Corrupt Leaders

[steve975]

This has to do with the vocation of a friend but it is much more than that.

A friend has recently made the determination that he has been called to become a priest. He has since been looking into getting the ball rolling. He is very conservative and comes from a family of very devout Catholics.

This friend is going to have to meet with the bishop of the diocese to discuss his calling and plan for his future in the priesthood, should he be accepted. While recently meeting with a local priest, the priest told him, among other things, that when meeting with the bishop, he should avoid discussing abortion, the idea of “saving souls”, any interest in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, etc. The understanding my friend took from this was that the bishop has some very liberal views, and he should avoid fully divulging his conservative views lest he runs into problems pursuing this vocation with the bishop.

This is exactly what I’m talking about regarding corruption and problems that have infested the Church. I’ve also heard other horror stories of others who have been targeted in seminaries for their very devout beliefs and put through tremendous ordeals because of it. I find this disgusting. I can’t pretend to know what’s going on in the mind of the pope - I have no idea. I just wish I knew why this kind of garbage has yet to be cracked down on.

And people wonder why some of us frequently find ourselves questioning and doubting the advice and leadership of our clergy.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

This is what happens when we judge on second hand information.

We do not know the exact words the priest used when speaking to your friend. We do not know if you friend misinterpreted anything. We do not know what the priest was thinking when he said what he said.

It could just be that the priest does not want your friend to appear as a one issue person. The bishop is looking for men to be pastors, not for zealots for some particular cause. A pastor of a parish must be more rounded.

Now if your friend does have a passion in some other area maybe this is a sign of a calling to the religious priesthood rather than the secular priesthood.