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napad
Guest
I’ve been wondering what is he hardest part of being a priest. The loneliness, lack of private time, over worked, no time to pray brievery…? Are there any priests out there?
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vince2paul
Guest
I’m not a priest, so I give only opinion from my observation.
It’s difficult to please the parishioners.
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vince2paul
Guest
I’m not a priest, so I give only opinion from my observation.
It’s difficult to please the parishioners.
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puzzleannie
Guest
several priests I know have said they have no problem with poverty and chastity, but obedience is the biggest challenge. In this diocese, and I suppose many places, many or most priests are doing 2 full time jobs and the stress of that alone is enough to cause problems. Most priests I know feel they cannot give as much time and attention as they wish to parishioners and their needs because of the conflicting demands on them.
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Fr.Joe
Guest
I would say it varies from priest to priest. Some struggle with the administration duties of a parish, others with personal/spiritual/health issues, others struggle with their preaching, some with obedience, you name it, there is a priest who probably struggles with it.
I for one, struggle with trying to get some sleep! Hence I’m on CAF trying to wind down.
Fr. Joe
I for one, struggle with trying to get some sleep! Hence I’m on CAF trying to wind down.
Fr. Joe
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scylla
Guest
Have you ever thought about getting an ebook Father?
I bought one an old ebookwise one, I downloaded a whole bunch of public domain stuff, like Vatican 2 docs, older saints writings, the Bible, old Catholic books and filled it with about 50 essays.
When I can’t sleep I just pull it out and read until I fall asleep, it shuts off automatically and is backlit. It is very nice.
Thank you for being a Priest, for dedicating yourself to the salvation of souls.
Scylla
I bought one an old ebookwise one, I downloaded a whole bunch of public domain stuff, like Vatican 2 docs, older saints writings, the Bible, old Catholic books and filled it with about 50 essays.
When I can’t sleep I just pull it out and read until I fall asleep, it shuts off automatically and is backlit. It is very nice.
Thank you for being a Priest, for dedicating yourself to the salvation of souls.
Scylla
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
I will speak as someone in formation with a religious order.
For me it is the judgments of others as to what actions they think I should be doing. What they think the vows are and how they think I should be living them.
For priests, from what I have seen, it is the unrealistic expectations the laity have for them.
For me it is the judgments of others as to what actions they think I should be doing. What they think the vows are and how they think I should be living them.
For priests, from what I have seen, it is the unrealistic expectations the laity have for them.
K
KCT
Guest
I know a priest from a family of 4 kids. He and his 2 brothers are priests and his sister is a nun. (Those parents knew how to pray for vocations )
Father says, however, that it does bother him knowing that when his parents health starts to fail, none of the kids can go home and take care of them. They have to trust God that somehow He will provide for the parents. —KCT
)Father says, however, that it does bother him knowing that when his parents health starts to fail, none of the kids can go home and take care of them. They have to trust God that somehow He will provide for the parents. —KCT
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
\I know a priest from a family of 4 kids. He and his 2 brothers are priests and his sister is a nun. (Those parents knew how to pray for vocations
Father says, however, that it does bother him knowing that when his parents health starts to fail, none of the kids can go home and take care of them. They have to trust God that somehow He will provide for the parents. —KCT
I don’t see why this is so. The order I am in formation with has let guys move to be closer to their ailing parents so that they could help out.
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vocatio
Guest
We have Franciscan Friars in our parish. This is considered mission work for them. Our Pastor lost his associate pastor this past summer and is stretched to the max. He has serioius allergy issues that are debilitating. However, he always finds time for wife and myself via email. He is a wonderful man. He is the priest that I wanted to become prior to running off with my proselytizing Fundamental Evangelical wife…now devoted Catholic. I was preparing for the seminary from within the ranks of the Army. Isolation away from catechesis for everyone, but for priests it’s a spiritually lethal combination.
A priest MUST make time for the Office…The Liturgy of the Hours is very important for his …and our spiritual formation. I suggest that all who read this take up a new devotion of praying the office and/or at least the Liturgy of the Hours via the Christian Prayer…Mainly Morning and Evening prayers. It will fill you more spiritually than the rosary. I love my rosary but it does not complete what the Liturgy of the Hours accomplishes within me spirutally. However, the rosary is one of my favorite private devotions that I try to say when ever I’m driving, at mass, alone…whereever. I also like the Jesus Prayer from the Eastern Traditions. In fact, the Fatima is basically a form of the Jesus Prayer.
I would say obedience is by far the most difficult in that if you are told to do something that just doesn’t seem right, you’re stuck with having to obey…no matter what…unless you’re one of those Rambo priests that does what he wants. St. Jon Bosco submitted to obedience even when he was not guilty of the offense he was accused of in his Diocese. He submitted for the sake of the children. My lack of obedience was based on being convinced in a combination of extreme or polarized beleifs I was raised with and realized that a proselytizing seed had been planted in my youth by a very Fundamental Evanagelical group that turned out to be the same faith as my wife’s family. Her father convinced me using historical truths that were in essence scandalous with the question…would God use a Church with “all of the above false assumptions and misunderstandings”? I too was isolated, only as a soldier without a good spiritual director. So my biggest apostolate of the laity is anything orthodox Catholic that will foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life…especially from among my own children. My children are remarkably intelligent and spiritually growing. I learned some very good tricks as a former evangelical…read your bibles guys…don’t just depend on the daily readings. Learn the actual teachings of the Church and study the ancient church fathers. Learn apologetics as if your soul depended upon it.
