We do not have a priest shortage

[m134e5]

The bishop should speak at the Catholic schools. The boys may not have chosen to be there, but at least the talk could be done in a way that doesn’t make the kids feel that the talk itself has been forced on them (even if they feel they have been forced to go to that school). If they are *forced *to go to a “religious talk,” I would think teenagers would be more likely to think even less about their vocations.

Bishops need to show seminarians (and those who are thinking about becoming seminarians) that they believe that what they are aspiring for- what he is already doing- is important, challenging, and rewarding. Bishops and vocation directors need to go out and meet people- go to the Catholic schools, to the youth groups, and to meet with the confirmation classes. They need to emphasize vocations more in their diocese- they should love their vocation enough to want other men to share in it.

Bishops need to make their lives a sacrifice that is lovingly offered to God for the salvation of souls. Their lives must be focused on the Eucharist, and they must have the courage to take a stand for the truth when he is needed to do so- even (and especially) when it isn’t popular or easy.

 

[barb_finnegan]

The bishop should speak at the Catholic schools. The boys may not have chosen to be there, but at least the talk could be done in a way that doesn’t make the kids feel that the talk itself has been forced on them (even if they feel they have been forced to go to that school). If they are *forced *to go to a “religious talk,” I would think teenagers would be more likely to think even less about their vocations.

Bishops need to show seminarians (and those who are thinking about becoming seminarians) that they believe that what they are aspiring for- what he is already doing- is important, challenging, and rewarding. Bishops and vocation directors need to go out and meet people- go to the Catholic schools, to the youth groups, and to meet with the confirmation classes. They need to emphasize vocations more in their diocese- they should love their vocation enough to want other men to share in it.

Bishops need to make their lives a sacrifice that is lovingly offered to God for the salvation of souls. Their lives must be focused on the Eucharist, and they must have the courage to take a stand for the truth when he is needed to do so- even (and especially) when it isn’t popular or easy.

Amen to that! :clapping: What you said!

 

[Rence]

I believe that more parents would be willing to encourage their boys to consider the priesthood if they were once again allowed to be married. My brother considered the priesthood and went to a seminarian preparatory high school for three years, but left. Among one of the biggest reasons (and there were a few) is because he wanted to get married and have kids. At one time he entertained the idea of converting to Eastern, getting married, becoming and priest and then converting back to Latin.

But most of the kids never went on to a seminary for the same reasons…they wanted to get married and have kids like the Eastern Catholics do.

 

[Victorious]

I believe that more parents would be willing to encourage their boys to consider the priesthood if they were once again allowed to be married. My brother considered the priesthood and went to a seminarian preparatory high school for three years, but left. Among one of the biggest reasons (and there were a few) is because he wanted to get married and have kids. At one time he entertained the idea of converting to Eastern, getting married, becoming and priest and then converting back to Latin.

But most of the kids never went on to a seminary for the same reasons…they wanted to get married and have kids like the Eastern Catholics do.

Priestly celibacy can’t be the problem: priestly vocations used to be strong notwithstanding celibacy. What maybe needs to happen instead is that we re-think our antipathy toward celibacy, and look at how much we have been influenced by our grossly over-sexualized popular culture.

 

[jwalker524]

I think a lot of it may have to do with cases like mine, where even though we felt the call at a young age, we ignore it, and go on with our lives. After some time we may realize exactally what that call was, and attempt to act on it now later in life, but find out we don’t qualify to become priests anymore. Myself for example cannot afford seminary even with loans, I also have a child and was married (not a valid marriage according to the Church, which could be annuled), and since I “left” the Chruch at a young age and lived a life of vice and sin, I simply do not qualify, though I feel the deep seeded need to serve.

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand why there are rules, I do and I’m not saying that they need to be changed. I just think that in the US anyway, my situation is not uncommon. It may not be the biggest reason for the shortage, but I think it has a serious impact.

 

[Santi2]

You say, “I think somebody should do something.”

