Paulist Fathers

  • Thread starter Thread starter BrianLC
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BrianLC

Guest
I am discerning a vocation the Paulist Fathers and will be attending a discernment weekend with them soon. but I just thought Id ask on here what people know about them or have heard, good or bad. what I have heard is very impressive but I am always looking for more. so tell me what y’all have heard.
 
May God Bless your vocation.

I don’t know that much about the Paulists, but my general sense is they are sort of middle of the road. Some are very good and orthodox, some average, and some very heterodox.

The ones I’ve had personal experience with in New York were fine, basically like average parish priests, but not exceptional. Not hostile to tradition, but not embracing it either.

The Paulist Center in Boston, where John Kerry attends “Mass” is an absolute disaster. No crucifix, the priest didn’t wear vestments, a band was in the sanctuary, no kneeling, all sorts of ad-libbing of the Mass, the Precious Blood was consecrated in glass decanters and was poured into glass chalices, the host did not appear to be made of valid matter, and on and on. Liturgical abuse run amok. I doubt the validity of the Mass I attended there.

There are other Paulists I’ve heard are very, very good, though I haven’t met them personally.

So, I’d say it really depends on where you end up. I wouldn’t rule them out, but I would be careful and keep my eyes open.

God Bless
 
I belonged to a Paulist parish and hold the Paulists in the highest regard.

They’re committed to their mission of evangelization and reconciliation. They do a lot of campus ministry and reach out to college students to embrace their faith and become strong Catholics. They also reach out to inactive Catholics to help them return to their faith, and to those who have had problems with the Church to help heal the relationship.

They’re serious about being missionaries to North America.
 
I have to say that almost everything I have heard about them has been fabulous. but I have had a feeling that they can sometimes be a bit more liberal than I might like. but overall I have been very impressed. Ive spoken with their vocations director quite a bit and he gives me a good impression. Thank you for your feedback. I am always looking for more info. I will say that one fear I have is that they may compromise in order to make the Gospel more palatable to those fallen away from the church. I hate to hear of the liturgical abuse in Boston.
 
BrianLC said:
I have to say that almost everything I have heard about them has been fabulous. but I have had a feeling that they can sometimes be a bit more liberal than I might like. but overall I have been very impressed. Ive spoken with their vocations director quite a bit and he gives me a good impression. Thank you for your feedback. I am always looking for more info. I will say that one fear I have is that they may compromise in order to make the Gospel more palatable to those fallen away from the church. I hate to hear of the liturgical abuse in Boston.
Click to expand...
Yeah it was bad. Worst I’ve ever seen.

But, it may be a local phenomena.

God Bless
 
You might check out the excellent blog,** Kicking and Screaming, **by Tom Gibbons, who is in his 2nd or 3rd year with the Paulists.

tgibbons.blogspot.com

I would read it from the beginning, including the comments he posted on the right. He seems to be happy there. He is a ‘liberal’, very articulate and an excellent writer.
 
The reality is that Religious Life is a mixed bag. You will find that most Orders and Congregations, if they are large, will have people all over the spectrum. The “Liberal vs. Conservative Divide” typically runs along generational lines. If you get a chance, take a look at the most recent CARA survey on vocations to the religious life… it gives a very nice look at this generational divide…
 
CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) is a research program that is a part of Georgetown University here in DC.

It’s a very big (and Credible) source for all things “Church”.

I’m not sure where exactly where you can obtain a copy online, but if you would like, I’d be more than happy to email you a copy (I was given one as I am a member of the Vocations Commission for my Province).

Peace.
 
I listen to Father Dave Dwyer on Busted Halo on The Catholic Channel almost every night. He’s a Paulist father, and very solid.
 
Unfortunately, here in Grand Rapids, our experience with the Paulists has been has been anything but satisfactory. The Paulists here are all older, so I am not sure if this creates a bias. I have had experiences with several of them, and those experiences include an uncharitable dislike for conservatives (both in terms of the Church and in politics), teaching false doctrines (denying Transubstantiation, perpetual virginity of Mary, etc.), refusal to purify the vessels after Mass, encouraging a non-Catholic to be a “Eucharistic Minister,” denying the ability to be absolutely guilty of sin, liturgical abuses while acknowledging their illicentiousness, overlay stoles, blue vestments during Advent and Marian feasts, frequent alterations to the wording of the Mass and Gospel (especially the addition of inclusive language), occasionally allowing non-clergy and even non-Catholics to preach the homily, accusing the Vatican of falsely identifying a particular sin as constituting grave matter… the list goes on. My experience has certainly not been a cross section of the entire society, but locally, the Paulist Fathers are known as being way left in all matters.
 
well I whent to the retreat and am now back. and I must say it was very informative and very impressive. I had a great time. some of you mentioned Fr. Dave Dwyer from the Busted Halo Show and he was there so I had the opportunity to meet him he was very nice. he gave a presentation on discernment which was great. I really apreciate everyone’s (name removed by moderator)ut and because of what some of you had said here I had some concerns they where pretty much answered while I was there. I left with a very favorable impression of the Paulists
 
Wr have Paulists in my parish and I am most impressed. From what I have learned, many of them enter later in life after they have had life experiences as teachers, and other business activities. Their homilies are usually very good and to the point. I had been away from the church for many years, and came back because of the Paulists who are very much into reconcilation.
 
