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comrade1789
Guest
Wow!, with sentiments like that, why even bother being Catholic?
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RosaryFan
Guest
One of two reasons:
- God calls and no one is listening;
- God stopped calling because no one will listen.
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Deefraz
Guest
I favor this answer best out of all the others I’ve read here so far. I might add that perhaps God calls and people hear, but they choose not obey. We are all human, and as humans our tendency (original sin) is to be selfish. The priesthood and religious life demand selflessness and abandonment of one’s will to God.
However, I must also pose the same question with respect to marriage. In the sacrament of marriage one is called to completely give of themself to another in order to fulfill the purpose for which God created them. Maybe the happiness that individuals think they would get in marriage as opposed to the priesthood or religious life simply does not exist. This concept of happiness is a message continuously perpetuated by culture. Just because you aren’t living celibately does not mean you’ll be happy. Companionship does not make someone happy. If it were then the 50%+ divorced couples of the world would be ecstatically happy. Only God can truly make us happy, and if one can discern where God wants them to be and obey his desire, it doesn’t matter if they’re a priest or married. That is where they will be happiest, but only if they choose to follow Christ. Maybe that’s a little off topic, but I think it is correlated to the reasons behind fewer priests today.
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Orleans_Attny
Guest
Marriage and the desire to have a family.
And that’s the same reason that many parents wouldn’t want their sons to take holy orders.
Pax,
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OraLabora
Guest
Hogwash.
Deacons approach the altar (note the spelling please…), and are married. And there are of course Roman rite priests who are married.
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Marc_Anthony
Guest
To answer the original question…
I’ll tell you why. I’m 16 years old and have examined the possibility of the Priesthood. And you know what? Even though I don’t THINK I’m being called, acknowledging the possibility was extremely difficult. Do you understand the pressure young men are under by society not to consider such things? My family (cafeteria Catholics) would be extremely disappointed. I think there would be a huge argument and a falling out, because they would see me choosing the Priesthood as a waste of my life. It’s a very frightening prospect.
Society also does not make being a celibate man married to the Church performing Mass every Sunday appear very sexy, fun, or exciting. And young men want all three.
I’ll tell you why. I’m 16 years old and have examined the possibility of the Priesthood. And you know what? Even though I don’t THINK I’m being called, acknowledging the possibility was extremely difficult. Do you understand the pressure young men are under by society not to consider such things? My family (cafeteria Catholics) would be extremely disappointed. I think there would be a huge argument and a falling out, because they would see me choosing the Priesthood as a waste of my life. It’s a very frightening prospect.
Society also does not make being a celibate man married to the Church performing Mass every Sunday appear very sexy, fun, or exciting. And young men want all three.
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Rence
Guest
My brother left a seminary preparatory high school because of the celibacy rule. He wanted to get married and have kids in his future so he left. He thought about converting to orthodoxy so that he could get married and be a priest, but he never pursued it.
In my part of the world, many men (and women) feel like you do, which is why there are fewer vocations to the priesthood or sisterhood than there used to be…
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Marc_Anthony
Guest
Do you have a source for this? I’m sure it’s a factor, don’t get me wrong, but how big of a factor I don’t know.
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Deefraz
Guest
This is a very sad thought for me. I have a 13 year old daughter and can think of nothing more beautiful than her being called to religious life. Would it be difficult? Absolutely. But married life also presents its own problems. Would families be more happy if everyone got married and then had lots of problems and possibly divorced? Would they then not feel disappointed and think perhaps this was a waste of one’s life? It comes down to what or whom young men decide to follow, society or Christ. They follow two very different agendas…
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Marc_Anthony
Guest
It’s very hard to explain this. I think you people need to understand that most of those on this site are more religious than everybody. It sounds so simple…so obvious, but believeme, it’s not. I can’t explain it, really. It’s not like my parents went up to me and told me not to become a Priest or anything like that. It’s just that the idea is considered almost…I don’t know. Laughable? That’s not quite right, but it’s close.
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Deefraz
Guest
I empathize with what you’re saying. Society, or if I may say more appropriately, Satan, has been successful in fostering fear and doubt in the minds of young men. Under the pressure to conform I believe it has seeped into family life. I’m certain your family loves you very much. But until someone chooses to go against the grain, so to speak, even if it means causing rift with family, they’ll never know the peace and happiness that may have been waiting for them as a priest. If those here are truly more religious than others I pray we can assist in creating environments where men feel comfortable listening and responding to God’s call.
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Since you acknowledge the difficulty of the religious life, I’m afraid I don’t understand how you’re implying that the problems in marriage make it somewhat inferior. If anything it just makes them equal callings.
Don’t know about you but I don’t think its nice to imply that to marry means you are following society. Heck centuries ago, society wanted single men to become priests and deemed sexual acts in a more negative light compared to the current Catholic sexual morality.
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Deefraz
Guest
Just responding to Marcanthony’s post about his family not understanding his discernment to the priesthood. I think the priesthood and marriage are equally difficult. But families should foster both possibilities with their children.
I think society pushes for the easy way out, which may be seen as marriage instead of the priesthood (not having to live celibately, companionship, etc.). I also don’t think the sacrament of marriage is what society has in mind when they promote it. I believe marriage can be lived as an example of Christ just like being a priest can. But the thread was started to discuss the fact that there seem to be less responding to the priesthood, and I think these societal pressures and misconceptions are a big factor.