How about we all start doing something! Do we go to Mass every Sunday as a family? Do we let our children see that we go to Confession regularly? Do we send them to PSR and discuss faith matters in the home? Do we put parish participation as a higher priority than other activities that conflict with them? Do we pray the Rosary as a family? Do we attend Holy Days of Obligations? Do we attend Holy Thursday Mass and Good Friday Veneration of the Cross? Do we go to Eucharistic Adoration? Do we financially support our parish? Are we open to the possibility that our sons may become a priest, or do we just automatically assume he will get married?

In other words, is being Catholic a part of our lifestyle?

Young men are not going to feel called if being Catholic is a foreign lifestyle. Live the faith! Make Catholicism the central thread in the fabric of your life.

My generation in the family has produced five priests ( one RIP) and two nuns (one RIP). My children’s generation has produced one nun. Would any of my grandsons choose the priesthood? I do not know. We continue to live a Catholic lifestyle but, we are also challenged by issues as stated in post #11 by Victorious which, unfortunately, ripples in many of our Catholic schools.

 

[Biedrik]

In many places there is a shortage, but there isn’t. I know that the diocese that I study for (Boston) is losing priests, yet the number of seminarians is going up. I myself was part of a group of 16 that joined in 2010, the same year where we ordained only 3 new men. As it is, the number of priests in the diocese will be half of what it is now at the time I would get ordained. Clearly, for those who will be in the priesthood it will be an incredibly difficult time. However, the number of seminarians is going up, as I said. We’re not the only diocese to experience this sort of situation. It seems to me that we will for some time continue to have less and less priests, while the number of seminarians goes up. Eventually numbers will be replenished, but it will just take some time. Maybe even a lot of time. In the meantime, pray for more priests, and for us seminarians.

 

[Santi2]

In many places there is a shortage, but there isn’t. I know that the diocese that I study for (Boston) is losing priests, yet the number of seminarians is going up. I myself was part of a group of 16 that joined in 2010, the same year where we ordained only 3 new men. As it is, the number of priests in the diocese will be half of what it is now at the time I would get ordained. Clearly, for those who will be in the priesthood it will be an incredibly difficult time. However, the number of seminarians is going up, as I said. We’re not the only diocese to experience this sort of situation. It seems to me that we will for some time continue to have less and less priests, while the number of seminarians goes up. Eventually numbers will be replenished, but it will just take some time. Maybe even a lot of time. In the meantime, pray for more priests, and for us seminarians.

Just said one for you and for the rest in your seminary. God bless.

 

[PatrickSebast]

Priestly celibacy can’t be the problem: priestly vocations used to be strong notwithstanding celibacy. What maybe needs to happen instead is that we re-think our antipathy toward celibacy, and look at how much we have been influenced by our grossly over-sexualized popular culture.

I think celibacy is a big contributor, not due to celibacy on its own but due to the current norms of our culture.

First culture says that you are supposed to be married and have sex. Being a virgin is no longer viewed as a virtue, but a curse. Even devout chaste young men feel like there is something wrong with them if they don’t find a girlfriend in high school. Where marriage and courtship used to be a much more family based affair it is now considered as almost a competitive field in which we seek to excel.

In addition people are further apart, and less likely to have frequent face to face social contact with friends than they were years ago. From the way my Catholic parents tell it, in their youth the local parish was more or less the center of family, social life, and culture. The yearly Church festival used to be a major 3 day event that everyone talked about and got excited for while now-a-days it is nothing more than a fundraiser that lasts a few hours and gets the majority of its money from selling a tasty chicken dinner in to-go containers. It used to be that Parishes were filled with activity, but now many seem somewhat lonely during the course of any given week. It isn’t just celibacy itself that is scary to young men, but loneliness.

To top it all off, while the position of priesthood is still respected it has lost some of its status. When I was younger and considering the priesthood my mother, who is a devout Catholic, was quick to discourage it making it clear that she would rather see me married. Heck, I know many people who either attended, or considered seminary who experienced similar experiences with their parents. Even today as a single independent young adult, though I am now almost certain my vocation isn’t really the priesthood, whenever I consider the idea of the priesthood is that it would disappoint my parents. Meanwhile whenever I hear stories from the older priests in the diocese about their families they always talk about how their grandparents and/or parents were fervently praying for a priest in the family and were practically bursting with pride at the ordination. Now parents just want grandkids.

