How to Resolve Uneven Distribution of Wealth

[TK421]

Currently, Latin America & Europe are suffering from a shortage of priests, North America has issues but not as severe, and Asia & Africa are able to send ordained missionaries. The Mass is much less accessible for some people than it is for others.

You can’t force somebody to become a priest, but looking at this current situation, what are things being done / can be done to help alleviate the more impoverished parts of the world?

 

[Sacred_Heart_1]

Currently, Latin America & Europe are suffering from a shortage of priests, North America has issues but not as severe, and Asia & Africa are able to send ordained missionaries. The Mass is much less accessible for some people than it is for others.

You can’t force somebody to become a priest, but looking at this current situation, what are things being done / can be done to help alleviate the more impoverished parts of the world?

The Lord says, Pray to the Lord of the Harvest, so that more workers will be sent out to do the work of the laborer. He makes it simple–just beg the Lord to send more workers out to do the work of the Lord.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

If you tax something, you get less of it.

So, if you levy high taxes on people, they have fewer babies.

If you have fewer babies, then there will be fewer children to grow up to become men to become priests.

So, if you encourage people to have more babies, then they will have more children and some of those boys will become men some of whom will become priests.

If wishes were enough, then we would be overflowing with good things.

 

[seagal]

Our diocese has missionary priests from India. They come for several years and then return to their own homes. Very ironic, considering we used to send missionary priests to India.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

Our diocese has missionary priests from India. They come for several years and then return to their own homes. Very ironic, considering we used to send missionary priests to India.

Some people in India resented the sending of Catholic missionary priests to India, so they began sending missionary Hindu and Buddhist religious to America to spread their teachings and religious practices.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Currently, Latin America & Europe are suffering from a shortage of priests, North America has issues but not as severe, and Asia & Africa are able to send ordained missionaries. The Mass is much less accessible for some people than it is for others.

You can’t force somebody to become a priest, but looking at this current situation, what are things being done / can be done to help alleviate the more impoverished parts of the world?

I didn’t realize Europe was experiencing a shortage of priests. I did know church attendance was down.
I did know there was a shortage of priests in Latin America.

 

[3_Dog_Night]

Given the number of Protestant pastors who are converting/ have converted to Catholicism, I believe that if more were encouraged and approved through the Pastoral Provisions, it would greatly help the shortage of Catholic priests. These men are an incredible resource – education, speaking skills, knowledge of the Bible, experience as pastors with congregations. It need not be a “rarity” to have “married priests” who are converts to Catholicism. Additionally, if the restrictions on marriage/ celibacy were removed, this would also make a difference. That’s how I view it.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

If you tax something, you get less of it.

So, if you levy high taxes on people, they have fewer babies.

If you have fewer babies, then there will be fewer children to grow up to become men to become priests.

So, if you encourage people to have more babies, then they will have more children and some of those boys will become men some of whom will become priests.

If wishes were enough, then we would be overflowing with good things.

That and the availability / wide use of birth control have kept the number of men down. As well, it’s harder for a young person from a family of two or three children to enter religious life. The familial concern of grand children is greater with fewer kids initially in the family when one chooses consecrated religious life.

 

[peter26]

While a lot of priests from Africa and India do end up working in Europe and America, I don’t think this is a long term solution. Keep filling any parish vacancy in the Western world with an African priest, and pretty soon there will be priest shortages in Africa as well. Its also worth bearing in many people in Africa, due to the distances involved, have to travel a long way to Mass as it is. More priests being ordained in the countries they will work in is a better solution then. How do you achieve that? Being clear on what the church stands for would be a good start.

Given the number of Protestant pastors who are converting/ have converted to Catholicism, I believe that if more were encouraged and approved through the Pastoral Provisions, it would greatly help the shortage of Catholic priests. These men are an incredible resource – education, speaking skills, knowledge of the Bible, experience as pastors with congregations. It need not be a “rarity” to have “married priests” who are converts to Catholicism. Additionally, if the restrictions on marriage/ celibacy were removed, this would also make a difference. That’s how I view it.

There are many priests who have converted to Catholicism through the Anglican Ordinariates and of course many have duties beyond just looking after the Ordinariate Groups, so this has been a source of additional priests. In England, the supply seems to have dried up a little, though in parts of the US (certainly I believe in Texas where my priest is originally from) the Ordinariate is flourishing. Some sort of provision for other Christian groups is something worth looking into. For instance, those form a low-church background. Evangelicals share many moral beliefs with Catholics and some might consider converting, but would want a different sort of liturgy, where perhaps there is time for a longer homily, perhaps on weekdays a more “preaching the word” sort of service.

As for married priests, removing the restrictions would clearly increase the pool of potential candidates. The downside is mainly financial, with a married priest, maybe even with children, you have to provide them a larger house and possibly pay them more to provide for their family.

 

[Brassring]

As for married priests, removing the restrictions would clearly increase the pool of potential candidates. The downside is mainly financial, with a married priest, maybe even with children, you have to provide them a larger house and possibly pay them more to provide for their family.

Church politics would also become an issue. I’m a protestant convert, and one problem that many protestant congregations have is the pastor’s wife. Don’t get me wrong, there are many wonderful pastor’s wives, but there are also many who see the ministry as “ours” as opposed to “his”. These women expect a certain position in the church, and they often get it. They exercise authority and influence above the church’s normal governing structure, deacons, etc. Many people leave the churches of pastors they adore because they can’t find a way to abide the constant influence of the pastor’s wife.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I am not terribly worried about draining Africa of priests. At one time, America sent plenty of priests to Africa and there was no shortage here even so. Once upon a time, Ireland sent lots of priests to America and there was no shortage of priests in Ireland even so.

What does trouble me is the fact that there are more vocations in Africa than the seminaries and convents can take. Part of the problem is funding. Education of a priest is a long process and it costs money to house, feed and teach them.

It is to my utter astonishment, then, that some Church organizations in the U.S. collect money from the faithful and then give it to domestic organizations that are political in their nature. ACORN comes immediately to mind; a political organization which received millions from the Church here in the U.S.

And when have we seen a major effort in the parishes to collect funds to support seminaries and convents in Africa?

 

[7_Sorrows]

I am not terribly worried about draining Africa of priests. At one time, America sent plenty of priests to Africa and there was no shortage here even so. Once upon a time, Ireland sent lots of priests to America and there was no shortage of priests in Ireland even so.

What does trouble me is the fact that there are more vocations in Africa than the seminaries and convents can take. Part of the problem is funding. Education of a priest is a long process and it costs money to house, feed and teach them.

It is to my utter astonishment, then, that some Church organizations in the U.S. collect money from the faithful and then give it to domestic organizations that are political in their nature. ACORN comes immediately to mind; a political organization which received millions from the Church here in the U.S.

And when have we seen a major effort in the parishes to collect funds to support seminaries and convents in Africa?

good point!