Is it right that priests go from vocation to vacation in retirement?

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Beautiful said:
I sound harsh because the subject is harsh and the feelings I have are painful when I look at the loss to those being left high and dry in the cold and clouds.
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I get it - you are upset for your own parish. When I mean the sunny parishes are booming…I mean exploding by several thousand parishioners. Several thousand people …that is a significant amount of people to administer to and help out for the 1 priest that may reside there the rest of the year - those summer months that you get the benefit of having your priest back.

Like I mentioned. The health aspect of sunny weather is significant. Please let these priests enjoy the warm healing properties of sunshine and praise God that they are still helping others that are in just as much need that you are (though you fail to see it).

Perhaps you can start assembling a group of support folks at your parish to mobilize in the winter months to ease the stress of priestly duties. Administering the Eucharist to the homebound, etc. Compile a list of things that would make your priests life easier in these times and DO IT!

Like I said, Adoration has also known to increase vocations in parishes that have it. You need an increase in vocations, not restrictions on your retirees.:confused:

I hate to tell you, but you are dead wrong on assuming these retirees are lounging after age 75.
 
Beautiful said:
With a severe priest shortage that doesn’t seem to be getting any better around this neck of woods as priests continue to age and retire, I am beginning to wonder if it is right that priests retire at all. I’ve been looking at my own life and seeing that being a wife and mother since my tender early years of twenty-something my responsibility as a wife and mother has NOT subsided. It in fact has increased and is even multiplying with time due to marriages and births in the family. The last time I checked my husband was awake and shaving his morning stubble and will soon come into the kitchen for a breakfast-to-go and a filled lunch pail to take to work. And our parents are both quite aged and alive and kicking and still very much active parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. And these aged folks are still in the loving and sometimes very trying difficult passage of life together as married people. There is no earthly time when a married couple can retire from being spouse and parent…ok…till death do we part.

Why do Catholic priests ‘retire’ away from being active in ministry - real ministry? Do they suddenly stop being responsible as priest? Does their vocation suddenly fade into thin air when they reach a magic number? This does not seem correct. I realize that some ‘retired’ priest end up residing and coexisting with another priest in some parishes but numbers suggest that most seem to disappear into the great vast land of retirement somewhere warm and sunny. What is up with this?
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I know one priest who is 80 and is still an active pastor (only priest in his parish). There are many like him, including at least two other pastors over 80 in my area. Our parish also has two retired Monsignors in residence who say Mass and play an active role in the parish.

So, many “retired” priests do remain in active ministry.

I have also seen the situation where retired priests are not welcome by pastors, and feel pressured to leave.

So, I wouldn’t generalize.

God Bless

God Bless
 
jrabs said:
Like I mentioned. The health aspect of sunny weather is significant. Please let these priests enjoy the warm healing properties of sunshine and praise God that they are still helping others that are in just as much need that you are (though you fail to see it).
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Thus far I don’t fail to see anything here on this thread.
To look upon health as having the casting vote in every decision is to reduce religion to the level of the natural, and virtually to rule out the possibility of penance. Health will always claim more and more attention, and will exercise wider and wider powers of veto. To make your decisions according to health is not much better than to make them according to comfort or money. Like comfort and money, health has the tendency to spread across the whole horizon. Like power, it corrupts. Once allow health to be more than a guide in this matter of penance, you will find yourself submitting to its dictation. It is a good servant but a tyrannical master. Far more satisfactory is to forget health, except when having to remember it for purpose of reference.
Dom Huber Van Zeller ~ Spirit of Penance Path to God
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PaulinVA said:
Well, your mileage may vary. My mom died at 80 and was very frail. My dad is still going strong. My point is that living out one’s vocation into old age is different for married people than it is for priests. Priests have a public ministry, and marrieds have , in effect, a private ministry.

It looks like you have some strong views about retirement that other people might not share.
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True - everyone has different end mileage in life and the mileage in the end may be weak or strong.

I never viewed my marriage as strictly private. Everything we do and do not do has a radiating effect that goes beyond our nuptial vows. This is just like any other vocation - single or religious.

I wouldn’t say my view on retirement is strong as much realistic and different from the 1,000’s who have no qualms about folding shop on family and friends for an easier life under the sun.
 
Beautiful said:
Thus far I don’t fail to see anything here on this thread.
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Really?
But you do fail to see the needs of thousands of snowbirds wherever they may be as equally significant to your own needs.

