J
jackpuffin
Guest
I just wanted to find out how many of you were for or against minor seminaries and why.
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D
davidc2
Guest
I think you might want to clarify a few things. First, most folks probably don’t know what a minor seminary is (but some of us do). “Unhealthy” is an odd term - do you mean really unhealthy (bad sanitation) or spiritually unhealthy or physcologically, etc.
S
serendipity
Guest
what are “minor seminaries”?
S
springbreeze
Guest
Dear friends
Not knowing myself what a minor seminary was, I looked on the net and this is what I found…
Taken from this site…
cmri.org/minorsem.htm
What is a minor seminary? The minor seminary is similar to other Catholic boarding schools for boys. Students have a regimented life, which includes daily Mass and prayer, academics and recreation. The studies encompass the regular high school courses in theology, English, math, science, history, foreign language and physical education, with a special emphasis on Latin and choir. Physical activity is also important, for sports offers an excellent means of character formation by its requirements for teamwork, responsibility and healthful competition. Needless to say, regular confession, spiritual direction and spiritual conferences hold a prominent position in the routine of the seminary. Personal responsibility, cleanliness, order, self-discipline and striving for excellence provide the hallmark of the seminary formation. In short, the entire program of a minor seminary has for its goal the preparation of young men for the mjaor seminary while safeguarding their vocations.
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
Not knowing myself what a minor seminary was, I looked on the net and this is what I found…
Taken from this site…
cmri.org/minorsem.htm
What is a minor seminary? The minor seminary is similar to other Catholic boarding schools for boys. Students have a regimented life, which includes daily Mass and prayer, academics and recreation. The studies encompass the regular high school courses in theology, English, math, science, history, foreign language and physical education, with a special emphasis on Latin and choir. Physical activity is also important, for sports offers an excellent means of character formation by its requirements for teamwork, responsibility and healthful competition. Needless to say, regular confession, spiritual direction and spiritual conferences hold a prominent position in the routine of the seminary. Personal responsibility, cleanliness, order, self-discipline and striving for excellence provide the hallmark of the seminary formation. In short, the entire program of a minor seminary has for its goal the preparation of young men for the mjaor seminary while safeguarding their vocations.
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
J
Jeremy
Guest
Oh I get it, like a young man’s military academy, but for priests.
I’m struck by this sentence in the link
I’m struck by this sentence in the link
I believe the priesthood is a calling. Unless it can somehow be demonstrated that each of the boys in these places has actually felt that calling, then putting them on the track to priesthood before that time seems inappropriate.
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davidc2
Guest
Minor Seminaries are both High School and College level seminaries. Although in the US, there are only 3 H.S. seminaries left (last I heard, at least).
Major Seminary is the post-graduate level seminaries.
Major Seminary is the post-graduate level seminaries.
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StJeanneDArc
Guest
That’s one way to look at it. Another way is that it gives the young man a safe environment to correctly discern whether he has a calling. Regular high schools–even Catholic ones–can be rather corrupting and detrimental to any calling. No high schooler in a minor seminary actually makes any vows or promises.
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Fortiterinre
Guest
In the “old days” the Minor Seminary was the four years of high school and the two years of “junior college” liberal arts classes. The Major Seminary was the completion of college (two years of philosophy) and 4 years of theology. I think you are probably referring to high school seminaries. I am still reeling from what has come out about St. Thomas High School Seminary in Hannibal, Missouri (now closed after many faculty abuses). Years ago Hannibal produced some of the finest men I have ever met.
J
jackpuffin
Guest
Hey guys. I guess I was just wondering because for a time I was discerning a vocation with the Legionaries of Christ. I was really attracted to their orthodoxy and character. Then, my mom brought up the fact that they brainwash kids by putting them into minor seminaries. I also talked to a priest who went through minor seminary, and regrets not having the expierience of “normal” high school or college. While I don’t think the Legionaries “brainwash” people (thats a bit absurd), I don’t doubt that many kids in minor seminary feel a bit of a pressure to become a priest. I, for instance, (though not going through minor seminary, or any seminary at all for that matter), was planning on entering a Legionary seminary next year. When my mom suggested I finish college, I responded defensively at first. After quiet reflection, however, I thought I’d stop thinking about the priesthood, and instead focus on my schoolwork. After a while, I began to see God’s plan for me in the field of study I was in. I also began to have an uneasiness for the priesthood, and I began to feel a sense of peace on the path I was already on. I am, of course, still going to daily mass and spending time in prayer. And so, I think simply by obsessing over the priesthood, I ended up convincing myself I had a calling. Now, in minor seminaries, where a child has not really thought of himself in another vocation or place in the world, I don’t know if he can properly discern a vocation. After all, he’s going to “priest school”, isn’t he? Obviously, there are exceptions. I’m sure many kids who feel a calling to the priesthood at a young age really do have a calling. But if they keep up their prayer lives and remain open to God’s will, it isn’t going to go away. It isn’t like God is going to change his mind. The kid can go to a regular high school (still praying and going to daily mass as any good Catholic should do), and if he has a calling, it will still be there when he gets out. Anyway, that’s just what I think.
