You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
D
Dale_M
Guest
Ouch. No new priests in the past year.
For a diocese of 350,000 Catholics, that’s rather dismaying. Scranton’s being going through a rough patch recently. During the past five years or so, half the Catholic schools and 40% of the parishes were closed. I wonder if all the upheaval discouraged some guys from considering vocations?
Still, Bishop Bambera is new, having been ordained bishop in April of this year. From the article, it sounds as if he is making priest recruitment a priority.
For a diocese of 350,000 Catholics, that’s rather dismaying. Scranton’s being going through a rough patch recently. During the past five years or so, half the Catholic schools and 40% of the parishes were closed. I wonder if all the upheaval discouraged some guys from considering vocations?
Still, Bishop Bambera is new, having been ordained bishop in April of this year. From the article, it sounds as if he is making priest recruitment a priority.
L
lanza27
Guest
Although Scranton is a large Catholic diocese by numbers, most of that population is not young families. So the pool of young adults to pull from for vocations is not as large as the 350,000 would suggest.
Being there tough, the Bishop is making vocations one of his priorities.
We pray for his success.
Being there tough, the Bishop is making vocations one of his priorities.
We pray for his success.
B
BigRedpg51
Guest
I am 58, a widower, and I definitely feel that I am called to the diocesan priesthood. I have been applying to diocese after diocese after diocese trying to get them to at least interview me for the possibility of candidacy for their seminaries. Unfortunately, the answer is always the same…“We don’t process older vocations any more.”
I also approached the Diocese of Scranton recently. Guess what they said? Yup!
So, I really don’t have any difficulty understanding why Scranton or the other dioceses are having trouble finding ordination candidates. They’re passing them up from the get-go!
An older man has a lot to offer to the priesthood, especially one who may have been married, and may have much life-experience and maturity to bring with him. Why don’t they see this? Is the “older priests are more expensive to maintain than younger priests – and they contribute more towards their retirement” the main issue…or does it still matter at all whether a man is “called” by God to this service?
I must give credit to the Diocese of Camden, NJ. They are truly interested in whether a man is “called” to the priesthood – first, last, and always. A refreshing attitude, for sure!
I also approached the Diocese of Scranton recently. Guess what they said? Yup!
So, I really don’t have any difficulty understanding why Scranton or the other dioceses are having trouble finding ordination candidates. They’re passing them up from the get-go!
An older man has a lot to offer to the priesthood, especially one who may have been married, and may have much life-experience and maturity to bring with him. Why don’t they see this? Is the “older priests are more expensive to maintain than younger priests – and they contribute more towards their retirement” the main issue…or does it still matter at all whether a man is “called” by God to this service?
I must give credit to the Diocese of Camden, NJ. They are truly interested in whether a man is “called” to the priesthood – first, last, and always. A refreshing attitude, for sure!
- Status
- Not open for further replies.