Lay Ministers Men or Women

[Brendan]

My guess is that quite a few of these boys will enter seminary.

We’ve got six men in the seminary now, and have had seven Ordained from our parish in the last ten years

 

[ASD]

ASD;4662199:

Why are you asking? What’s the point of the question?

Answered in post 1 9 and 10

Right.

Maybe there’s something like a vicious circle: Like, the more the ladies predominate, the more the gents pull back. (Hey, before anybody succumbs to temptation to scold me for that remark, two points: (1) I’m just trying to describe what I see; (2) my family and I owe our Catholic religious life to the example of one of those ladies, my Grandmother, without whom not.)

A somewhat different take on issue: I speculate that this question is connected to low number of vocations. (I’m way out of my depth here, but that doesn’t usually stop me. )

I think there was a time not so long ago when entering the priesthood meant taking a leadership role, becoming the man whom a whole neighborhood of people could count on for moral and religious leadership. A rock in the rough sea of fads. (Maybe like a Jewish Rabbi. Dunno.)

But, when I see the troupe of EMHC ladies marching into the sanctuary these days, I just can’t help but think: What do all the sturdy, energetic, intelligent young men of our parish see right this minute? They see that if they accept a call to the priesthood, they’ll have the awesome, humbling power of . . . doing the same thing old Mrs. Smith does. They see that devoting their lives to the priesthood entitles them to the sacred privilege of . . . joining a local ladies club. Hmmm. How about finance or law?

[Yea, I know that’s not technically correct. Consecration and all that. Still.]

ASD​

Traditional Latin Mass: Translation and Grammar

 

[Phemie]

They see that if they accept a call to the priesthood, they’ll have the awesome, humbling power of . . . doing the same thing old Mrs. Smith does. They see that devoting their lives to the priesthood entitles them to the sacred privilege of . . . joining a local ladies club. Hmmm. How about finance or law?

Yeah, no women in THOSE professions.

I think in this day and age what they see in the priesthood is someone who is looked at with suspicion, distrust and in some cases even hate. I don’t see it as a problem due to overuse of EMHCs but a problem created when suddenly priests in increasing numbers fell off the pedestal on which they’d been placed for centuries.

I also see it as a problem of the priesthood not being valued by families (my own included) as it was in generations past. Today if you say your son is going into the priesthood you are as likely to be offered condolences as congratulations and ‘what’s wrong with him’ will be floating in the air if not asked outright.

It takes a strong man to swim against the tide of societal expectations and it’s almost impossible to do it without a solid backing from your family.

 

[ASD]

Yeah, no women in THOSE professions.

Ha. Touché. (Hardly my point. My wife practices law.)

I think in this day and age what they see in the priesthood is someone who is looked at with suspicion, distrust and in some cases even hate. I don’t see it as a problem due to overuse of EMHCs …

Right. Probably not one thing.

… but a problem created when suddenly priests in increasing numbers fell off the pedestal on which they’d been placed for centuries.

I’m sorry to say it, but I’ve heard horror stories from 1950s. So, maybe the publicity was sudden, but not the problem. Heart-breaking.

I also see it as a problem of the priesthood not being valued by families (my own included) as it was in generations past. Today if you say your son is going into the priesthood you are as likely to be offered condolences as congratulations and ‘what’s wrong with him’ will be floating in the air if not asked outright.

It takes a strong man to swim against the tide of societal expectations and it’s almost impossible to do it without a solid backing from your family.

Fair point. I understand what you mean about suspicions of priesthood, motivations, etc. Believe me. But, I don’t know if that’s what in the minds of the young men who might consider it. Not sure.

ASD​

Traditional Latin Mass: Translation and Grammar

 

[Phemie]

I’m sorry to say it, but I’ve heard horror stories from 1950s. So, maybe the publicity was sudden, but not the problem. Heart-breaking.

True enough, the fall was sudden but the problem wasn’t new. It’s just that in most homes up until the 60s the priest was still seen as less than human so when a few failed so badly to retain their ‘holiness’ people had to suddenly face the fact that Father was human after all and put his pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else.

 

[PJM]

My parish is small. I believe we have about 500 families. I am guessing at the number. We have 56 people who are Lay Ministers, 15 men and 41 women. That to me is very lopsided and disappointing that more do not volunteer their talents. After realizing how few men volunteer I wondered how it was in other parishes.

The answer to your OP Question according to Vatican II and the present Code of Canon Law: Neither!

But in case of TRUE, and ONLY in the case of true necessity, they should be male gender.

 

[adrift]

The answer to your OP Question according to Vatican II and the present Code of Canon Law: Neither!

But in case of TRUE, and ONLY in the case of true necessity, they should be male gender.

I don’t understand your post. Please elaborate