Your question about priests with tattoos is interesting. To answer it briefly, a tattoo is not an impediment to the priesthood. A man with a tattoo can become a priest. However, the seminary needs to take note of the nature of the tattoo (i.e. when did the man get it, what does it re-present, and whether the location of the tattoo is an issue, i.e. it would be odd to see a priest with a tattoo on his forearm.) At times, a man may enter the seminary and have a tatto from earlier in his life. Again, this alone would not prevent his entrance or being ordained, but it needs to be considered by the candidate and the Church. Depending on the nature of the tattoo, the Church might ask the man to consider having it removed.
-Fr. Chris Rogers
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving
Dear friends in Christ,
We are now on the eve of the Season of Lent, that penitential season where we remember in a unique way the suffering Christ and the sacrifice He gave for the sake of the Church. In the season, we are also asked to take up a form of suffering and sacrifice. These forms of sacrifice are divided into three categories: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
When picking practices for Lent, whether it be giving up chocolate or meat, or praying the Rosary or attending daily Mass, we must remember something very important: Holiness is a process by which, over time, our fortitude to strive for virtue grows stronger by the grace of God. God gives us graces to sanctify us, and through those graces we respond by striving to cooperate with the Will of God and say yes to God. We thank God already for the graces He has given us. He may have blessed us with good health, or with intelligence, or with a dear friend, or with a loving family. Upon reflection of our lives, there is always a grace there we can be thankful for. And if you are hard pressed to find a grace, remember that it is also a real grace to know the Truth of the Gospel, and it is a grace to know the Holy Catholic Church, who is also given graces for the sake of Her members and their salvation. When picking practices for Lent, we must be careful not to take on too much, or nothing will get done. The man who gives up meat, beer, soda, chocolate, and candy when he is not used to giving up anything will probably last about a week, then find himself in a Texas Steak House having a porterhouse steak with a tall beer, and then having chocolate ice cream on the way home. And believe me, I gave up meat, and soda, and a bunch of other things one year, and I lasted until I discovered an Arbys in the next town over. From then it was downhill, and by Easter the things I gave up, I had no longer given up. In short, it is better to give up one or two things and do well, than to give up 7 things and not last.
I wish to first discuss prayer. Prayer is the bedrock of the Church, and prayer is our communication with God. We pray individually, but also in community as our prayers are lifted up to God. In the Season of Lent, we can pray for those suffering, that their sufferings and sacrifices can be lifted up to God. We all live in the shadow of the cross, as it is our sufferings that we can unite to the Cross of Christ. Prayer is the first priority of the Lenten Season. Through prayer, we are spiritually preparing ourselves for the Resurrection that we experience on Easter, and it is the Resurrection we hope to enjoy after our passing from this life into eternal life. In many ways, our lives can be like Lent, looking forward always to the hope of eternal life. In this mindset, we look to prayer first in this Season of Lent, to see what ways we can unite ourselves, with the whole Church, to Christ, the Crucified One, so that our prayers can be fruitful for eternal life.
There are many tangible things that we can do that can aid in our spiritual lives, in order to prepare ourselves for Easter. Have you considered the possibility of daily Mass? Mass is the ultimate form of prayer and praise, and during Lent the attendance of daily Mass can give one many spiritual graces (daily Mass also gives many graces throughout the rest of the year too). It is through Mass that our sufferings and penances can be united to Christ, as the Eucharist is a memorial of Christ's suffering and death in a very literal, transubstantial way.
Another form of prayer is the Rosary, especially by praying the Sorrowful Mysteries. You are meditating with Mary on the life of Christ, especially his final hours here on Earth before He died. A daily Rosary may seem hard, but really, it is easier than you think. When you drive to and from work every day, or to and from school, you may listen to the radio. Consider praying a Rosary on the way to work or school, and listening to the radio on the way home. It is something easy you can do, and it only takes 15-20 minutes. There is also the Divine Mercy Chaplet, focused on the prayer: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world." It is traditionally prayed at 3PM on Fridays (this is the hour of the death of Christ on Friday, and 3PM is called the Hour of Mercy); during Lent you can consider praying the Chaplet every day, and if possible, at 3 PM every day. Another devotion you can take up stems from the Garden of Gethsemene. To recall the story, Jesus was praying, and His disciples kept falling asleep. Jesus said to them "Can you not spent one hour with me?" This developed into the devotion known as the Holy Hour, an hour you spend with Jesus in prayer. By praying in front of Jesus, you are uniting yourself to Him, as Jesus calls us to do in the Garden, and in his Passion and Death.