S
springbreeze
Guest
Dear friend
Personally I don’t think minor seminaries are a great concept. I think many young men and women are called to religious life but few of them are chosen ones. I think it is healthy for every young Catholic girl or boy to consider whether they have a vocation and explore and look into that, but it is not healthy to presume just because a child expresses a wish or desire for the religious life that that is the end of the matter and so they will be!
St Paul writes…‘When I was a child, I thought and spoke like a child, now I am a man I think and speak like a man’ This is very important to note in vocations, it would appear to me that many young boys and girls feel drawn to the religious life, because they are so accepting of Jesus and faith at this age, but they must grow and develop and the childish ways put aside. I am not the child I was, I am still the same person, but my personality and my views have changed over the years, BUT a true vocation does not change…doesn’t die, doesn’t lessen.
Therefore to remove children from home life and from the very people they may be called to Shepherd is not fruitful, it is a cocoon too early in a child’s life.
It is one thing to encourage a child in their pursuit of their calling to religious life, it is another to remove them from society at such a young age and in all effect ‘hide’ them from the world for fear that the world will steal their vocation! The world cannot steal a vocation!
I have pondered long and hard at the lack of vocations to the religious life world over. I don’t have the answers, but I strongly feel that not enough prayer is said for vocations, we need in these times to pray hard for vocations. The Priesthood especially is under attack, this is no surprise to me…satan is well aware, if there are no Priests, there is NO Eucharist. So, we need to be praying hard for vocations, we need to tell God we want Priests. In this constant praying, there will be much talk and conversation about the Priesthood in homes, schools and churches and the profile for the need for people to answer their vocations will be raised and brought to the forefront of people’s minds.
In short, we have taken our Priests and other religious for granted and now is the time to no longer sit back on our laurels and pretend that in 25 years or so we will still have Priests, because if the current climate continues, you will be hard pressed to find a Priest for any Sacrament.
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
Personally I don’t think minor seminaries are a great concept. I think many young men and women are called to religious life but few of them are chosen ones. I think it is healthy for every young Catholic girl or boy to consider whether they have a vocation and explore and look into that, but it is not healthy to presume just because a child expresses a wish or desire for the religious life that that is the end of the matter and so they will be!
St Paul writes…‘When I was a child, I thought and spoke like a child, now I am a man I think and speak like a man’ This is very important to note in vocations, it would appear to me that many young boys and girls feel drawn to the religious life, because they are so accepting of Jesus and faith at this age, but they must grow and develop and the childish ways put aside. I am not the child I was, I am still the same person, but my personality and my views have changed over the years, BUT a true vocation does not change…doesn’t die, doesn’t lessen.
Therefore to remove children from home life and from the very people they may be called to Shepherd is not fruitful, it is a cocoon too early in a child’s life.
It is one thing to encourage a child in their pursuit of their calling to religious life, it is another to remove them from society at such a young age and in all effect ‘hide’ them from the world for fear that the world will steal their vocation! The world cannot steal a vocation!
I have pondered long and hard at the lack of vocations to the religious life world over. I don’t have the answers, but I strongly feel that not enough prayer is said for vocations, we need in these times to pray hard for vocations. The Priesthood especially is under attack, this is no surprise to me…satan is well aware, if there are no Priests, there is NO Eucharist. So, we need to be praying hard for vocations, we need to tell God we want Priests. In this constant praying, there will be much talk and conversation about the Priesthood in homes, schools and churches and the profile for the need for people to answer their vocations will be raised and brought to the forefront of people’s minds.
In short, we have taken our Priests and other religious for granted and now is the time to no longer sit back on our laurels and pretend that in 25 years or so we will still have Priests, because if the current climate continues, you will be hard pressed to find a Priest for any Sacrament.
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
S
serendipity
Guest
My Goodness Theresa,
I thought to quote your first sentence, but the more I read the more I thought what a wonderful analysis of the situation.
I agree with you whole heartedly. I can’t help but wonder too, if people from minor seminaries, people who may have an authentic call to vocations, might later in life wonder if their calling was genuine, because of the fact that they were so sheltered from their potential options in life that every person sees. They might question the road they chose to take, if they feel that they were placed on the raod with blinders.
Forgive me, if I sound obtruse here. Ther is much merit in having the nurturing environment of being surrounded by people who are les likely to challenge a relgiious vocation. But at the smae time, if the vocational call is never challenged by life expriecne, than what gurantee does an individual have that the call was geniune, when confronted with doubts later in life. I think that people from minor seminaries might have more difficulty in navigating their doubts.
E
epower
Guest
I attended a high school minor seminary. I did have to attend morning prayers and Daily Mass. I actually liked going to the Daily Mass. The education was extremely good. There was a great amount of discipline which I did not like.
I did like my high school, and I am proud that I attended there. I am real glad that I did not pick my second choice.
Many of the students were homosexual. The ones that were homosexual went into the priesthood immediately. If a student was not gay, it took them several years after college to discern whether or not they had a vocation.
