Priesthood Vocations Crisis, Archdiocese of Boston, MA

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Cloisters

Cloisters

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Fr. Z’s blog, What Does the Prayer Really Say, discussed an unbelievable priestly vocations crisis in the Archdiocese of Boston, MA. I am not sure if I am permitted to post a link here on this forum, but the article should be fairly easy to find.

That being said, I would appreciate it if everyone reading this stopped and prayed a Hail Mary for priestly vocations to that Archdiocese.

I also ask that the contemplatives of the Archdiocese of Boston receive the benefit of your prayers, as well. They are:

Trappistines of Mt St Mary’s Abbey, Wrentham, MA:
bostoncatholic.org/Offices-And-Services/Office-Detail.aspx?id=12062

Discalced Carmelites, Boston, MA:
carmelitesofboston.org/

Discalced Carmelites, Danvers, MA:
danverscarmel.weebly.com/

Poor Clares, Andover, MA:
poorclarenunsandover.wordpress.com/

Poor Clares, Boston, MA:
poorclarenunsboston.org/

Benedictine Monks, Glastonbury Abbey:
glastonburyabbey.org/
 
Prayed a Hail Mary for vocations for this Archdiocese.

Mary.
 
I am sure this will turn around! let’s see how much of the current high schoolers are called. From what I have witnessed, it is hopeful!
 
Maybe you could post the link. My googlefu doesn’t seem to be working well enough.
 
Amidst all these bad news about the declining amount of priestly ordinations, I can’t help myself but feel useless. I am from the Archdiocese of Boston, I want to be a priest but I am only 16. I hope that things will turn around. Once I am a priest, however, I will do everything to help.

The level of faith around me, the Vietnamese community seems strong. I don’t know about others. But despite a strong and faithful community, my parish only have me and one other high school student waiting to become a priest. It is true to an extent that young teens are no longer having a deep connection with God. Some of the boys in the parish couldn’t even take catechism serious. It saddens me, and it saddens me, even more, when I can’t do much about it. I pray that God can light a kindle in the mind of the little kids, may it grows and spread as they grow older. Teenagers aren’t so easy to sway. Some of them can’t really shake the idea of chastity… actually, most of them.

I visited the seminary not too long ago, it was an event for high school student who wishes to learn more about priesthood. The turnout was actually not bad: about 20 - 30 people came. I don’t know if they came for the food or the lecture but at least they stayed the whole event. Some were quite excited and asked questions, some were quietly listening, everyone was interested. I am coming back to the seminary for four days of retreat in July, will see how much came. I wish to talk to some of them too. They should at least have a pretty good idea about their vocation to spend four days praying right?

I am hopeful about the future even though statistics says otherwise. Maybe I am biased because it’s my future too.
 
Here is a map of the Archdiocese, which shows it’s five regions:

bostoncatholic.org/Parishes-And-People/Parish-Map.aspx

There are seven days in a week. The first five days will be assigned to an area, and the entire Archdiocese will receive prayers on the weekend. Monday, the Merrimack Region, etc.

Prayers to the great Archangel Michael, too, as a neutralizer for the demons being conjured by the occult in the surrounding area. Additional chaplets of Divine Mercy, as well, since the DM blinds Satan.
 
Dang_Nguyen said:
Amidst all these bad news about the declining amount of priestly ordinations, I can’t help myself but feel useless. I am from the Archdiocese of Boston, I want to be a priest but I am only 16. I hope that things will turn around. Once I am a priest, however, I will do everything to help.

The level of faith around me, the Vietnamese community seems strong. I don’t know about others. But despite a strong and faithful community, my parish only have me and one other high school student waiting to become a priest. It is true to an extent that young teens are no longer having a deep connection with God. Some of the boys in the parish couldn’t even take catechism serious. It saddens me, and it saddens me, even more, when I can’t do much about it. I pray that God can light a kindle in the mind of the little kids, may it grows and spread as they grow older. Teenagers aren’t so easy to sway. Some of them can’t really shake the idea of chastity… actually, most of them.

I visited the seminary not too long ago, it was an event for high school student who wishes to learn more about priesthood. The turnout was actually not bad: about 20 - 30 people came. I don’t know if they came for the food or the lecture but at least they stayed the whole event. Some were quite excited and asked questions, some were quietly listening, everyone was interested. I am coming back to the seminary for four days of retreat in July, will see how much came. I wish to talk to some of them too. They should at least have a pretty good idea about their vocation to spend four days praying right?