Now I wish to move onto the idea of fasting. Before His ministry began, Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray, and at the end of it He was hungry. He was in the desert for 40 days, and with no coincidence, that is how long Lent is, as Lent is our journey in the desert before the Resurrection of Jesus. By fasting, we are uniting ourselves to Jesus in the desert. Some of the things you can give up are what we were taught to do when we were kids: candy, chocolate, soda, or whatever you might really enjoy. Also consider giving up meat during Lent, not just on Fridays during Lent and Ash Wednesday. Pray, what is it that I enjoy too much, and can I give it up during Lent? Another thing to consider is on Fridays to eat just bread and drink water, as that can be a good fast. By giving it up, you are then learning not to take that food for granted, and you are sacrificing a little something as a way to offer it to Christ.
The final thing is almsgiving. Almsgiving can look many different ways. The first is to continue to tithe at Sunday Mass; by tithing, you are being a good steward, and you are helping the local parish continue to provide spiritual support and ministries so that the Church can continue to thrive. In addition to tithing, one can consider giving your time in a homeless shelter, or at a retirement home for priests. In Norristown, there is a Missionaries of Charity House. Consider calling them up and asking to volunteer 2-3 Saturdays during Lent there. In addition to tithing, you may want to give a little something extra to the Church, say, for the parish hall renovations, or for a new parking lot. There may be a special project your church is doing, and they need money to do it. Give them a little something extra. If I may, I would recommend doing some sort of community service. Not enough community service is done, and there are groups that need help that way.
Finally, we must remember that by praying, fasting, and almsgiving, the things we do during Lent are not for the sake of the things we do, but rather to be spiritually edified, making one more properly disposed to receive graces. By doing some penances and practices during Lent, we make ourselves more disposed to hear the Word of God and to act on His will for us. We do these things to become more Christ-like, as by doing these things we are imitating Him.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
We are now on the eve of the Season of Lent, that penitential season where we remember in a unique way the suffering Christ and the sacrifice He gave for the sake of the Church. In the season, we are also asked to take up a form of suffering and sacrifice. These forms of sacrifice are divided into three categories: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
When picking practices for Lent, whether it be giving up chocolate or meat, or praying the Rosary or attending daily Mass, we must remember something very important: Holiness is a process by which, over time, our fortitude to strive for virtue grows stronger by the grace of God. God gives us graces to sanctify us, and through those graces we respond by striving to cooperate with the Will of God and say yes to God. We thank God already for the graces He has given us. He may have blessed us with good health, or with intelligence, or with a dear friend, or with a loving family. Upon reflection of our lives, there is always a grace there we can be thankful for. And if you are hard pressed to find a grace, remember that it is also a real grace to know the Truth of the Gospel, and it is a grace to know the Holy Catholic Church, who is also given graces for the sake of Her members and their salvation. When picking practices for Lent, we must be careful not to take on too much, or nothing will get done. The man who gives up meat, beer, soda, chocolate, and candy when he is not used to giving up anything will probably last about a week, then find himself in a Texas Steak House having a porterhouse steak with a tall beer, and then having chocolate ice cream on the way home. And believe me, I gave up meat, and soda, and a bunch of other things one year, and I lasted until I discovered an Arbys in the next town over. From then it was downhill, and by Easter the things I gave up, I had no longer given up. In short, it is better to give up one or two things and do well, than to give up 7 things and not last.
I wish to first discuss prayer. Prayer is the bedrock of the Church, and prayer is our communication with God. We pray individually, but also in community as our prayers are lifted up to God. In the Season of Lent, we can pray for those suffering, that their sufferings and sacrifices can be lifted up to God. We all live in the shadow of the cross, as it is our sufferings that we can unite to the Cross of Christ. Prayer is the first priority of the Lenten Season. Through prayer, we are spiritually preparing ourselves for the Resurrection that we experience on Easter, and it is the Resurrection we hope to enjoy after our passing from this life into eternal life. In many ways, our lives can be like Lent, looking forward always to the hope of eternal life. In this mindset, we look to prayer first in this Season of Lent, to see what ways we can unite ourselves, with the whole Church, to Christ, the Crucified One, so that our prayers can be fruitful for eternal life.