 

[Georgia]

Smaller families, less respect for the priesthood, celibacy - all are factors, but one thing mentioned in a recent post caught my eye, the lack of community in our parishes.

Until I was in my mid-thirties, I was a member of a fundamentalist church. Everyone there knew everyone else by name. No, it was not a small church, but the people were bonded.

We have been going to our church now for many years. I could not give you the first and last names of anyone there other than our few Catholic neighbors. I know one or two people by first names, but that is it.

Some of the problem has been the real estate boom that we can now only remember in our area. It was dreadfully expensive to buy property, so newer parishes are at least ten miles apart. Each has on the order of five masses per Sunday. You simply don’t see the same faces on any regular basis. People do long drives in and want to get rolling when it is over. They don’t live in a certain area where they see each other at the stores or on other casual occasions.

Contrast that with Bible Baptist. There is often one Sunday morning service and one Sunday night service. The Sunday night service will not have half the attendance that will be on Sunday morning. The morning service is the one everyone attends. People have their regular seats and will be missed if they are not there. People chat before services and after. It reinforces their faith and encourages people. It locks them together. If a Baptist boy is headed to seminary, there are lots of people talking to him, praising him, and maybe chipping in a buck or two. They pat his parents on the back and tell them what a good job they did.

Catholic families tend to operate in isolation, at least they do here in metro Atlanta. Few families that go regularly are going to be thinking about having a boy in the priesthood. Part of that sacrifice is eased when there are supporting friends and fellow parish members. We really don’t have that. You don’t know anyone well at all in your parish, you won’t be missed if you aren’t seen in a certain spot on Sunday, and your community really isn’t there. We’ve gotten impersonal.

 

[Victorious]

I think celibacy is a big contributor, not due to celibacy on its own but due to the current norms of our culture.

First culture says that you are supposed to be married and have sex. Being a virgin is no longer viewed as a virtue, but a curse. Even devout chaste young men feel like there is something wrong with them if they don’t find a girlfriend in high school. Where marriage and courtship used to be a much more family based affair it is now considered as almost a competitive field in which we seek to excel.

In addition people are further apart, and less likely to have frequent face to face social contact with friends than they were years ago. From the way my Catholic parents tell it, in their youth the local parish was more or less the center of family, social life, and culture. The yearly Church festival used to be a major 3 day event that everyone talked about and got excited for while now-a-days it is nothing more than a fundraiser that lasts a few hours and gets the majority of its money from selling a tasty chicken dinner in to-go containers. It used to be that Parishes were filled with activity, but now many seem somewhat lonely during the course of any given week. It isn’t just celibacy itself that is scary to young men, but loneliness.

To top it all off, while the position of priesthood is still respected it has lost some of its status. When I was younger and considering the priesthood my mother, who is a devout Catholic, was quick to discourage it making it clear that she would rather see me married. Heck, I know many people who either attended, or considered seminary who experienced similar experiences with their parents. Even today as a single independent young adult, though I am now almost certain my vocation isn’t really the priesthood, whenever I consider the idea of the priesthood is that it would disappoint my parents. Meanwhile whenever I hear stories from the older priests in the diocese about their families they always talk about how their grandparents and/or parents were fervently praying for a priest in the family and were practically bursting with pride at the ordination. Now parents just want grandkids.

None of these problems you indicate can be pinned on celibacy. They are due to our warped view of celibacy. Which was my whole point.

 

[Roy5]

I have to disagree - in part.

Celibacy is contrary to the nature of the human being, and especially males. This does not mean, of course, that most priests break their vows. I'm quite sure that most of them are celibate. But this is not achieved without a struggle. Man was created with a strong God-given sexual urge, with the divine purpose of having children. I often wonder if celibacy, in fact, doesn't somehow contradict divine intention???

