Are you ready for Catholic megachurches due to priest shortages

[Faira21]

people may disagree with me…but so what if it holds 10,000 people in it…its still a church right?..and its still a place to go to mass isnt it?..just because theres more people going to be attending it doesnt diminish the mass in any way

Ummm…

Have you ever been to a massive Mass?

Like for example, the Stations of the Cross in Rome in front of the Coliseum (not a Mass, I know, but a good example), or Mass in Saint Peter’s Square with thousands of people packed in?

When you get THAT many people in such volume, something of the sacred starts to be lost. There are just SO many people that it becomes overwhelming.

Not only that, but when you are so far away from the altar that you can barely see the priest or see what they are doing, etc., you just feel so completely disconnected. You know if is a Mass, and you try to remember that, but the people around you are so far away that they have become completely distracted and the entire atmosphere starts to feel very secular. People start chatting because THEY are distracted, etc.

It does not diminish the Mass, but it diminishes your ability to participate in the Mass. You have to try harder to focus, you get distracted so much easier, things feel more distant, and it is just not the same.

A church should not be so huge that people have to struggle to participate in the service.

For Protestants I guess it is different - they are just singing and clapping and hearing someone talk and doing their own prayers.

But we as Catholics are trying to pray together with our leader, the priest, and if we are so disconnected from our leader, and the sacrifice He is consecrating, I think it can become detrimental to all involved.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

This is hilarious. Many parishes are already an equivalent size to mega chuches. It is just because we have multiple Masses that it doesn’t appear that way. My parish (admittedly very large) has 6 Masses per Sunday with 500 or so at each Mass.

 

[bigquests]

The Protestant megachurches have something that the Catholic soon-to-be or already-are megachurches may not have—lots of money. Most of the Protestant megas tithe or place a* huge* emphasis on money. They have lots of money. You are expected to tithe and pledge and if you fall behind inyour pledges, they’ll let you know. They pay for professional organists and choir leaders and the myriads of leaders of their gigantic parishes. They have professional athletics directors in their huge rec buildings with the olympic-sized basketball courts and swimming pools (I’m not kidding). They have professional kitchens and cooks. Their services have a lot of glitz, giant TV screens if the service is large enough, often multiple ministers, at least one an outstanding preacher, and first-class music.

Volunteers are great, but they can do only so much. Especially these days. Everyone who has work, many people don’t , is working at more than one job, and both spouses are working. Those that don’t working are looking for work. Not a lot of extra time for Sunday School and choir practice, let alone leading SS and the choir(s).

The megachurches offer a home away from home, a sense of belonging (not to mention insularity) in their many activities, and if you are a megachurch without all of that, they you will have all the downsides of the megachurch without the advantages.

Just as a fact-finding mission, go to a Protestant megachurch for one service, pick up the literature, see all the activities, and try to escape the arm-twisters, smilers and hand-grabbers on the way out. You’ll see.

 

[bigquests]

There’s something else the Protestant megachurches have–ministers, lots of them. One or two major preachers, two or so in religious education, one or two in youth activities, ditto in adult activities, one or two in outreach, this in addition to all the paid professional staff leading the music, the camps, the athletics.

 

[balt_orioles54]

The Protestant megachurches have something that the Catholic soon-to-be or already-are megachurches may not have—lots of money. Most of the Protestant megas tithe or place a* huge* emphasis on money. Just as a fact-finding mission, go to a Protestant megachurch for one service, pick up the literature, see all the activities, and try to escape the arm-twisters, smilers and hand-grabbers on the way out. You’ll see.

Do you think God allowed the Reformation of 1517, i.e., can’t get the toothpasted back in the tube, and the protestant churches, mega or otherwise are here to “re-invigorate” Catholics? Playing keep-up. After all, people seem to need change from the same-ole, same-ole after 2,011 years. Not to downgrade the church, because whenever we delve deeply into the simplicity of the mass, it becomes complex and powerful in our lives, but we tend to be children who want something shiney, so the mega-church bands, the slick preachers, all the activities are very inviting and many Catholics get drawn away to them. On the other hand, the mega-churches show us how to revisit “enthusiam” for the hope we are prepared to defend.