Why? Do it for our priests and religious. This is how we can help them. While we’re doing this prepare your own children for ministry/vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The priest need us as much as we need them. Help out. Priests…start finding more ways we, the laity, can help you out…learn to delegate appropriate authority to those around you who are capable and willing. Just as we shouldn’t overwhelm you, we also shouldn’t be overwhelmed…especially distracted from preparing your future relief [future priest and religious] with the domestic church. That’s my 2 cents.
Our lives should be a living sacrifice for others.
A priest MUST make time for the Office…The Liturgy of the Hours is very important for his …and our spiritual formation. I suggest that all who read this take up a new devotion of praying the office and/or at least the Liturgy of the Hours via the Christian Prayer…Mainly Morning and Evening prayers. It will fill you more spiritually than the rosary. I love my rosary but it does not complete what the Liturgy of the Hours accomplishes within me spirutally. However, the rosary is one of my favorite private devotions that I try to say when ever I’m driving, at mass, alone…whereever. I also like the Jesus Prayer from the Eastern Traditions. In fact, the Fatima is basically a form of the Jesus Prayer.
I would say obedience is by far the most difficult in that if you are told to do something that just doesn’t seem right, you’re stuck with having to obey…no matter what…unless you’re one of those Rambo priests that does what he wants. St. Jon Bosco submitted to obedience even when he was not guilty of the offense he was accused of in his Diocese. He submitted for the sake of the children. My lack of obedience was based on being convinced in a combination of extreme or polarized beleifs I was raised with and realized that a proselytizing seed had been planted in my youth by a very Fundamental Evanagelical group that turned out to be the same faith as my wife’s family. Her father convinced me using historical truths that were in essence scandalous with the question…would God use a Church with “all of the above false assumptions and misunderstandings”? I too was isolated, only as a soldier without a good spiritual director. So my biggest apostolate of the laity is anything orthodox Catholic that will foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life…especially from among my own children. My children are remarkably intelligent and spiritually growing. I learned some very good tricks as a former evangelical…read your bibles guys…don’t just depend on the daily readings. Learn the actual teachings of the Church and study the ancient church fathers. Learn apologetics as if your soul depended upon it.
Why? Do it for our priests and religious. This is how we can help them. While we’re doing this prepare your own children for ministry/vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The priest need us as much as we need them. Help out. Priests…start finding more ways we, the laity, can help you out…learn to delegate appropriate authority to those around you who are capable and willing. Just as we shouldn’t overwhelm you, we also shouldn’t be overwhelmed…especially distracted from preparing your future relief [future priest and religious] with the domestic church. That’s my 2 cents.
Our lives should be a living sacrifice for others.
P
puzzleannie
Guest
I have heard several priests say the vow of obedience is by far the hardest thing to follow
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FrCorey
Guest
**Not even intense training can prepare you for what you are getting into. don’t let me scare you thou, You will see and go thru things that nothing can prepare you for. God does things that may only make sence to him alone. When I was ordained in 2003, it was into a independent catholic group, and my first ministry was hospital work. 7th call I got was to give last rites to a newborn that only lived 16 mins. I was on a list the nurses would call when a patient requested a catholic priest. it was at 2:21 am and they called me because they couldn’t reach a RC priest who could come in. I grabbed my priest bag and was on my way. the mother wouldn’t let them take the baby away without last rites, so I had to hurry. I got there in 12 mins, performed the last rites and prayed with the family as she let them take it away. I stayed for hours with her praying. I cryed for days after this. none of my training or anything had prepared me for this. I prayed each of my hours with tears in my eyes asking God if this gets easier over time. he said no. he said he will always walk with me and be with me. I am not trying to scare anyone off. a priest needs to be a special person.
**
**
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vocatio
Guest
Fr. Corey, my wife, a new convert, constantly prays for priests. She says rosaries all the time for individual priests. I can empathise with your struggle. Tears run from my eyes constantly for things I don’t understand. You are added to my prayers for strength and guidance. I cry constantly at the loss of the number of children aborted in our country. I work among wolves, some former Catholics or non-practicing at least. If breaks my heart to see women reduced to nothing more than objects for sexual pleasure. We are a pathetic gender that despirately needs transformation.
I’m amazed that priests don’t complain about the laity in a much more severe way. It clearly shows that they are called to serve us, a broken people. Our Franciscan Friar pastor claims that we inspire him. That baffles me, because I’m one of them.