The sex scandal in the Catholic church is to some degree a result of celibacy. And the sex scandal is one reason for the scarcity of priests. I have a priest friend who even worries about wearing a collar out in public, for fear that others will suspect that he is a pedophile or a homosexual - or both, 

 If priests were permitted the option of marrying, I suspect that a large number of young men would flock to the priesthood. That is a primay reason for the shortage of priests. Along with this, as others have pointed out, is the objection of many parents to their children becoming priests or nuns. Today they often have only two or three children, even less, and they prefer grandchildren and other aspects of normal family living.

 Homosexuals are a high percentage of priests. Just how high no one knows. Why? Young gays hope (and pray) that becoming priests will 'cure them' or at least protect them against the temptation to drift into the gay lifestyle. They want a position that garners respect. They feel that to become a priest will avoid the question: "Why aren't you married yet?" They may also be attracted to an all-male fraternity. Some gays have a special appreciation for the theater, which is akin to mass in some ways. They may also be attracted to some of the trappings of the priesthood, such as the vestments. 

  Giving priests the option to marry - perhaps to follow the policy of the Uniate churches, marriage before ordination - seems reasonable. There will be problems, such as economic factors as well as competition for the time of priests, but Protestantism seems to have managed to survive while confronting such challenges.

  To suggest that the CC doesn not have a priest shortage is to hide one's head in the sand. In this area, where Catholicism is strong, churches are being closed and others combined, in part because of that shortage. Also contributing to this, of course, is diminishing attendance and economic hardship. Yes, some are coming from overseas, but that can introduce other difficulties - understanding the priest, cultural differences, etc.

 

[JoyfulLife]

I agree about Americans just not being very receptive. They are so bombarded my things on movies, TV, music, Ipods, Blackberry, digital books, computers, cell phones, worldy people, etc. etc.

Also, there isn’t a strong witness out there to the Religious life and Priesthood. If Priests and Religious would cultivate a deep prayer life in contemplation, and try to live holy lives, they would inspire many souls.

 

[Victorious]

Celibacy is contrary to the nature of the human being, and especially males. This does not mean, of course, that most priests break their vows. I’m quite sure that most of them are celibate. But this is not achieved without a struggle. Man was created with a strong God-given sexual urge, with the divine purpose of having children. I often wonder if celibacy, in fact, doesn’t somehow contradict divine intention???

Read Matthew 19:12.

The sex scandal in the Catholic church is to some degree a result of celibacy. And the sex scandal is one reason for the scarcity of priests. I have a priest friend who even worries about wearing a collar out in public, for fear that others will suspect that he is a pedophile or a homosexual - or both,

You know how many sex abusers there are among priests who remain faithful to their calling to celibacy, in real numbers? Zero.

Homosexuals are a high percentage of priests. Just how high no one knows. Why? Young gays hope (and pray) that becoming priests will ‘cure them’ or at least protect them against the temptation to drift into the gay lifestyle. They want a position that garners respect. They feel that to become a priest will avoid the question: “Why aren’t you married yet?” They may also be attracted to an all-male fraternity. Some gays have a special appreciation for the theater, which is akin to mass in some ways. They may also be attracted to some of the trappings of the priesthood, such as the vestments.

This is as incredibly offensive as it is breathtakingly ignorant.

 

[TrueLight]

I have to disagree - in part.

    If priests were permitted the option of marrying, I suspect that a large number of young men would flock to the priesthood. That is a primay reason for the shortage of priests. Along with this, as others have pointed out, is the objection of many parents to their children becoming priests or nuns. Today they often have only two or three children, even less, and they prefer grandchildren and other aspects of normal family living.

Excellent Points.

 

[Roy5]

Victorious

Let me apologize if I have said anything offensive. However, I am basically only quoting others, mainly Catholics, who have tried to explain the sex scandal. The overwhelming majority of pediphiles seem to have targeted young males - teenagers, etc. We may not want to face up to that fact, but it appears to be well-established. Look at all the $millions the church has been paying out to settle law suits.