 

[scoobydoo6v92]

Are you ready for Catholic megachurches due to priest shortages?
In a letter sent by archbishop o’brian in our archdiocese - the future of the catholic church, he suggested between the lines, was the re-alignment, probably sale of church property - and we will be building large megachurches like the protestant ones now in operation where say 10,000 catholics can be at one mass because there is only 1 priest available. Are we ready to see this happen? :hey_bud:

I certainly hope not. I am here at a seminary for a visit. I see a lot of diocese that are really supportive of second career vocations. I think the trend will be whether some bishops like it or not, the trend will be folks in their mid thirties to mid fifties or older that are and will be called to priesthood. So if your bishop wants them young young young. then yeah you will see the mega churches or the very least one priest per four parishes. In the diocese that are pro second career vocations like Gary In, Sprinfield Ill Portland Or. so on so forth they will see great numbers of priests in their diocese.
My diocese,Springfield Cape Giuardo ,no we will not see a great number of priests just mega churches and foriegn priests. nothing against them at all infact I met an Indian priest in NC he was awesome. just couldn’t understand him as well. For our older parishoners that have hearing difficulties it will be hard.
We will see great struggles in some diocese and some we will find a great bountiful number of holy priests. It really is up to the diocese to hear God’s call on who HE!!! not what the bishop wants but what GOD wants as far as a priest is concerned. My opinion. Scoob

 

[cara1]

I certainly hope not. I am here at a seminary for a visit. I see a lot of diocese that are really supportive of second career vocations. I think the trend will be whether some bishops like it or not, the trend will be folks in their mid thirties to mid fifties or older that are and will be called to priesthood. So if your bishop wants them young young young. then yeah you will see the mega churches or the very least one priest per four parishes. In the diocese that are pro second career vocations like Gary In, Springfield Ill Portland Or. so on so forth they will see great numbers of priests in their diocese.
My diocese,Springfield Cape Giuardo ,no we will not see a great number of priests just mega churches and foreign priests. nothing against them at all in fact I met an Indian priest in NC he was awesome. just couldn’t understand him as well. For our older parishioners that have hearing difficulties it will be hard.
We will see great struggles in some diocese and some we will find a great bountiful number of holy priests. It really is up to the diocese to hear God’s call on who HE!!! not what the bishop wants but what GOD wants as far as a priest is concerned. My opinion. Scoob

Hi, Scoob,

Do you really think that seminaries are turning away significant numbers of older applicants? If so, what is the cut-off age–40, 45, 50, 55? Are any accepting applicants at age 60? Some men can live a long time! Sisters live much longer than the average women in the US.

Just asking. I personally see no reason for not accepting older applicants–within reason of course. 70 is probably getting up there…

Something I learned recently. The majority of seminarians in NON-Catholic seminaries in the US now are women. Also the average age is older than formerly, but I don’t know what the average age is currently.

 

[scoobydoo6v92]

From my experience yes a lot of diocese turn down people that are older. I am 40 I was turned down by our bishop in Springfield mo. I totally dissagree with his decision and I am now working with Jefferson City and they are much more supportive than was Springfield. I am quite sure Jefferson City has many more priests than Springfield. There are 6 older men than me that are in seminary for Jefferson City.
Sacred Heart School of theology is geared for second career vocations. They have a list of dioceses that use Sacred Heart and it is growing. There are I think 40. Needs to be more than that. but it is a great start.
I think 50 is really young these days and yes in priesthood I feel we will live much longer than the average joe. Our culture is focused on young young young young. That is the problem. So I think if more and more diocese appreciate men in their 40s and beyond, the megachurch idea will not ever come to being. We’ll see. Scoob

 

[scoobydoo6v92]

There is a seminarian at Sacred Heart that is 67 years old!! and he is doing great. Little Rock is a great diocese for delayed vocations. If you go on Sacred Heart’s website you will find a list of diocese that send their seminarians to Sacred Heart. If anyone that is in their 40s and beyond feeling the call, See if your diocese is listed. I know from the top of my head a few knoxville Tenn Chattanooga Tenn Memphis Tenn Jefferson City Mo, Gary In. Portland Or, Albany NY, Boise Id Salt Lake City Ut Cheyenne Wyo. Just to name some,There are planty more listed. These diocese will see a bountiful harvest in priests. While others like Springfield Mo (from living in that area and one priest per 4 churches) will be lacking. My opinion. It is the way the trend is going. and I like it. Life’s experience is what I think makes a great priest certainly not age, and I feel Christ feels the same. Scoob.