I am hopeful about the future even though statistics says otherwise. Maybe I am biased because it’s my future too.
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God bless you for your generosity, which is the name of the game.

That last paragraph says it all. I pray your attitude, combined with true humility, leads others to listen to their hearts.

Also, letting people know that there is a crisis goes a long way to reaching into their hearts.
 
Cloisters said:
God bless you for your generosity, which is the name of the game.

That last paragraph says it all. I pray your attitude, combined with true humility, leads others to listen to their hearts.

Also, letting people know that there is a crisis goes a long way to reaching into their hearts.
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I will try to reach out to priests and teacher from my parishes. Will see what they can do.
 
Dang_Nguyen said:
From what I can comprehend from the website, it is something for a group of people lead by an adult. What’s my place in this program?

Can I apply alone? Please advise!
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You can certainly read “To Save a Thousand Souls” on your own.

Present the materials to your local church leadership and ask them to start using it.

I personally don’t have any experience with the program. I saw that it was successful in the Diocese of Nashville, TN, hence the recommendation.
 
Cloisters said:
You can certainly read “To Save a Thousand Souls” on your own.

Present the materials to your local church leadership and ask them to start using it.

I personally don’t have any experience with the program. I saw that it was successful in the Diocese of Nashville, TN, hence the recommendation.
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Oh! Well thank you, I will certainly read the book. After finish “Church of Mercy” I was looking for more material on this topic. About to finish it the second time right now!
Thank you for the recommendation!
 
Is it possible this is still fallout from the abuse scandals? I mean Boston was one of the hardest hit diocese in the US during the initial revelations of the depth of the abuse scandal. It would stand to reason the backlash against not only the Church but wanting to dedicate yourself to the church among those living there in the wake of the scandal would take a toll on vocations beyond just the general religious decline in the US.

And in many ways I wonder if it becomes a self feeding cycle. The decline in vocations has led to less priests, which has led to many churches in the Boston Archdiocese closing (including my Grandmother’s), which in turn leads to less access to the faith, which leads to less interest in it among the young, etc… etc…
 
Padres1969 said:
Is it possible this is still fallout from the abuse scandals? I mean Boston was one of the hardest hit diocese in the US during the initial revelations of the depth of the abuse scandal. It would stand to reason the backlash against not only the Church but wanting to dedicate yourself to the church among those living there in the wake of the scandal would take a toll on vocations beyond just the general religious decline in the US.

And in many ways I wonder if it becomes a self feeding cycle. The decline in vocations has led to less priests, which has led to many churches in the Boston Archdiocese closing (including my Grandmother’s), which in turn leads to less access to the faith, which leads to less interest in it among the young, etc… etc…
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You’re probably right. We need to pray for their animation. I’ve yet to go through their parish listing and compose a litany. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary give them back their ancient fervor.
 
I recently talked to my English teacher, a catholic who don’t go to attend Mass every Sunday anymore, about the declining of priests in the archdiocese and she made an interesting point. She said that we live in an age that teenagers (even kids) can gain access to sexual activities extremely easily. From movies and TV shows to books to news. Priesthood requires a lot of sacrifices but teens of this generation get caught on the “cannot have sex or get married” portion of the vows. My teacher, she also touched on the greediness of people, how they like to make money and live a wealthy life instead of serving people, serving God. Then the topic got switched to money in politics.

I completely agree with her statement. Many teens know about erotic movies like Fifty Shades of Grey or the movie recreation of it. If they can’t watch it in the theater, they could either watch it on the internet. Youtube streams it for three dollars and if you really try you could even get it for free. I recently finished “13 Reasons Why” and I was shocked! These characters are basically my age… 16-17 and yet they are getting drunk, doing drugs and having sex. It’s weird, my time in high school is so not like this! maybe it’s just me being me: boring and introverted. One of the sex scenes was so much that I have to turn my eyes away. More to my list of reason why I hate sex. Along with suggestive contents, the internet also serves free and easy to access porn too. How many teens out there are getting away with watching porn and masturbating? How much of them are Catholic? Maybe they didn’t know it’s a sin, but would they care if it is a grave sin? Parents around the nation, how many times a day do you think you actually see your kids? How many times did you wonder if your kids were even at home at all? Maybe they spend their whole day after school hanging out with friends, coming home at night and sleep right away. Then they wake up and leave for school without you even knowing. Maybe they didn’t even come home at all… About the internet, how many of you (parents) know anything about what your kids do on the internet? Everything you know are things that they let you know. On the computer, you can certainly check their search history but what if they use incognito mode? what if they use their phone? Can you control everything they do? If you can’t stop them from committing sinful actions, how are you gonna teach them about faith, about the work of God? How are they gonna be inspired to become priests if they don’t know who God is?

