that hold that married men should be allowed to become priests are in NO WAY less Catholic than those that hold the reverse opinion. I've too often encountered Catholics that believe that the celibate priesthood is some kind of infallible dogma, and this is NOT true. One could be a perfectly good, orthodox Catholic and still believe in a married priesthood.
4. A spouse and children have never been thought by the Catholic Church to be an obstacle to G-d. There's not enough room here to go into all of the reasons and benefits of a celibate priesthood (or of a married priesthood), although one day I would like to do a post about it.
Would you be so kind as to place the following two links on Catholic art as well as the priesthood on your web site.
ReplyDelete1) Catholic art : www.faces-of-christ-collection.com
2) Catholic priesthood : www.image-of-christ.com
Thanking you in anticipation.
In Christo.
Steen Heidemann.