The problem? Human weakness which can lead to sin of one kind or another in all of us.  Sadly, in some people the strong sex urge can overcome morality, training, aspirations, reason, fear, etc. 

 Actually, I have considerable sympathy for gay priests who successfully live a devoted celibate life as the vast majority of gay priests surely do. The temptation to break their vow must be strong at times and they resist it. God bless them.

  Over the years I have come to accept the reality that some men (and women) are born with same-sex attraction. Possibly others become gay because of early childhood influences. In either case, they are saddled with this - possibly even God-given??? - and I think we must be slow to judge them harshly. On the other hand, pedophilia is something else, a crime if 'acted out', and I have no sympathy for it.

  God bless us all. Who was it who said: "Everyone you meet is having a tough fight. Therefore, be kind" - or words to that effect. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but not far from the truth. Despite our faults, most human beings face enormous sadnesses and disappointments in life, and they hang in and pull through. We're a resilient bunch. I have witnessed this time and time again. Meanwhile, Matt. 7:1-6.

 

[Madaglan]

if i were the bishop of my diocese, i would direct every family in my diocese to have their boys aged 12-18 to come to a meeting. hopefully, thousands would show up. then i’d say, “young men, i need fifty of you to be priests. who’s willing to give his life for the Lord?”

we need to encourage our young men and women to consider being priests and sisters.

You’d probably get fifty “volunteers”, but their commitment would be tried in the days, months to come. They may not have the vocation but take the bishop’s call simply because they want to appear heroic before their peers.

Quo Vadis retreats I think are better for nurturing vocations.

 

[angelic06]

I think there is a serious priest shortage. My parish has had days when daily massses have been canceled since we have one and a half priests, not enough to serve its parish population. We did have a missionary from Ghanna (!) for a year which helped but he was here only a year and there were cultural issues which took more than a year a year to resolve. I do think many are not answering the call and that there is a failure among Catholic schools in general and a certain ineptiitude among bishops in this matter. A recent bishop in our area actively discouraged deacons which made matters worse. (I think this is a sin which should be called clericism). The sexual scandals and their poor handling has not helped either. I don’t see any simple solutions and fear the problem will only get worse.

What is one and a half priests?

 

[JoyfulLife]

lol Bad math estimate.

 

[angelic06]

Now, that I’ve came back from presenting my employment related documents (SSN/driver’s license), let me spill out what is in my head before I go off to Evensong in 20 minutes…

About the (supposed) priest shortage: may I suggest that the reason why men these days are not as interested in serving the Church as priests, I believe, is that in childhood they start to associate the Catholic religion with the silly and/or ridiculous. This is only my guess, I will absolute stress to you, so don’t ask me for evidence. But remember that some weeks ago somebody posted a video regarding some school’s post Ash Wednesday Mass singing/theatrical routine? We can blabber all day long for as long as we want about whether this is in accord with the rubrics and canon law. But, I’ll speak from a man’s point of view----when men see these silly things in childhood, they will make some associations, this time, to religion. Once again this is pure speculation. But if you give them something serious, something majestic, something…what’s the word?..something royal, that speaks of our ineffable God His divine Majesty, then we men, like those of old who swore loyalty to their sovereigns of old, will likewise swear our loyalty to our God and King, and follow Him manfully under His banner until life’s end.

“When I was a child, I walked like a child, I spake like a child. But when I became a man, I put childish things away.”

Anyone remember that verse of scripture, which I think was spoken by St. Paul ? (?)

And so it is with men. When we see that religion is associated mostly with childish things, when we grow up, we put this stuff away…and for some men, that means the whole Catholic religion.

Give them a religion and a liturgy that is rich…that is exquisite. And yes, I do believe that within the current OF, you can have a Mass which will draw men to the priesthood.

Here’s one suggestion: one, get rid of the useless greetings, including the “Welcome to St N Church. Let’s take a moment to introduce ourselves” and chatter, in the temple proper, prior to the start of Mass. This will show to the worshippers that something of grave importance is about to start.

You may not think that this post has anything to do with the shortage of priests, and try to flag it for removal. But I think it does.