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Jnk05
Guest
Thank you very much Tweedlealice.
May God bless you always.
May God bless you always.
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April29
Guest
No! Not at all! What’s happening to him is very sad and strange.
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guanophore
Guest
It sounds like his diocese is paying for candidates to attend the major seminary, and they have some rubrics they use to choose from among those who apply, just like all institutions of higher education do. A candidate is more likely to complete the training if they have a stable and committed family supporting them, so the lack of a marriage certificate is being used to rule out those with a less than “stable” family.
I agree with the post I read above, this is a sign that you need to move on to opportunities elsewhere that a standard of selection of this kind is not being used.
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Jnk05
Guest
You’re right. incase I get anywhere that will be my way.
Thank you!
Thank you!
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brian_custer
Guest
this makes sense
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tifischer
Guest
Too bad that does not leave much room for the Holy Spirit to be free to choose as He wills.
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tifischer
Guest
You are worthy to God 
. Otherwise, He would not have given His one and only son to die for you. God bless. Trust in the Holy Spirit of Jesus.
. Otherwise, He would not have given His one and only son to die for you. God bless. Trust in the Holy Spirit of Jesus.
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guanophore
Guest
On the contrary, the HS is more powerful than any human conditions. Just has He has done with all the Saints, He will lead all who answer the call to where they belong. Sometimes certain doors are closed deliberately to guide the faithful!
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tifischer
Guest
God does not shut doors to His grace. Only people do…God does not intend for people to close doors or avenues for people to be closer to God. We depend on God to guide us rightly, but not by lack of mercy or openness to the working of the Holy Spirit.
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guanophore
Guest
Amen! We can always count on His grace to triumph, no matter the barriers.
2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph
2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph
When discerning God’s direction in life, closed doors are as important as open ones. A closed door does not mean that we are closed off to being closer to God. It just means that HIs direction for us goes another way. Sometimes we know the best way, but He has a better way in mind.
And they went through the region of Phry′gia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come opposite My′sia, they attempted to go into Bithyn′ia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8 so, passing by My′sia, they went down to Tro′as. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedo′nia was standing beseeching him and saying, “Come over to Macedo′nia and help us.” 10 And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedo′nia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16
The Holy Spirit prevents certain directions in order to lead us in others.
We can depend on God to lead us rightly, despite the lack of mercy and openness of others.
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tifischer
Guest
Yes however saying that a person of the Church does not have mercy or is not open to the Holy Spirit is not a gracefully closed door…it points to a bigger problem in our Church community. If he was not permitted by the Holy Spirit to go to a pagan city or lead by the Holy Spirit to go to a different city that is different from the Holy Spirit leading him to a Church and he is turned away because of someone’s judgment Based on social standards or personal beliefs …it’s important to be carful of a country club mentality. God welcomes all people and calls who He wills, that is why it is important to depend on the Holy Spirit as a guide and not social standards.
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guanophore
Guest
Since I never claimed this issue was a matter of “mercy or not”, I do not think it is a position I can defend. Making standards for who is to be supported in major seminary is as much a business decision as it is academic and spiritual. The diocese must choose from among to many applicants (more than there are spaces or resources to support them). “Mercy” does not need to be one of the criteria. In fact, it may be more “merciful” to screen out an applicant that cannot succeed. There is also no reason to assume that those making these decisions “are not open to the Holy Spirit”. On the contrary, I would expect those making such criteria and decisions would pray for guidance in the process.
Doors need not be closed “gracefully”. Paul had to be let out of the city in a basket by night to prevent him from being harmed.
None of this type of decision making “points to a greater problem” in our communities.
I agree. But I was under the impression that this was the applicant’s home diocese. He is not talking about “being led to a church” but his application to attend major seminary through that diocese. No one is turning him away from Church.
I think we are talking about apples and daffodils here. Whether a person is called to the priesthood has nothing to do with their presence in the Church community. The Church has the responsibility to choose from among those who are eligible, and she helps the candidate to discern the call. If the Diocese must limit those who attend major seminary, this has nothing to do with cultural or social standards.
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tifischer
Guest
It doesn’t take a genius of faith to know that the deciding factor should be made prayerfully guided by the Holy Spirit not based on some discriminating circumstance such as the marriage of ones parents…is the point I am making. Right? God’s grace is above the circumstances of our lives. God have mercy.
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guanophore
Guest
It does not take a genius to know that deciding factors need not be entirely spiritual, either. Since you and I are not part of the decision making group that determines which, among too many applicants, can be supported by the diocese to attend major seminary, it is really not our place to judge that it is done without any mercy involved.
Do you know what it takes to get into a military academy? There are many standards that may seem “discriminatory” that are used to glean 100 applicants into the space for only 2. How about medical schools? The one near me only takes 8 students a year out of some 600 applicants. Are you just obligating the diocese to have “mercy” instead of other standards because a body guided by the Holy Spirit has no right to make such criteria?
The bottom line is, if he is denied, then God is leading him elsewhere, and not to be discouraged.
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brian_custer
Guest
OP is not “denied” ; he must find an alternate path
many US dioceses are in dire need of seminarians & will make every accomodation
(including my own dioceses)
many US dioceses are in dire need of seminarians & will make every accomodation
(including my own dioceses)
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brian_custer
Guest
well i was accepted & had a congressional nomination to the USNA; passed the physical exam; flunked the DENTAL EXAM (can you believe it) 
?
but I found a way to Navy and a fruitful career there…
?but I found a way to Navy and a fruitful career there…
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tifischer
Guest
What deciding factor has more weight than the Holy Spirit?
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tifischer
Guest
Dental exam? God have mercy. Jesus didn’t require a dental exam. Facepalm.
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HolySpirit
Guest
Brian, what diocese do you reside in if you don’t mind me asking? If you do mind, don’t feel the need to answer.
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guanophore
Guest
None, but when standards are applied and a person is screened out, for whatever reason, the HS will lead that candidate to where they need to be. No standards applied by a human committee are more powerful that the call of the HS. God can always make a way, even if it seems there is no way.
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