The last time I went to confession, a week and a half ago, I said that I felt like I was driving him crazy with my emails [tons of reflection going on after returning]. He insisted “NO! No! Not at all”. My dear sweet wife started this and I joined in with her. The man is amazingly spiritually rich. This must be unusual for a priest to hear our life stories as we journey…deeping our faith. This must be difficult or really neat for a preist. He never crosses the line. He’s somewhat well known for his intervention of protecting children in the “scandals” - highly over stated even though I was one of the teens - young adult that turned in a preditor - killing my vocation in my diocese. I did the right thing and ultimately paid the price. His order paid the price and he paid a severe price for his faithfulness to his vocation by protecting inocent children. My wife knows of many Protestant victims too. This is not predominantly a “catholic problem”. It is a human problem. Which brings up. How has the 'scandals" affected the priestly vocations?
If you looked up my posts, you’d see the reflective nature of my toughts and where I’m coming from. That’s why I’m on here, to write my thoughts out to figure out what’s happened and where I’m going. My wife’s family does not know of our conversion and she is not telling. This is a struggle for me because I see God calling our oldest boy for sure it seems. And he does not take this lightly. However, for charitable reasons he is obedient to his mother’s desire to withhold the information to avoid scandal in their Church. Her father was an elder in the church of Christ - they’re not eccumenical at all and would either begin proselytizing us or cut us off. Eventually, she will have to trust that God will take care of it.
I’m amazed that priests don’t complain about the laity in a much more severe way. It clearly shows that they are called to serve us, a broken people. Our Franciscan Friar pastor claims that we inspire him. That baffles me, because I’m one of them.
The last time I went to confession, a week and a half ago, I said that I felt like I was driving him crazy with my emails [tons of reflection going on after returning]. He insisted “NO! No! Not at all”. My dear sweet wife started this and I joined in with her. The man is amazingly spiritually rich. This must be unusual for a priest to hear our life stories as we journey…deeping our faith. This must be difficult or really neat for a preist. He never crosses the line. He’s somewhat well known for his intervention of protecting children in the “scandals” - highly over stated even though I was one of the teens - young adult that turned in a preditor - killing my vocation in my diocese. I did the right thing and ultimately paid the price. His order paid the price and he paid a severe price for his faithfulness to his vocation by protecting inocent children. My wife knows of many Protestant victims too. This is not predominantly a “catholic problem”. It is a human problem. Which brings up. How has the 'scandals" affected the priestly vocations?
If you looked up my posts, you’d see the reflective nature of my toughts and where I’m coming from. That’s why I’m on here, to write my thoughts out to figure out what’s happened and where I’m going. My wife’s family does not know of our conversion and she is not telling. This is a struggle for me because I see God calling our oldest boy for sure it seems. And he does not take this lightly. However, for charitable reasons he is obedient to his mother’s desire to withhold the information to avoid scandal in their Church. Her father was an elder in the church of Christ - they’re not eccumenical at all and would either begin proselytizing us or cut us off. Eventually, she will have to trust that God will take care of it.
M
mark_a
Guest
My kids bought me Fr. Joe’s book for Christmas last year and I enjoyed it very much. If you love to hunt or fish, or if you love nature and the outdoors, this book does a great job of showing you God through nature.I would say it varies from priest to priest. Some struggle with the administration duties of a parish, others with personal/spiritual/health issues, others struggle with their preaching, some with obedience, you name it, there is a priest who probably struggles with it.
I for one, struggle with trying to get some sleep! Hence I’m on CAF trying to wind down.
HuntingforGod.com
J
Joannm
Guest
I think this is true with any vocation. Nothing prepared me for the sorrows that accompanied parenting and difficulties with my marriage. I too pray it would get easier, but it doesn’t.
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dessert
Guest
Our priest said it is the funerals. But then he added other things.
So I try to get to the funerals to try to encourage him and when I went to them I realized why it is the hardest.
Sometimes the only Catholic is the deceased.
No one responds because they are not Catholic.
One woman sat with her head on her arm tapping her foot.
They don’t sing even though the songs are like amazing grace.
I think they are afraid of catching something like a virus.
But father graciously offers them to receive communion if they like.
More than I would do. Or maybe I need to go more and learn from father how to be patient.
So I try to get to the funerals to try to encourage him and when I went to them I realized why it is the hardest.
Sometimes the only Catholic is the deceased.
No one responds because they are not Catholic.
One woman sat with her head on her arm tapping her foot.
They don’t sing even though the songs are like amazing grace.
I think they are afraid of catching something like a virus.
But father graciously offers them to receive communion if they like.
More than I would do. Or maybe I need to go more and learn from father how to be patient.
J
JuanCarlos
Guest
According to canon law, this is neither gracious nor patient, it is disobediant. Only Catholics (and Orthodox) are permitted to receive EucharistBut father graciously offers them to receive communion if they like.
More than I would do. Or maybe I need to go more and learn from father how to be patient.
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vocatio
Guest
Within there own rites.
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JesuitLoyola
Guest
If they are worthy.
Sorry, just being obnoxious!
D
dessert
Guest
He doesn’t know who these people are so would you have a person wear a stamp on thrie head to indicate they are Catholic?
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