There are many tangible things that we can do that can aid in our spiritual lives, in order to prepare ourselves for Easter. Have you considered the possibility of daily Mass? Mass is the ultimate form of prayer and praise, and during Lent the attendance of daily Mass can give one many spiritual graces (daily Mass also gives many graces throughout the rest of the year too). It is through Mass that our sufferings and penances can be united to Christ, as the Eucharist is a memorial of Christ's suffering and death in a very literal, transubstantial way.
Another form of prayer is the Rosary, especially by praying the Sorrowful Mysteries. You are meditating with Mary on the life of Christ, especially his final hours here on Earth before He died. A daily Rosary may seem hard, but really, it is easier than you think. When you drive to and from work every day, or to and from school, you may listen to the radio. Consider praying a Rosary on the way to work or school, and listening to the radio on the way home. It is something easy you can do, and it only takes 15-20 minutes. There is also the Divine Mercy Chaplet, focused on the prayer: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world." It is traditionally prayed at 3PM on Fridays (this is the hour of the death of Christ on Friday, and 3PM is called the Hour of Mercy); during Lent you can consider praying the Chaplet every day, and if possible, at 3 PM every day. Another devotion you can take up stems from the Garden of Gethsemene. To recall the story, Jesus was praying, and His disciples kept falling asleep. Jesus said to them "Can you not spent one hour with me?" This developed into the devotion known as the Holy Hour, an hour you spend with Jesus in prayer. By praying in front of Jesus, you are uniting yourself to Him, as Jesus calls us to do in the Garden, and in his Passion and Death.
Now I wish to move onto the idea of fasting. Before His ministry began, Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray, and at the end of it He was hungry. He was in the desert for 40 days, and with no coincidence, that is how long Lent is, as Lent is our journey in the desert before the Resurrection of Jesus. By fasting, we are uniting ourselves to Jesus in the desert. Some of the things you can give up are what we were taught to do when we were kids: candy, chocolate, soda, or whatever you might really enjoy. Also consider giving up meat during Lent, not just on Fridays during Lent and Ash Wednesday. Pray, what is it that I enjoy too much, and can I give it up during Lent? Another thing to consider is on Fridays to eat just bread and drink water, as that can be a good fast. By giving it up, you are then learning not to take that food for granted, and you are sacrificing a little something as a way to offer it to Christ.
The final thing is almsgiving. Almsgiving can look many different ways. The first is to continue to tithe at Sunday Mass; by tithing, you are being a good steward, and you are helping the local parish continue to provide spiritual support and ministries so that the Church can continue to thrive. In addition to tithing, one can consider giving your time in a homeless shelter, or at a retirement home for priests. In Norristown, there is a Missionaries of Charity House. Consider calling them up and asking to volunteer 2-3 Saturdays during Lent there. In addition to tithing, you may want to give a little something extra to the Church, say, for the parish hall renovations, or for a new parking lot. There may be a special project your church is doing, and they need money to do it. Give them a little something extra. If I may, I would recommend doing some sort of community service. Not enough community service is done, and there are groups that need help that way.
Finally, we must remember that by praying, fasting, and almsgiving, the things we do during Lent are not for the sake of the things we do, but rather to be spiritually edified, making one more properly disposed to receive graces. By doing some penances and practices during Lent, we make ourselves more disposed to hear the Word of God and to act on His will for us. We do these things to become more Christ-like, as by doing these things we are imitating Him.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Chastity: A Catholic Truth for Catholic Youth
Dear friends in Christ,
I found a short article on some basics of chastity that you might find as an interesting read. Click here to read it.
I found a short article on some basics of chastity that you might find as an interesting read. Click here to read it.
New Saints
This is an article to the Catholic News Agency, which put out an article on several men and women who have been beatified who are to be canonized. Read it here.
These are pictures of Blessed Damian of Molo'kai, who spent much of his life ministering to lepars on the island of Molo'kai, and Blessed Brother Rafael, who is considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century.
discerning God's call versus your parent's call
Dear friends in Christ,
The next question I wish to look at is: "How do I discern God's Call from my parent's call?"
Family influence on your life can be very strong. For many cases, it is the family who may not exactly be supportive at first regarding a priestly vocation, precisely because they have so much happiness in married life, and they want you to be happy. But there are some parents who may excessively push their kids to consider religious life or the priesthood. So in the end, we must figure out God's call apart from what our parents want. The question is: how do we do that?
The answer is through prayer. By talking to God in prayer, you will soon figure out what He is calling you to do. Praying at Mass, and by praying outside of Mass, especially in front of the Eucharist, can lead you to figure out what exactly God may be calling you to do. One must clear his head from other people speaking when you are praying to God.