I feel like this is one of the major reason why the amount of people inspired to become priests has significantly declined. Technology happen. The authority could not keep up with technology and the internet as fast as those who they suppose to police.
I believe that the Vietnamese communities are not affected as hard for they are very strict about religion. That is why almost every Sunday masses in my parish are filled and the catechism classes are filled. Despite the fact, as I stated before, only me and one other have thought about Priesthood and are actually serious about it. What I have described and what my English teacher has pointed out might just only be a part of the problem. Maybe it does not bring more vocations instantly but it certainly will strengthen the faith in the community, especially the youth. The more they are exposed to God, the more God will call them. We can certainly help them answer the calling and get them to seminary and ordained.

I have more people to talk to, I will report back!
 
Dang_Nguyen said:
I recently talked to my English teacher, a catholic who don’t go to attend Mass every Sunday anymore, about the declining of priests in the archdiocese and she made an interesting point. She said that we live in an age that teenagers (even kids) can gain access to sexual activities extremely easily. From movies and TV shows to books to news. Priesthood requires a lot of sacrifices but teens of this generation get caught on the “cannot have sex or get married” portion of the vows. My teacher, she also touched on the greediness of people, how they like to make money and live a wealthy life instead of serving people, serving God. Then the topic got switched to money in politics.

I completely agree with her statement. Many teens know about erotic movies like Fifty Shades of Grey or the movie recreation of it. If they can’t watch it in the theater, they could either watch it on the internet. Youtube streams it for three dollars and if you really try you could even get it for free. I recently finished “13 Reasons Why” and I was shocked! These characters are basically my age… 16-17 and yet they are getting drunk, doing drugs and having sex. It’s weird, my time in high school is so not like this! maybe it’s just me being me: boring and introverted. One of the sex scenes was so much that I have to turn my eyes away. More to my list of reason why I hate sex. Along with suggestive contents, the internet also serves free and easy to access porn too. How many teens out there are getting away with watching porn and masturbating? How much of them are Catholic? Maybe they didn’t know it’s a sin, but would they care if it is a grave sin? Parents around the nation, how many times a day do you think you actually see your kids? How many times did you wonder if your kids were even at home at all? Maybe they spend their whole day after school hanging out with friends, coming home at night and sleep right away. Then they wake up and leave for school without you even knowing. Maybe they didn’t even come home at all… About the internet, how many of you (parents) know anything about what your kids do on the internet? Everything you know are things that they let you know. On the computer, you can certainly check their search history but what if they use incognito mode? what if they use their phone? Can you control everything they do? If you can’t stop them from committing sinful actions, how are you gonna teach them about faith, about the work of God? How are they gonna be inspired to become priests if they don’t know who God is?

I feel like this is one of the major reason why the amount of people inspired to become priests has significantly declined. Technology happen. The authority could not keep up with technology and the internet as fast as those who they suppose to police.
I believe that the Vietnamese communities are not affected as hard for they are very strict about religion. That is why almost every Sunday masses in my parish are filled and the catechism classes are filled. Despite the fact, as I stated before, only me and one other have thought about Priesthood and are actually serious about it. What I have described and what my English teacher has pointed out might just only be a part of the problem. Maybe it does not bring more vocations instantly but it certainly will strengthen the faith in the community, especially the youth. The more they are exposed to God, the more God will call them. We can certainly help them answer the calling and get them to seminary and ordained.

I have more people to talk to, I will report back!
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There are many reasons, but hedonism is one of the worst reasons. Nobody has heard about temptation from the altar in a long time. You guys are still shoveling out the dirt from the abuse scandal, too.

Both of our wedding lectors lived hedonistic lives while attending Mass on Sundays. One is now an ordained priest. We all go through dark periods.

Become leaven in your archdiocese. That was my main message for you, Dang – be leaven!!!

Start parish vocation committees, too. There are guidelines online on how to do this. Be leaven!!!
 
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