Just for fun, who's your favorite living celebrity priest?

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I do enjoy the works of the Pope Emeritus and also the current Pope. I wonder if we could say the first really globe trotting Pope, St Pope John Paul II was the first to inadvertently grow celebrity, in today’s climate with such easy access to media and fast travel.
 
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In addition, we need to have Catholic radio priests and televangelists and traveling speakers, if for no other reason than the Protestants, especially the Evangelicals, have these things and Catholics should not be sitting around silent while the Protestants are promoting their own beliefs.

If a priest starts getting too enamored of the celebrity lifestyle, then his bishop, or his superior if he’s in an order, should take appropriate steps to reign him in. But I honestly think this is more of a problem with the cardinals than it is with these hardworking priests.

Anyway, like I said this is for fun. “Celebrity” in this context just means the priest is well known and has a following. If someone’s going to get all hung up over the use of a word rather than just enjoying the poll for the curiosity it is, I can’t help that.
 
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I understand that some people don’t care for him. However, it was partially because of him that I returned to the Catholic faith and it was my traditional (now) in laws that introduced me to him. I’m more of a Cardinal Cupich fan then Archbishop Chaput.
 
Anyway, like I said this is for fun. “Celebrity” in this context just means the priest is well known and has a following. If someone’s going to get all hung up over the use of a word rather than just enjoying the poll for the curiosity it is, I can’t help that.
Thank you for the definition of celebrity. It is important to define these words, especially in the light of celebrity and all its trappings in the secular world.
 
Lots of wonderful priests mentioned in this thread. I appreciated the addition, especially, of Father Spitzer.
Father Hardon, I think, has also been a priest whose devotion and dedication have been a channel of grace for many. His Marian Catechist Apostolate continues his good work,. Perhaps we will see him declared a saint in our lifetimes…
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimgraves/fr.-john-hardon-may-be-on-his-way-to-canonization

But I would like to add yet another name to our list- that of our own JReducation.
His story of conversion to the Catholic faith is inspirational, and his ability to explain aspects of the faith to others brought peace to many a contentious CAF thread, while helping us to grow in our faith…
His Franciscans of Life Ministry has a special ministry in support of fathers.
You can plug JReducation into a CAF search engine and find his knowledgeable and articulate responses to numerous questions regarding the church: it is a mini-catechesis.
Brother JR had a gift for bringing people who disagreed together and helping them work through the issues which perplexed them.
May God bless him, and his good work.
Amen.
 
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Oh my heart. 💖 You touched it.
My very own Priest Father A.

I didn’t vote as I only know 2 on the list. Turns out they are the frontrunners. :woman_shrugging:t2:
 
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This thread has me thinking about priests from a few years ago who had a certain charisma and a media presence, but who either died or retired from view, often due to old age. I’m thinking of Msgr. Thomas Hartman of the God Squad (who died), and Fr. John Catoir of the Christophers and Fr. Peter J. M. Stravinskas, who published the Catholic Answer, neither of whom I see much of any more. Then there were lightning-rod priests like Fr. Richard McBrien and Fr. Andrew Greeley, both of whom caused quite a stir in their day, but it seems as though they are now both quickly being forgotten ( and many, I’m sure, would say, rightly so).

I wonder which of our current “celebrity” priests will have a truly long-lasting legacy, like Bishop Fulton Sheen or Thomas Merton, both of whom are still quite relevant for many of us, in their own ways, many years after their deaths?
 
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Yes!! My former priest makes his homilies available online. I listen to them to supplement what I’m getting in my new town and parish, (also with a fabulous priest 😀)
 
Fr Timothy Radcliffe O.P.
Fr John Walsh O.P.
Fr James Martin S.J.
 
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Fr Anthony Schiarappa and Fr Harrison Ayre

Hosts of the Clerically Speaking podcast.
 
Regarding the people mentioning Fr Hardon, Archbishop Sheen and so forth, I would note that this poll is confined to Living priests.
Otherwise we’d have no end of priests up for sainthood to put in here.

Also, I’d be forced to choose between Archbishop Sheen, Fr. Jerzy, Fr. Miguel Pro, Fr. Flanagan, Fr. Peyton, Fr. Kapaun, and probably several more…impossible
 
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Of those great men who have not been elevated to the status of Sainthood, yet:

For George Rutler, who probably wouldn’t agree with ‘celebrity’. I also enjoy listening to Fr Spitzer on EWTN
Lately I was rewatching Fr. Steven Scheier on YouTube.

When they were alive I enjoyed Fr Andrew Apostole and Fr. Benedict Groschel.

The Priests who come into my home via the daily Mass on EWTN, and the anonymous Priests on Sensus And there is Fr. Chad Ripperger who also would probably not enjoy the ‘celebrity’ description.
 
I gotta say Cardinal Robert Sarah. I think he’s a great voice for the Third World Catholics, who are the fastest growing category and among the most devoted.
 
I am so sorry Tis_Bearself,
I’ve been having a great time reading the thread and totally forgot the headline when I posted.
Please consider my choices officially narrowed and brother JReducation to be my addition to our list.
May God bless you and all who visit your thread.
Amen.
 
I have had the chance to hear Fr. Radcliffe speak on two different occasions.

The man has a brilliant mind and a very deep, loving, spirituality.
 
Strangely, I like what Fr. James Martin SJ has to say sometimes and I also like what Fr. Longenecker has to say sometimes. Father Longenecker’s has several posts “correcting” Fr. Martin. However, I find the entire slow online discussion very interesting. I appreciate both of their points of view.

I hope they meet and have beer. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that! 😜
 
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