Now, at the same time, it is often our family and friends who see a priestly vocation in a boy long before the boy sees it himself. Your family may be encouraging you because they see it in you, and they are trying to point it out to you. Can they be excessive sometimes? Yes, but remember that they are your parents, and they honestly want what is best for you. In the end, listen to and respect your parents, and take what they say seriously, and pray about it. And be open to a possible call to the priesthood, and open yourself to God's generosity.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The next question I wish to look at is: "How do I discern God's Call from my parent's call?"
Family influence on your life can be very strong. For many cases, it is the family who may not exactly be supportive at first regarding a priestly vocation, precisely because they have so much happiness in married life, and they want you to be happy. But there are some parents who may excessively push their kids to consider religious life or the priesthood. So in the end, we must figure out God's call apart from what our parents want. The question is: how do we do that?
The answer is through prayer. By talking to God in prayer, you will soon figure out what He is calling you to do. Praying at Mass, and by praying outside of Mass, especially in front of the Eucharist, can lead you to figure out what exactly God may be calling you to do. One must clear his head from other people speaking when you are praying to God.
Now, at the same time, it is often our family and friends who see a priestly vocation in a boy long before the boy sees it himself. Your family may be encouraging you because they see it in you, and they are trying to point it out to you. Can they be excessive sometimes? Yes, but remember that they are your parents, and they honestly want what is best for you. In the end, listen to and respect your parents, and take what they say seriously, and pray about it. And be open to a possible call to the priesthood, and open yourself to God's generosity.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
On Mortal Sin
Dear friends in Christ,
With Lent approaching, which is a penitential season, I think we need to talk briefly about mortal sin, what it is, what we can do about it, and how to avoid it.
Mortal sin destroys charity in your heart. It turns you away from God, and only through the Sacrament of Confession can we be reconciled to God. An act of mortal sin has grave matter associated with it. For example, abortion is grave matter, so anyone performing an abortion, or a mother having an abortion, has grave matter. The first criteria for a mortal sin is whether it is grave matter. There is also light matter, which are associated with venial sins. Venial sins distort our charity, but it doesn't destroy it, nor does it destroy our relationship with God. Venial sins, however, make us more disposed to commit mortal sin. An example of this is talking back to your parents by telling them you won't do something they asked you to do. That is light matter, and so it is venial. But with repititions and frequently talking back to your parents, it will make you more disposed to commit an act with grave matter, say, telling your parents that you hated them, or using the Lord's name in vain while arguing with them.
So the first criterion of a mortal sin is that it is an act with grave matter. The second criterion is that you must be aware that you are doing it, and that you did it intentionally. Intention to commit the act in question also plays a part in weighing over whether the act is constituted a mortal sin. In the example of accidently having a car accident and killing someone else, you did not have the intention of having the car accident to kill the other person, so the act of killing someone, although it is still grave matter, isn't a mortal sin because the intention isn't there.
The third criterion for a mortal sin is whether you have had sufficient reflection of the act. If you know from the past that it is an act of grave matter, then you know that it might be a mortal sin. For example, if someone out there didn't know that abortion was grave matter, then for him or her, it wouldn't be a mortal sin. But for someone who did know, it would be considered a mortal sin. It is important to note, that the gravity of the act is not dependent on the person and their knowledge of what is good. Abortion is intrinsically wrong in every single circumstance, and the gravity of abortion stays the same. But it depends on the person and their knowledge or ignorance whether they committed a mortal sin. I hope this makes sense. In short, abortion is always grave matter, but if the person honestly didn't know (which I find hard to believe with abortion, because the nature of life should be innate in every person), then it wasn't a mortal sin for them.
In short, a mortal sin has those three criteria: grave matter, intention of doing it, and sufficient reflection that the act was of grave matter. If it has all three of these criteria, then it is a mortal sin. If not, then it is probably a venial sin.
When, after having committed a mortal sin, a person who is penitent should seek a priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Reconciliation restores the charity in our heart and restores us back to the friendship of God that every person, at least implicitly, longs for.
