Vision requirements for Priesthood

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metanoia

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I have felt called to the priesthood for several years, am a practicing Catholic - daily Mass Holy Hour etc…

The only thing holding me back is that I have a birth defect, which affects my eyes. My vision with glasses is about 20/80, and a condition called Nystagmus, which is an involuntary eye movement - I am interested in pursueing the vocation, I am in excellent health in every other way, and am 29 years old.

Does anyone know if this would be a problem?

I do have a drivers license, and do drive by the way.
 
One local priest’s eyes are so bad that he has his own liturgical books with 60 point type.

The joke is that he can only be assigned to a parish with a large sacristy, to store them in.😉
 
would you recommend some good diocese’s for me to check out? I live in the LA Archdiocese - and needless to say, I would rather consider another diocese.
 
I’m your neighbor in Orange; so can’t help much on finding a diocese.
 
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metanoia:
would you recommend some good diocese’s for me to check out? I live in the LA Archdiocese - and needless to say, I would rather consider another diocese.
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Come to the Diocese of Fresno. Our vocations director is Msgr. Janeli. You will have to Study Spanish.

God bless
Deacon Tony
 
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metanoia:
would you recommend some good diocese’s for me to check out? I live in the LA Archdiocese - and needless to say, I would rather consider another diocese.
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I understand, though if everybody who cared about orthodoxy in LA left to go be priests elsewhere, it wouldn’t do much for the souls in LA, would it?

LA is the biggest Archdiocese in the U.S., and one of the biggest in the world. Working under Cardinal Mahony may not be easy, but there are MANY souls there who need orthodox priests to reach them.
 
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metanoia:
I have felt called to the priesthood for several years, am a practicing Catholic - daily Mass Holy Hour etc…

The only thing holding me back is that I have a birth defect, which affects my eyes. My vision with glasses is about 20/80, and a condition called Nystagmus, which is an involuntary eye movement - I am interested in pursueing the vocation, I am in excellent health in every other way, and am 29 years old.

Does anyone know if this would be a problem?

I do have a drivers license, and do drive by the way.
Click to expand...
Code:
metanoia…would you want your name added to the prayers for those aspiring to a consecrated life? It is also a prayer for all of our priests and the link is in my signature if you need to have a look at it. God bless you, metanoia! 🙂
 
thanks for all the info,

I can use all the prayers I can get, thanks…

I am going to pray about this, and seek some direction from a couple of priests I know. I appreciate all of the (name removed by moderator)ut.

Thanks for everyone’s (name removed by moderator)ut so far, God Bless you guys

metanoia
 
I have even thought about this too. However my eyesight may be a bit worse than yours. I’m not able to drive. Plus, in the Byzantine Church, you need a good singing voice to chant, and I don’t have the voice for it.

For those who know on the forums, m y twin brother is a Latin Rite priest and he once told me that a priest can’t have any physical defects present when celebrating the Mass, for he represents Christ.

It all doesn’t make sense to me.
I’m just :confused: I have no vocation. 😦
 
Edwin,

I don’t know the rules for the Byzantine Rite, but in the Latin Rite I know two guys… One is a priest, who was ordained a few years ago - he has Cerbal Palsy, and he has a versious walking problem. I also know a guy in a wheelchair that was Ordained a transitional Deacon recently, and will soon be ordained
They both have great vision, but when I think about them, my visual difficulty dosen’t seem like an ostacle.

Before Vatican II I think there was a rule about the priest that he has to be perfectly fit, however with modern theology (modern dosen’t mean its heresy!!!) I believe that the rule was changed because of a deeper understanding of what it means to be “Alter Christus”. Christ is not limited by the frailties of a man’s body. I am not an expert here, this is the limited info I know. I know that it testifies to the beauty of our Faith. I do know that Vatican II changed alot of rubrics, some that came about that were not really in accord with the spirit of the law - just based on the “letter of the law” etc…

I absolutly love the Tridentine Mass, and if I become a Priest I would love to celebrate it on occasion. I also see the wisdom the church, and am in LOVE with the Novus Ordo - which I believe if celebrated correctly is just as beautiful - in some ways just as beautiful than the Tridentine. The reason being is because it allows a deeper and active participation of all the faithful. That dosen’t mean that they all have to be EME’s or Lectors etc… It means that in the pew, they can participate with their heart consciencely by understanding the prayers and ability to pray deeply the Mass…

Edwin, if you seriously want to be a priest, I would speak to your brother. I believe you can be biritual, or change rites if you want to be Latin Rite - the Latin Rite will offer you more options.

Let’s pray for each other
 
I would seriously be surprised that the priest wannabe would have to be ‘perfect’…without blemish as it were. Fr Groeschel himself says that everyone one of us has some pathology in our lives, priests included. So whether the weakness is physical or mental, we are all blemished.

Metanoia, your name is on the list to pray you into the seminary. Maybe you might want to go into Fr Groeschel’s community as they are growing in leaps and bounds. Very traditional community of priests and nuns…just a thought…🙂
 
hi,

I have a friend who joined them, they’re great, but I don’t think i’m called there.

I am leaning toward Diocesan, we’ll see…

Thanks for including me in the prayer list.
 
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