Brian,

I fear this reply may be too late to be of much use, but perhaps another reader will benefit.

I would strongly urge you not to become involved with the Paulists. As someone with considerable experience with that community, I can tell you confidently that it is not a healthy community–especially for a young person who is new to Catholicism. If you were my son, I would be very worried about you if you joined them.

…Their interpretations of Church documents are nearly always very ‘liberal.’ In a personal conversation with a senior priest in that community, he remarked that ‘there is no more liberal religious community than the Paulists.’ I think he’s right.

…

I personally know two men withdrew from the Paulist novitiate upon realizing the extent of the liberalism and heterodoxy of that community. In addition, one felt that the formation situation in D.C. is beyond unhealthy…

All these criticisms notwithstanding, the Paulists do some important work. But I think they are better characterized as a community of social workers, politicians, and activists than as clergy or missionaries.

…

Discernibility (a.k.a. Joseph)
 
The previous post is highly inappropriate.

The Paulists are in good standing with the Church.

The information you have given is very anecdotal and really not all that helpful.
 
Discernibility said:
Brian,

I fear this reply may be too late to be of much use, but perhaps another reader will benefit.

I would strongly urge you not to become involved with the Paulists. As someone with considerable experience with that community, I can tell you confidently that it is not a healthy community–especially for a young person who is new to Catholicism. If you were my son, I would be very worried about you if you joined them.

Theologically, they are known to be heterodox. Their interpretations of Church documents are nearly always very ‘liberal.’ In a personal conversation with a senior priest in that community, he remarked that ‘there is no more liberal religious community than the Paulists.’ I think he’s right.

In addition to theological heterodoxy, they regularly take major liberties with the liturgy. It seems they do not understand the role of liturgy in creating a common Catholic consciousness and identity. Instead, the liturgy becomes yet another platform to advance their feminist, socialist, pluralist, relativist, protestant agenda. Attend one of their masses in Boston, Washington DC, or Berkeley, and you’ll see just what I mean.

I personally know two men withdrew from the Paulist novitiate upon realizing the extent of the liberalism and heterodoxy of that community. In addition, one felt that the formation situation in D.C. is beyond unhealthy–he called it spiritually toxic and cited patterns of vulgarity, cynicism, irreverence, and contempt for personal piety among men in key leadership roles.

All these criticisms notwithstanding, the Paulists do some important work. But I think they are better characterized as a community of social workers, politicians, and activists than as clergy or missionaries.

If you have not already joined them, DON’T DO IT!

Discernibility (a.k.a. Joseph)
Click to expand...
I have heard similar things about the Paulists.

From my own experience with them (and yes, it is just my own experience which does not mean every Paulist is like this) I have found them to hold beliefs that are questionable. Such as making a comment that suggested a lack of belief in the devil, for example.

But if you have a sound Catholic background, and strong Catholic teaching, you should be able to recognize any “problems” pretty quick when you are around them. Just ask them what they think about important issues. If they do not give you straight answers, or start rationalizing things, you will know. 👍
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I belonged to a Paulist parish and hold the Paulists in the highest regard.

They’re committed to their mission of evangelization and reconciliation. They do a lot of campus ministry and reach out to college students to embrace their faith and become strong Catholics. They also reach out to inactive Catholics to help them return to their faith, and to those who have had problems with the Church to help heal the relationship.

They’re serious about being missionaries to North America.
Click to expand...
I agree. I was away from the Church for many years and it was the Paulists that brought me back. I have the highest regard for them also.
 
ByzCath said:
The previous post is highly inappropriate.

The Paulists are in good standing with the Church.

The information you have given is very anecdotal and really not all that helpful.
Click to expand...
  1. Your assertion of inappropriateness is unfounded and undefended; it is merely your opinion.
  2. In my opinion, good standing with the Church doesn’t mean much. That an order is in good standing with the Church could mean that all is well, but it does not necessarily mean that. It is entirely feasible that, when officially investigated by Rome, the leadership is savvy enough to know just what to say. I know for a fact that several bishops have called them on the carpet for heterodoxy and hetero-praxis. For example, an entire RCIA class had to be re-baptized at the Boston Paulist foundation after the Bishop learned that they had not been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (too patriarchal…).
  3. Sometimes the most helpful information is anecdotal. First-hand experience and the testimony of eye-witnesses is invaluable. For example, Mary Magdalen’s testimony to the resurrection of Jesus was anecdotal. Come to think of it, the Gospels are entirely anecdotal, based on first-hand experience and eye-witness testimony.
There are many individual Paulists that I like very much, but as an organization, there are some major problems, and at the level of leadership and formation, there are some really bad apples whose influence on the whole community is inescapable.
 
Discernibility said:
  1. Your assertion of inappropriateness is unfounded and undefended; it is merely your opinion.
Click to expand...
Just as this is nothing more than your opinion.

But I believe that the forum rules are not to disparage communities that are in good standing with the Church.

Specifically number 19 from the Banned Topics list in the Welcome to the Vocations Forum sticky.
19. Identifying individual parishes, clergy, or hierarchs as “unfaithful to the Magisterium”, guilty of “liturgical abuse”, or otherwise engaged in unacceptable or unpopular practices, based on personal “knowledge” or opinion

So we will see what the moderators think as I have reported the offending reply.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top