From my experience at the Prep, and from working in various church ministries I have been disappointed by the large number of homosexuals in the priesthood. Several priests discouraged me from the priesthood because I was not gay. It was a good thing, because otherwise I would never have married my wife.
I did learn a great deal from the Catholic faith. But, I was slightly traumatized from seeing the large number of gay priests. The result was that I shut out any possibility that I had a vocation. It has taken many years, to reconsider. I keep the idea of being a permanent deacon on the back burner.
I really did not expect to see that. I am not against gay priests as long as they feel that they have a genuine vocation, and are sincere in their beliefs. I wish that the priesthoods were not so full of homosexuals.
When I go to Mass, I still notice that most of the priests are gay. Many of the high positions in the NY Archdiocese were held by priests that were flaming gays. Cardinal Egan has changed all that, by rotating the priests out of those positions.
I did like my high school, and I am proud that I attended there. I am real glad that I did not pick my second choice.
Many of the students were homosexual. The ones that were homosexual went into the priesthood immediately. If a student was not gay, it took them several years after college to discern whether or not they had a vocation.
From my experience at the Prep, and from working in various church ministries I have been disappointed by the large number of homosexuals in the priesthood. Several priests discouraged me from the priesthood because I was not gay. It was a good thing, because otherwise I would never have married my wife.
I did learn a great deal from the Catholic faith. But, I was slightly traumatized from seeing the large number of gay priests. The result was that I shut out any possibility that I had a vocation. It has taken many years, to reconsider. I keep the idea of being a permanent deacon on the back burner.
I really did not expect to see that. I am not against gay priests as long as they feel that they have a genuine vocation, and are sincere in their beliefs. I wish that the priesthoods were not so full of homosexuals.
When I go to Mass, I still notice that most of the priests are gay. Many of the high positions in the NY Archdiocese were held by priests that were flaming gays. Cardinal Egan has changed all that, by rotating the priests out of those positions.
E
Exporter
Guest
epower, you wrote,"From my experience at the Prep, and from working in various church ministries I have been disappointed by the large number of homosexuals in the priesthood. Several priests discouraged me from the priesthood because I was not gay. It was a good thing, because otherwise I would never have married my wife.
I did learn a great deal from the Catholic faith. But, I was slightly traumatized from seeing the large number of gay priests. The result was that I shut out any possibility that I had a vocation. It has taken many years, to reconsider. I keep the idea of being a permanent deacon on the back burner.
I really did not expect to see that. I am not against gay priests as long as they feel that they have a genuine vocation, and are sincere in their beliefs. I wish that the priesthoods were not so full of homosexuals.
When I go to Mass, I still notice that most of the priests are gay. Many of the high positions in the NY Archdiocese were held by priests that were flaming gays. Cardinal Egan has changed all that, by rotating the priests out of those positions.
I am surprised that you said 2 or 3 times that many priests are gay. When the several priests dicouraged you from becoming aa priest…diid they admit to you they were gay? I guess we where I am dont have a practiced discernment. The Priests here all seem to be real men.
I did learn a great deal from the Catholic faith. But, I was slightly traumatized from seeing the large number of gay priests. The result was that I shut out any possibility that I had a vocation. It has taken many years, to reconsider. I keep the idea of being a permanent deacon on the back burner.
I really did not expect to see that. I am not against gay priests as long as they feel that they have a genuine vocation, and are sincere in their beliefs. I wish that the priesthoods were not so full of homosexuals.
When I go to Mass, I still notice that most of the priests are gay. Many of the high positions in the NY Archdiocese were held by priests that were flaming gays. Cardinal Egan has changed all that, by rotating the priests out of those positions.
I am surprised that you said 2 or 3 times that many priests are gay. When the several priests dicouraged you from becoming aa priest…diid they admit to you they were gay? I guess we where I am dont have a practiced discernment. The Priests here all seem to be real men.
S
springbreeze
Guest
Dear friend
A Catholic man who is gay, but not practising is chaste and therefore is in union with God.
How does a Priest being gay affect his Priestly character? How does it affect him in confecting the Eucharist, absolving sinners, marrying baptising, burying and confirming Catholics, preaching and spreading the Word of God?
I don’t see as it affects him at all in the office of his Priesthood , (the Priest’s office is of the character of Christ and as such his office is infallible, any Priest will sin, none of them are not sinners) and if you think it does I’d like to know why you think it does?
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
A Catholic man who is gay, but not practising is chaste and therefore is in union with God.
How does a Priest being gay affect his Priestly character? How does it affect him in confecting the Eucharist, absolving sinners, marrying baptising, burying and confirming Catholics, preaching and spreading the Word of God?
I don’t see as it affects him at all in the office of his Priesthood , (the Priest’s office is of the character of Christ and as such his office is infallible, any Priest will sin, none of them are not sinners) and if you think it does I’d like to know why you think it does?
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
G
GregChant1545
Guest
I attended and graduated from a college seminary (1978-82). It was a very positive experience and am glad I did it.
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