[Andrew Byler]

The girls who called Michael Burbeck “Father-what-a-waste” should examine their consciences.

I agree. It's embarassing. It's not as if a man of his age was going to marry any currently school-age girl, even if he didn't have a religious vocation.

Burbeck is 23 and will be ordained in 6 years at age 29. Why couldn't he marry a current 17-18 year old? Exactly how old is too old to look at an 18 year old?

[voiceinthewind]

I’m saying that if your daughter looks at a seminarian and calls him a name that implies that it is a waste that he is going into the priesthood then you have not done your job as a Catholic parent.

[Tax-chick]

I’m saying that if your daughter looks at a seminarian and calls him a name that implies that it is a waste that he is going into the priesthood then you have not done your job as a Catholic parent.

Yeah, what he/she said!

I was thinking of a wider age gap, in fact. Nonetheless, girls with that attitude toward a religious vocation probably don't dream of marrying young and settling down to have ten kids. If you don't respect the priestly vocation, you probably don't respect the marriage vocation, either.