You are upset that your needs are not being met while your retired priest scoots out for the winter.
This has to do with you and your perception. Perception is not necessarily reality. You believe your retired priest is scooting out for the winter. He is probably still ministering to people, not taking a vacation. Have you asked your priest what he does when he leaves or are you just bitter? Are not the snowbirds in need of a priest also?:confused:

I’ll repeat my suggestion about getting people together to help out in his absence. Have you done that? I am betting there are countless things you could do around your parish to help ease the pain till spring.
 
Beautiful said:
I wouldn’t say my view on retirement is strong as much realistic and different from the 1,000’s who have no qualms about folding shop on family and friends for an easier life under the sun.
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And you know that life is easier where these priests go? The weather is nicer, sure, but do you know the daily things they do? Do you know the number of people they serve?

Honestly - you have a serious pity party going down.

People everywhere are in need of priests. We are also called to help them out.
 
The larger question is “how do our bishops best use the talents of our priests as their energy and agility declines in old age?” Apparently, many believe it prudent to have a mandatory retirement age, which gives the advantage of helping plan for giving assignments to older priests, but could, perhaps, end up being a cop out for some leader trying to avoid making tough decisions…but I somehow doubt that that most 76 year old priests are able to do full-time ministry – remember that that is 10-15 years later than usual retirement age for us layfolk…The flip side of the situation of some parishes being left high and dry is some parishes being left with a pastor who is simply incapable of effectively performing all his duties and leading his flock…such a rule of thumb may be arbitrary for some particularly hearty 75 year old priests who may feel like they’re only 65, and you may know of some one particular priest who was still vigorous and did not continue using his gifts to serve, but I doubt that is common. My observation is that most priests approaching 75 are both in need of and deserving of lighter duty.
 
jrabs said:
Honestly - you have a serious pity party going down.
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Accusing me of having a pity party for myself is pretty sad. You fail to recognize the legitimate concern that involves everyone. We are One Body in Christ.
The fact that numbers of priests are way down particularly in the northeast where I live and that these priests have been exiting full knowing the numbers are down and continue to slide and not being replaced is real concern. There is no need of a union labor leader with a megaphone sounding for equal rights and comforts here. Christ should be the lead and call to priests not status quo and comforts dictated by snowbirds flying to warmer, easier climates. As someone stated earlier we have Cannon Law to protect the best interest of the priesthood. It is the best interest that has been muddle for decades by modernism.
 
And let us not overlook the fact that future religious vocations will not be found in the drifts of snowbirds on sunny islands. Here in the US - they are likely to be lost and forgotten in real life small and big town life where young families exist, where real priestly life is turning into a thing of the past.
 
Beautiful said:
Accusing me of having a pity party for myself is pretty sad. You fail to recognize the legitimate concern that involves everyone. We are One Body in Christ.
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Sometimes the truth is a bitter pill. I am sorry that you feel the pains of absence in your parish. Do something about it. Be active.
Your post asks if retirees should be allowed to vacation. Many have told you this is not the case. Others are every bit in need as you are on a seasonal basis.

I’ve been to Florida in the dead of winter and have seen the booming and aging population. Each and everyone of those people deserve a priest as well while they travel for the winter. You fail to recognize that those who migrate are also in need. We are all, indeed, One Body in Christ where ever we live.

No - I did not fail to recognize the concern that you have that does involves many folks in your parish as well as those in other places. It absolutely involves those in the warmer climates - the snowbird population.
I do believe I came up with suggestions to address ways that you could alleviate the pains while your priest is away.
 
Beautiful said:
I wouldn’t say my view on retirement is strong as much realistic and different from the 1,000’s who have no qualms about folding shop on family and friends for an easier life under the sun.
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It’s always nice when the person you are talking to proves your points for you.

I am very sorry that you feel abandoned by your priests. I’m glad that you have reminded us that not everyone has several priests (or several parishes nearby with a priest.)

I think the answer is to pray for vocations, not to ridicule poor retired priests who want a little sun in their older years. We can’t work those poor men until they drop!
 
Beautiful said:
And let us not overlook the fact that future religious vocations will not be found in the drifts of snowbirds on sunny islands. Here in the US - they are likely to be lost and forgotten in real life small and big town life where young families exist, where real priestly life is turning into a thing of the past.
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Hold it…you believe that there are no young people and no families in Florida, TX, AZ, etc?
There are many on this forum!
Many here are young with families. Let us pray that some of them will hear God’s call as well.
 