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Perhaps there are biased misconceptions against the priesthood (some even I had been guilty of having at one point). However, let’s not confuse the ones who give in to “societal pressures” with those who have a sincere longing for a relationship that is both romantic yet at the same time meaningful and Christ-centered.I think society pushes for the easy way out, which may be seen as marriage instead of the priesthood (not having to live celibately, companionship, etc.). I also don’t think the sacrament of marriage is what society has in mind when they promote it. I believe marriage can be lived as an example of Christ just like being a priest can. But the thread was started to discuss the fact that there seem to be less responding to the priesthood, and I think these societal pressures and misconceptions are a big factor.
I for one have long affirmed that the priesthood is not for me. I’ve had a nasty half of my life filled with loneliness and human rejection. Its a half I’m still recovering from and I don’t think any more of it will benefit my well-being be it spiritual, emotional, or physical. Besides, I’m somewhat incapable of having these so-called “spiritual consolations” that are said to help ease the loneliness of the religious.
The fact that I’ve read one too many romance stories doesn’t help.
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edward_george
Guest
Very well said.
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Deefraz
Guest
Absolutely agree with what you say about those who have a “sincere longing”. The wonderful fact is that God created us all uniquely to serve and please him, and there are individuals who enter into and sustain romantic and life giving marriages. But I think sometimes young men may not have a balance in discerning the priesthood versus marriage because of society’s pressure.Perhaps there are biased misconceptions against the priesthood (some even I had been guilty of having at one point). However, let’s not confuse the ones who give in to “societal pressures” with those who have a sincere longing for a relationship that is both romantic yet at the same time meaningful and Christ-centered.
I for one have long affirmed that the priesthood is not for me. I’ve had a nasty half of my life filled with loneliness and human rejection. Its a half I’m still recovering from and I don’t think any more of it will benefit my well-being be it spiritual, emotional, or physical. Besides, I’m somewhat incapable of having these so-called “spiritual consolations” that are said to help ease the loneliness of the religious.
The fact that I’ve read one too many romance stories doesn’t help.
I also think everyone is capable of having spiritual consolations, religious or not! Our Lord grants them at will, but remember that he allows or gives everything for our soul’s benefit (sometimes a tough pill to swallow). My experience is that he cannot resist souls who give everything to him. And you are never alone, not ever.
Also don’t forget want St. Teresa of Avila said about those romance novels…
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Well just take note that in prior ages there was an imbalance as well but only the other way around. Don’t forget, during those times when sex was viewed as some sort of anti-thesis to virginity, it was the priesthood that society pushed on people and not marriage.
Yeah, well that still doesn’t change the fact that its spirituality that supposed to comfort the religious more than human companionship. At least, that’s what I glean from the rhetoric of those promoting religious vocations whenever they try to entice young people who are not keen because of the celibacy rule.
Don’t you think there’s a bit of confusion in that regard? From what I read in an Ask an Apologist inquiry, what was deemed ‘romance’ during her time would now fall under Adventure, Fairy Tale, or even Fantasy.Also don’t forget want St. Teresa of Avila said about those romance novels…
But anyways, I think I know what you mean. Still, they ain’t all that bad. I may not be into cheap paper back smut but I really can’t help but feel nice and warm inside when I see a confession scene or a kissing scene in my favorite romance Jap-cartoon.
sighs What I wouldn’t give to have my own happy love story.
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m134e5
Guest
Parents have to learn to let go of their grown kids- to trust them with their own goals for life. I think parents often want to re-live their own lives through their kids- I guess to them it is a way of “undoing” their own mistakes. I think that’s pretty normal. Things like this have been going on for a long, long time- and I doubt they’re going to be changing anytime soon. It’s just part of human nature I guess.
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notredame_999
Guest
1.) Christianity and religion in general these days are seen as “feminine” ideals.
2.) Like it or not, right now the secular world views the priesthood as a homosexual vocation. I’m not saying that is accurate, I’m just saying that is the current percpetion. You couple that with the publicity of some of these sex abuse stories in the media, while also acknoledging that the priesthood in America, by almost all studies, has been found to have a significantly higher rate of homosexuality than the outside world, and it turns the straight guy off.
3.) Confusion in regard to the rationale behind mandatory celibacy- when the Vatican allows it for converting protestant ministers and the eastern rites.
2.) Like it or not, right now the secular world views the priesthood as a homosexual vocation. I’m not saying that is accurate, I’m just saying that is the current percpetion. You couple that with the publicity of some of these sex abuse stories in the media, while also acknoledging that the priesthood in America, by almost all studies, has been found to have a significantly higher rate of homosexuality than the outside world, and it turns the straight guy off.
3.) Confusion in regard to the rationale behind mandatory celibacy- when the Vatican allows it for converting protestant ministers and the eastern rites.
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Formosus
Guest
I do not think celibacy can be considered the only reason why a man may not wish to become a priest. As an Eastern Catholic, celibacy is only an option for me if I were to enter seminary, and yet the thought of doing so is still frightening. The calling to be a priest is such an overwhelming responsibility that many a great saint fled mobs who asked them to become ordained.
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