Priesthood - A waste of talent?

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anonymous1995

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Disclaimer: Hypothetical question and scenario only which do not reflect my real thought:

Is it a ‘waste of talent’ for a wealthy nobleman of considerable social prestige to head for priesthood? Have there been such stories in Church History?

Now, switching the context to our modern times, would it be a ‘waste of talent’ for a physician or barrister to become a priest or religious brother, given that medicine and law are demanding professions which require years of highly intellectual training, stretching students’ minds to their limit and challenging their stamina as well as physical strength simultaneously?

‘‘See how much money the society has spent on college education and postgraduate formation, and how high are the expectations on future doctors and lawyers from the general public (so as their families), and now YOU the mischievous guy is giving up your financial and social privileges for priesthood?! See how many of your peers and friends are not even qualified to enter medical school, and you forgo your established career for your so-called Catholic Faith? Aren’t you disappointing the society for not faithfully working as a doctor? Isn’t your Faith an illusion? Why committing yourself to the alleged love for God when this Church thingy is simply a Ponzi scheme of gay circle and politics disguised as homophobia and charity?’’
 
anonymous1995 said:
Disclaimer: Hypothetical question and scenario only which do not reflect my real thought:

Is it a ‘waste of talent’ for a wealthy nobleman of considerable social prestige to head for priesthood? Have there been such stories in Church History?

Now, switching the context to our modern times, would it be a ‘waste of talent’ for a physician or barrister to become a priest or religious brother, given that medicine and law are demanding professions which require years of highly intellectual training, stretching students’ minds to their limit and challenging their stamina as well as physical strength simultaneously?

‘‘See how much money the society has spent on college education and postgraduate formation, and how high are the expectations on future doctors and lawyers from the general public (so as their families), and now YOU the mischievous guy is giving up your financial and social privileges for priesthood?! See how many of your peers and friends are not even qualified to enter medical school, and you forgo your established career for your so-called Catholic Faith? Aren’t you disappointing the society for not faithfully working as a doctor? Isn’t your Faith an illusion? Why committing yourself to the alleged love for God when this Church thingy is simply a Ponzi scheme of gay circle and politics disguised as homophobia and charity?’’
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It would absolutely not be a waste of talent. As far as the “wealthy nobleman” goes, history is full of saints who rejected their wealth and status. On the other hand, there are have been noblemen and women, and royalty who have been canonized as well. God calls each to his/her own vocation. As for physicians, lawyers, etc…leaving that for the priesthood is not a waste of talent either. There are many wonderful opportunities within the church for those skills to be put to use. We have canon lawyers, many of whom also have civil law degrees. We also have priests and religious with law degrees in legal ministries helping the underprivileged. I know of several priests who are nurses, which goes a long way in chaplaincy work.

Here is an article about a Jesuit priest/physician (former Chief of Psychiatry at the #1 ranked hospital in the United States) who passed away about a year ago. With even a brief skimming of this article you can see how God used this man’s talent to minister to to so many and change lives for the better: bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/07/29/rev-edwin-cassem-jesuit-served-chief-psychiatry-massachusetts-general-hospital/lU4MpTSzFOGMZ5QxM6iHLJ/story.html

If you do your best to follow God’s will in your life, there will never be a “waste of talent”.
 
It was common in earlier times, because only the eldest son would inherit the noble title and land, for a younger brother to go into the Church. (And other brothers to go into the army, or across the ocean as conquistadors or the equivalent.)

It is not in any way a waste of talent. Why do you think it would be?

ICXC NIKA
 
Let us not forget Giovanni Battista Montini who became Pope Paul VI. Pope Paul VI was born into a wealthy family in Lombardy Italy. In addition to being a holy and righteous man Pope Paul VI was a prophet. In his encyclical Humane Vitae he discussed the consequences of birth control.
 
Celebrating Mass and aiding in the salvation of souls is never a waste. He may be able to reach people others can’t.🙂
 
Although he wasn’t a priest, St. Francis was tremendously wealthy and threw it all away for “Lady Poverty.”
 
I know of one priest who went to medical school, became a physician, and then became a Priest. In fact, the order of St. Camillus, which is dedicated to ministering to the poor and sick. In fact, 25 of its 1,200 members worldwide have medical degrees. The that I am speaking of is Father Scott Binet. An article about him can be found at the following location arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/675.

Peace,

John
 
Same things with nuns.

I know a lot of nuns who when it comes to intellect are what you call high powered.
 
“You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor. Then come follow me.”

We could have had a 13th apostle. Instead we don’t even know the guy’s name.
 
Not everyone stays in a career path for life. I think it’s good to bring what you have learned in one role to a completely different one and some of the most interesting priests I’ve met have become priests after another career.
 
anonymous1995 said:
Now, switching the context to our modern times, would it be a ‘waste of talent’ for a physician or barrister to become a priest or religious brother, given that medicine and law are demanding professions which require years of highly intellectual training, stretching students’ minds to their limit and challenging their stamina as well as physical strength simultaneously?
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I know a priest from the Congo who has been training to be a physician. His religious order sent him to the US to obtain a medical degree so that he can serve the poor in the Congo.

He completed a pre-med course here in Detroit at the University of Detroit under a full scholarship.

He got his M.D. St. Louis, under a scholarship from both the Church and the University.

He is currently working on a residency in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins (they are the medical center that worked with the US Ebola cases). The offered him the Residency so that there might be some advanced Ebola knowledge available in the Congo in case of the next outbreak

So no, a calling to the Sacerdotal priesthood, and the medical profession are NOT mutually exclusive.
 
