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.
