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[archonnx]

Has anyony found it hard to find good orthedox guys who are decerning the Priesthood with in their area? I am in Southern Louisana and I find it rather hard to find some guys who are jsut in the same boat, or at least to pray with. I feel Priest and wanna be priests need like minded guys to share and strenghen eatch other. I think the decernment would, at least in my opinion, be alot easyer if I hade some guys pray with and jsut share with.

 

[Timmay]

I hear what you’re saying, and feel the same way.

I’ve been blessed with a great group of people who support and encourage the direction I’m heading in. I’m also friends with a number of priests who are wonderful in the ‘unofficial’ spiritual director/mentor role. But I often wish I knew others my age who were going through the same process. As you say, to pray and talk and support each other. My friends and family are great, but there are a lot of things I just can’t explain or share with them. And the priests somewhat fill that role, but the relationship is a little different. More of a fatherly advice kind of thing than a friend who can relate to and has similar experiences.

Something I would recommend trying is contacting your diocese’s vocation office and asking them about this. Many have discernment retreat weekends which are a great way to meet others. Or, if your diocese doesn’t do that, they may be able to at least put you in contact with a few others.

And the good news is, if/when you decide to enter the seminary, you’ll be surrounded by others actively discerning. I know that doesn’t help now, but it is a part to look forward to.

 

[augieboo]

Has anyony found it hard to find good orthedox guys who are decerning the Priesthood with in their area? I am in Southern Louisana and I find it rather hard to find some guys who are jsut in the same boat, or at least to pray with. I feel Priest and wanna be priests need like minded guys to share and strenghen eatch other. I think the decernment would, at least in my opinion, be alot easyer if I hade some guys pray with and jsut share with.

Absolutely that would be a great help.

But be thankful if you at least have priests you can talk to openly.

There are three priests involved in our parish – our pastor and two part-timers who come in to help out. They are all good guys, but they were all trained during the post-Vatican II madness, and they have all absorbed various levels of cafeteria-Catholicism.

Here are a few – of many – examples of what I mean.

My pastor comes from the “priesthood = social work” school. His theology is not wrong, just a bit watery. For example, he can never bring himself to say someling like “the Eucharist is the resurrected Jesus Christ”; instead he says things like “the presence is real – it’s a real presence.” He uses five EMHCs at daily mass – for all of fourty to seventy people – and sixteen to eighteen at Sunday Masses. :banghead:

Priest number two is the most orthodox of the three in most ways, except for a few areas, such as his absolute unwillingness to believe that our Blessed Mother could possibly have remained a virgin throughout her lifetime. Yes, he does preach this from the pulpit. :bigyikes:

Priest number three thinks he’s a hippy. He likes to homilize about how terrible the Church was before Vatican II; tells jokes during just about any part of the Mass; and usually “forgets” (being as charitable as possible) to administer the chalice to the EMHCs, which leads to them self-administering. :bigyikes:

I recently started going to confession at another nearby parish because I usually felt worse coming out than I did going in at my own parish.

So yes, it would be nice to have some other discerning guys to talk to. But it would be even nicer if I didn’t feel I had to hide my love for the Church from the priests at my own parish for fear that they might torpedo me in the application process.

 

[archonnx]

Absolutely that would be a great help.

But be thankful if you at least have priests you can talk to openly.

There are three priests involved in our parish – our pastor and two part-timers who come in to help out. They are all good guys, but they were all trained during the post-Vatican II madness, and they have all absorbed various levels of cafeteria-Catholicism.

Here are a few – of many – examples of what I mean.

My pastor comes from the “priesthood = social work” school. His theology is not wrong, just a bit watery. For example, he can never bring himself to say someling like “the Eucharist is the resurrected Jesus Christ”; instead he says things like “the presence is real – it’s a real presence.” He uses five EMHCs at daily mass – for all of fourty to seventy people – and sixteen to eighteen at Sunday Masses. :banghead:

Priest number two is the most orthodox of the three in most ways, except for a few areas, such as his absolute unwillingness to believe that our Blessed Mother could possibly have remained a virgin throughout her lifetime. Yes, he does preach this from the pulpit. :bigyikes:

Priest number three thinks he’s a hippy. He likes to homilize about how terrible the Church was before Vatican II; tells jokes during just about any part of the Mass; and usually “forgets” (being as charitable as possible) to administer the chalice to the EMHCs, which leads to them self-administering. :bigyikes:

I recently started going to confession at another nearby parish because I usually felt worse coming out than I did going in at my own parish.

So yes, it would be nice to have some other discerning guys to talk to. But it would be even nicer if I didn’t feel I had to hide my love for the Church from the priests at my own parish for fear that they might torpedo me in the application process.

Yes you really have it much worse than I do. My Vocavaions office has monthly meetings…were they give food have a talk and thats it. Thier is not really any substence, the guys I met I have nmot seen sence last meeting pluse their was only 1 or 2 that was not somwhat …on the left of things. I tryed joining the Knights of Columbus and even theyr or somwhat lax on their spirituailty. also I understand that the acadimicas are importent, but not MORE importent than the spiritual life, and i feel that is how my vocations office is acting at times.