Brendan said:
I know a priest from the Congo who has been training to be a physician. His religious order sent him to the US to obtain a medical degree so that he can serve the poor in the Congo.

He completed a pre-med course here in Detroit at the University of Detroit under a full scholarship.

He got his M.D. St. Louis, under a scholarship from both the Church and the University.

He is currently working on a residency in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins (they are the medical center that worked with the US Ebola cases). The offered him the Residency so that there might be some advanced Ebola knowledge available in the Congo in case of the next outbreak

So no, a calling to the Sacerdotal priesthood, and the medical profession are NOT mutually exclusive.
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Oh my gosh I think I know of this guy…
 
Brendan said:
I know a priest from the Congo who has been training to be a physician. His religious order sent him to the US to obtain a medical degree so that he can serve the poor in the Congo.

He completed a pre-med course here in Detroit at the University of Detroit under a full scholarship.

He got his M.D. St. Louis, under a scholarship from both the Church and the University.

He is currently working on a residency in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins (they are the medical center that worked with the US Ebola cases). The offered him the Residency so that there might be some advanced Ebola knowledge available in the Congo in case of the next outbreak

So no, a calling to the Sacerdotal priesthood, and the medical profession are NOT mutually exclusive.
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What an inspiring story!
 
ConfusedLucy said:
Not everyone stays in a career path for life. I think it’s good to bring what you have learned in one role to a completely different one and some of the most interesting priests I’ve met have become priests after another career.
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You’re right, but Medicine is different from other careers in that it is a way of no return - either you keep going on the path or leave it for good. At least I am skeptical of the possibility that a priest who was a former doctor could still renew his license annually by passing those CME (continuous medical education) requirements or basic infection control refresher courses - or those N95 qualitative mask fitness tests. And once a doctor leaves the ward for some time his skills begin to rust. In particular, this decision to let go of Medicine would be the hardest for a seminarian who is still discerning at the seminary - so in case one day he suddenly found that he did not have a Vocation and decided to leave the seminary there’s no way he could make a living.
 
anonymous1995 said:
Disclaimer: Hypothetical question and scenario only which do not reflect my real thought:

Is it a ‘waste of talent’ for a wealthy nobleman of considerable social prestige to head for priesthood? Have there been such stories in Church History?

Now, switching the context to our modern times, would it be a ‘waste of talent’ for a physician or barrister to become a priest or religious brother, given that medicine and law are demanding professions which require years of highly intellectual training, stretching students’ minds to their limit and challenging their stamina as well as physical strength simultaneously?

‘‘See how much money the society has spent on college education and postgraduate formation, and how high are the expectations on future doctors and lawyers from the general public (so as their families), and now YOU the mischievous guy is giving up your financial and social privileges for priesthood?! See how many of your peers and friends are not even qualified to enter medical school, and you forgo your established career for your so-called Catholic Faith? Aren’t you disappointing the society for not faithfully working as a doctor? Isn’t your Faith an illusion? Why committing yourself to the alleged love for God when this Church thingy is simply a Ponzi scheme of gay circle and politics disguised as homophobia and charity?’’
Click to expand...
A few people come to mind. Without doubt, St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, St. Francis de Sales, and St. John Bosco.
St Alphonsus could have been an amazing lawyer, and was one, but literally gave it all up to be a priest and surrender to God.
St Francis de Sales was similar, they both became extremely holy, and both are among my favorite saints.
St John Bosco could have been a great author, but used his literary genius to write spiritual pamphlets devote his time to his Oratory.

All were ordained, all were extremely smart, all are considered to be among the holiest people in history, no exaggeration.

To the world, they were wasted talent, who could have been great minds, but they knew better. Now they have infinite riches, beholding God in heaven.
Even on earth today, their relics are treated so reverently. Had they become great men of their time, they would have been remembered and forgotten, but even the world venerates the remains of their lives on earth.
 
This is what St Gabriel of our Lady of Sorrows heard, when he was hesitant to become a religious:
“Why! thou art not made for the world! What art thou doing in the world? Hasten, become a religious!”
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^^Not to mention St. Gabriel was a very smart person and became a religious
read the short article here:
stgabriel.wordpress.com/about/3-vocation/
 
St Aloysius Gonzaga was a noble man and an heir who gave it all away to enter the Jesuits.

To be honest, why shouldn’t a smart person be a priest? If he can be a doctor or lawyer, why not a priest? Its like how people say that a girl is “too pretty” to be a nun. Why not dedicate it all to God’s service? Yes we can serve God in a career or marriage too but if a person is called, they should go.
 
A true vocation is the capacity to throw away the best of what you have including all your God given talents for the sake of Him - and so in your nothingness God can simply embrace you.
 
I was a lawyer for a number of years before entering the seminary (technically I still am since I still have my licence but still…). IMHO my talents are anything but wasted. While I have no plans to be dispensing legal advice in between administering the sacraments (and will likely let go of my licence when it’s up for renewal) the time I spent as a lawyer has been an invaluable foundation for my future priestly ministry. Besides a decent collection of stories, it also provided me with the experience of dealing with people and their problems particularly during times of crises and despair. If nothing else, when I meet people who aren’t “churched” it provides me with a certain amount of credibility as someone who knows what it’s like to hold down a full time job rather than being straight out of school or otherwise unworldly.

Granted, there’s a considerable risk involved in being out of full time practice - a risk which increases the further along the seminary formation program I go. Still, I’d like to hope that when people learn what I used to do for a living it’ll make them think and hopefully ask themselves why I would turn my back on the very things which so many people think are important in life - status, money and career - and they’ll realise that there’s something deeper and far more important, namely God.
 
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