When I started this thread I did not expect to have the popular vote. It is worth the effort if is does nothing more than have others consider more closely the misdistribution of priests throughout this country - particularly the elderly priests who have free tickets to fly at around 75. Times have changed. It is factual that people are living longer and more healthy viable lives. So what do we see our bishops and priests doing to keep up with changes. Piling into large snowdrifts in sunny locales isn’t helping but rather hindering.

Gonna go to the place that’s the best
Before I lay me down to die
Goin’ up to the spirit in the sunny sky
Goin’ up to the spirit in the sunny sky
Before I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that’s the best
Click the smile 😃
 
Beautiful said:
Br. Allen, O.Carm you appear to be a religous. I am a married - with children. I will answer you with a question. What is your main objective in this life?
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I’m not quite sure what you are implying with that. Maybe I’m just misinterpreting what you are trying to say.

Married persons and religious are called, ultimately, to glorify God in their vocations, each in their own way.

A priest/religious is not bound to any particular geographic region after retirement. They have the freedom to come and go as they please, which does not give offense to God, since the church allows this.

A priest/religious does not cease to give glory to God in their vocation because they choose to exercise that vocation in Florida as opposed to the Northeast.

A bunch of old priests staying in the Northeast is not going to solve the vocation crisis in the United States.
 
Beautiful said:
When I started this thread I did not expect to have the popular vote. It is worth the effort if is does nothing more than have others consider more closely the misdistribution of priests throughout this country - particularly the elderly priests who have free tickets to fly at around 75. Times have changed. It is factual that people are living longer and more healthy viable lives. So what do we see our bishops and priests doing to keep up with changes. Piling into large snowdrifts in sunny locales isn’t helping but rather hindering.

😃 Click the smile
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I’m still not sure exactly where you’re going with this. Are you suggesting we work aging priests until they physically can’t go on any more?

How about you join the Serra Club and help recruit new and youthful replacements for the men who have dedicated their lives to the Church?
 
Many older folks (and priests do age the same as the rest of us) have a very hard time coping with the very cold winters. My dad was a snowbird for several years prior to his death because his chronic illness coupled with the cold made things enormously difficult for him. I was always so happy each November when he bit the bullet and went down to Daytona, because I could hear in his voice how much more comfortable and rested he was down there.

I would not begrudge any priest in a similar circumstance who needed to make the same wintertime shift in locale. As others have noted, those senior snowbirds also have need of priestly ministry, so having the priests follow the snowbirds doesn’t sound like such a bad idea to me.

Further, I can’t speak to your particular diocese, but in my diocese here in California, the term retirement is used pretty loosely. The retired priests I know are still very, very active-- saying Mass, hearing confessions, making sick calls, etc. For instance, our “retired” pastor, ha ha, far and away holds the record for the number of sick calls made each year amongst the priests in our parish. When a phone call comes in, Msgr. M. will grab his kit and go. I know of another priest who passed away earlier this year. What a trooper-- the man was dying of cancer, yet still hauled himself out to say daily Mass for us as long as he was able. His stamina was so poor that he had to celebrate most of the Mass seated, except for the actual consecration. Continued like this until a week or two before he died. These are wonderful, holy, inspiring men. They are simply relieved of the administrative burdens that come with being a pastor or parochial assistant. The ones (out here at least) that don’t keep up an active ministry are physically incapable of keeping such a schedule any more. Many of these are being cared for in a small nursing home tucked behind my parish.

I have yet to meet a “retired” priest who has taken up full-time golfing and fishing. 🙂

Margaret
 
Beautiful said:
When I started this thread I did not expect to have the popular vote. It is worth the effort if is does nothing more than have others consider more closely the misdistribution of priests throughout this country - particularly the elderly priests who have free tickets to fly at around 75. Times have changed. It is factual that people are living longer and more healthy viable lives. So what do we see our bishops and priests doing to keep up with changes. Piling into large snowdrifts in sunny locales isn’t helping but rather hindering.
Well, it’s not helping YOU, but it most certainly is helping those explosive populations in the south in the winter. This is all about helping people, right? And we are all One Body in Christ…right?
Would you begrudge 10,000 snow birds in 1 parish a retired priest to assist in duties? Because those are the volumes in some areas that we are talking about - in case you thought the number was only a few 100 here and there.
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This has nothing to do with popular vote. And your posts keep citing misconceptions.

Priests do not get to fly free at all - they pay their own travel, I assure you.

And you also contradict yourself. Times are changing - people are getting older and the retired elderly priests are migrating to where the masses of people are so that those folks can have priests on hand during busy season.
 
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