“How Bishops Discourage Vocations (and the Key to Attracting Them)”

Inside The Vatican ^ | Aug/Sep 2005 | John Mallon

[InterestedQuestioner]

Nice post, NYer.

We are often told that the vocations shortage is due to the requirements of celibacy and chastity, yet this author's message seems much more reasonable. Religious Life does indeed require tremendous sacrifice. Women and men take vows of poverty, chastity, celibacy and obedience in order to live and preach the Gospel, and to equip the laity for their mission to the world.

That's not all they sacrifice, however. They also give up, in many cases, careers in business, law, medicine, science, and other important fields where they could make strong contributions. These things are good, in and of themselves, however, one will give them up to follow Jesus Christ. It's not realistic, on the other hand, to want to give up the married life, material comfort, and a productive secular career that benefits society for a questionable social agenda. One will sacrifice totally only for an absolute good, or an absolute Truth. One will not sacrifice totally for half measures, and half-truths.

It's interesting that the buzz among those discerning vocations often touches upon the concern of where to find an orthodox organization from which to serve, and an orthodox seminary in which to train.

[Tax-chick]

We were in the same Archdiocese as Mr. Mallon at the time he writes about. The dear old Archbishop was firmly orthodox, but there was an entrenched group of priests (perhaps from before his time) who were loopy leftists. And some of the more conservative priests were even older than the Archbishop, and frankly in need of retirement. A pastor with dementia is not what a parish needs, even if his theology is solid!

That said, although there were not a lot of new priests ordained in the years we lived there, those who were ordained then, or were seminarians and ordained after we moved, were excellent men.

[RobbyS]

Lord Jesus, we are surrounded by wolves in Roman collars!

[Thorin]

A great article. Thanks for posting.

[NYer]

It's interesting that the buzz among those discerning vocations often touches upon the concern of where to find an orthodox organization from which to serve, and an orthodox seminary in which to train.

I happen to reside in one of those dioceses run by a liberal bishop. Sadly, he has held this position for more than 25 years and still has another 8 years to go before mandatory retirement. That represents several generations of catholics who have been indoctrinated into the 'novelties' this bishop approves - liturgical dance, support for homosexual priests, inclusive language, etc.

He often bemoans the lack of young men drawn to the priesthood but never draws the connection to a lack of orthodoxy. Please pray for Bishop Hubbard. He is as much a victim in that he was chosen by one of the most liberal Archbishops in the history of the Catholic Church. Only prayer will convert his heart!

[InterestedQuestioner]

Richard John Neuhaus has pointed out that many young people are taking the time to study St. Augustine and classical Christian theologians precisely because they have been attacked by their professors who are, frankly, much dimmer lights.

When you look at the likes of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict, they have something very important to say us in part because they went through such diffuculties--WWII, Nazism, Communism, the disarray of marxist student rebellions. What are the trials that will strengthen the current generation? It is the chaos inflicted upon our Church by dissenters, and it is within that crucible that the leaders of tomorrow are being formed for the building up of the Body of Christ. Adversity builds character, and we may well hope that by the Grace of God, the next generation of priests and nuns will have plenty of that.

Will pray for Bishop Hubbard.

[Salvation]

** The plain simple answer was that the bishops of those dioceses, Bishops Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln and the late John Keating of Arlington, were both explicitly, vocally and publicly committed to orthodoxy in Catholic teaching and practice.**

It makes a difference!

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

I am going out on a limb here. In terms of practicing Catholics who actively seek out the Sacraments, there is not a priest shortage. Sure, there aren't enough priests, but in real terms, the number of worshippers (every Sunday and confession) per priest is probably smaller than in the 1950s, when nearly every Catholic was a faithful and practicing Catholic.

[redhead]

Well, file THIS one under, "DUH!!"

[InterestedQuestioner]

I don't know Cardinal McCarrick, and am not familiar with his diocese, but I received this from an annonymous FReeper, and thought it would add to the conversation.

---

"Cardinal McCarrick, in Washington, DC, has SIXTY FOUR seminarians, the bulk of them in the theologate. These are lawyers, Capitol Hill staffers, and professionals of all stripes.

McCarrick is considered to be a "liberal" on this forum. Yet, how does he have so many men who want to serve the Church in the nation's capitol?

I think the reason men enter the seminary is because somebody ASKS them to! How many priests or bishops walk up to a man who is observed at Mass every week, is involved in parish life, and say "Come, follow the Lord"?

McCarrick does that all the time. When he encounters young men in a group, he asks them if they've thought about the priesthood. He introduces his seminarians at every event where they are present. He has pictures and bios of each one of them on the archdiocesan website. He has his picture taken with them, meets with them, has parties for them during vacations, and corresponds with them.

IOW, the shepherd asks men to "follow the Lord." I'll bet Bruskewitz and Cardinal George, who also has a burgeoning number of seminarians, do the same thing.

Not prayer, not liturgy, not wearing cassocks, nor anything else can substitute for the personal interest that a bishop shows in the men who will serve as priests in his diocese. If the shepherd asks you to serve, you're likely to discern if God is not calling you as well.

Now, I expect to get blasted, but McCarrick and George are going to be ordaining classes in the double digits in the next few years. And these guys aren't slugs.

There are men out there who are just waiting to be asked."

[InterestedQuestioner]

That last post echos a recent talk that I heard from the President of a Seminary. While discussing "calling" he said that in the past, people were called specifically to a vocation--be that vocation to law, medicine, or ministry, the community itself would call a person to join it. He said we are really missing a sense of that today, and if anything, we feel the need to challenge the calls of men considering the priesthood.

Indeed, the model of the Bishop or priest calling young men to the priesthood is one that would be closer to the model of Christ, and would undoubtedly be much more compelling.

Perhaps what we are looking at is a question of call and demoralization. Without orthodoxy and moral example, one would really have to wonder what one was doing dedicating oneself to a life in service of the Church. In the face of corruption, one would have to ask if the Church was indeed serving the needs of the laity.

On a side note, my own diocese is in a large urban center. We have more seminarians than any time in the last 25 years, and there are rumors that we will be moving to waiting list for seminarians if the trend continues. On the whole, I suspect our diocese is moving toward increasing orthodoxy, and the more orthodox parishes seem to be turning out more vocations. Whether they attract devout young men or foster the call of local parishioners, I do not know.

[RobbyS]

Why become a priest--or a nun--if that means no more than to become a social worker?

[InterestedQuestioner]

I agree. Social Workers do a great job, but I wouldn't spend as long as 12 years in theological training, give up everything I own, renounce marriage, and vow obedience to an order or a Bishop, submit to being moved around the diocese or the world for that matter, and put myself on call 24/7 to do social work.

[Petrosius]

Amen! Great post, thank you.

[Maeve]

There are plenty of young men who could be priests but their guardian angels save them from coming under control of the devil through his minions who control seminaries, chanceries, and dioceses.

[Salvation]

**Franciscan University of Steubenville, a university explicit in its orthodoxy, and ridiculed for it by larger schools, it had a smaller theology faculty but the largest number of undergraduates in the country, at the time, as I recall, 140.**

The seminary in Oregon has 197 seminarians. Something is going right here.

[Salvation]

That may be true. But we are quickly outgrowing our church building.

[Salvation]

I'm puzzled by your statement here. Not all seminaries and seminarians are eveil. Neither are all chanceries or dioceses.

Can you really make such a general statement as this?

We must remember that God is in charge. But we can be his voice. (I asked two young men at my church if they have thought about becoming a priest. Their answers, "Yes.")

I simply said, "Great! I'm remember you in my prayers."

I think we all need to evangelize in this way, don't you?