And how do we avoid it? The number one thing someone can do to avoid mortal sin is by going to Reconciliation frequently for the venial sins one commits, because, as I stated earlier, venial sins make one more disposed to commit a mortal sin. By frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation and by going to Mass regularly (not going to Mass on Sunday can be a mortal sin if it meets the three criteria), they can be great tools to avoid the near occasion of mortal sins. Additional prayer is also important. Try praying a Rosary with the intention of avoiding the near occasion of sin.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Season of Lent
Dear friends in Christ,
It is hard to believe that next Wednesday (in nine days) is Ash Wednesday, thus marking the beginning of the penitential season of Lent. I can attest that it really is a sign of getting older when the days and months just fly by, because it just seemed like yesterday when we were celebrating Ash Wednesday, and now it is here again.
Lent is 40 days long, signifying the time that Jesus spent in the desert in the Gospels. Jesus went into the desert to pray and fast, and this is what we do in Lent. We are preparing for the death of Christ that happens on Good Friday, and we await the gift of the Resurrection that we receive on Easter Sunday, the high liturgical feast of the Church for the entire year. Easter is a sign of our redemption through Christ Jesus, and Lent is our spiritual preparation for that gift.
I bring this up today, in advance, of Ash Wednesday because we also must spiritually and physically prepare for Lent. The most practical preparation we do in anticipation of Lent are penances for the season. As kids, we were always encouraged to give up chocolate, or soda, or some kind of food or drink as a way of self-emptying, or kenosis. In the life of Christ, we continually try self-emptying ourselves for the sake our redemption. Christ self emptied himself on the Cross; we are asked to do the same in order to be Christ like.
So Lent is a time set aside in the liturgical calendar for the spiritual preparation. What do we give up? A better question is: what do we take up?
A story: In my travels and experiences the last few years, I have come to meet probably over 100 different priests, mostly in Maryland and Pennsylvania. One priest I met in Maryland tells this story: When he was in his 20's, he was a wild party animal. He would drink to excess, and party like it was the end of the world. He was crazy. He was also a fallen away Catholic, and he didn't go to Church on a regular basis. As a joke, his friend bet him that for Lent he couldn't go to daily Mass every day for the season. To prove him wrong, he took the challenge and starting going to daily Mass.
After a little while he noticed his entire life transformed, and the things which were important to him before were no longer that important. After Lent ended, he continued going to daily Mass, continuing to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Pretty soon he went into the seminary because he heard the call to become a priest, and he is now a Catholic priest in Maryland.
The question for you: we have the season of Lent to help us spiritually grow, by the grace of God. Are you willing to take up a penance or practice for Lent that can potentially change your life? We are all striving to be Christ like, and the practice you take up in Lent is supposed to have that as its end. If you do something for Lent like not eating chocolate, but it is for the purpose of losing weight, then that isn't a suitable practice. Give it up for Lent so that it can spiritually edify you.
But I go back to the question: Are you willing to change your life for Christ? If your answer to this is "yes", which I sincerely hope it is, here are some suggestions for penances:
1. Daily Mass- the Mass is the greatest form of prayer and praise in the Church, so availing yourself of this every day will bring you much fruit.
2. Daily Rosary- talking to Mary, and asking her to pray for us will bring you many graces, and The Rosary has been known to change lives.
3. Daily personal prayer: Praying for 15 minutes in silence every day can take you far.
4. Give up all meats- Fridays are mandatory for most people, but by giving up meat completely, you will be taking a huge sacrifice on your shoulders, and it will reap many spiritual benefits.
Do not be afraid to take on a hard penance. God will give you the graces necessary for you to do it. Be not afraid of failure. These above ideas are not easy, nor should they be. They should be hard, and the harder they are, the more graces that will be given to you. Do not be afraid. Have courage to do the extraordinary.
There are three main components of Lent. Today I talked about the general idea about giving things up. In the next few days look for posts of these three main components, which are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
May the Divine assistance remain always with us, and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
It is hard to believe that next Wednesday (in nine days) is Ash Wednesday, thus marking the beginning of the penitential season of Lent. I can attest that it really is a sign of getting older when the days and months just fly by, because it just seemed like yesterday when we were celebrating Ash Wednesday, and now it is here again.
Lent is 40 days long, signifying the time that Jesus spent in the desert in the Gospels. Jesus went into the desert to pray and fast, and this is what we do in Lent. We are preparing for the death of Christ that happens on Good Friday, and we await the gift of the Resurrection that we receive on Easter Sunday, the high liturgical feast of the Church for the entire year. Easter is a sign of our redemption through Christ Jesus, and Lent is our spiritual preparation for that gift.
I bring this up today, in advance, of Ash Wednesday because we also must spiritually and physically prepare for Lent. The most practical preparation we do in anticipation of Lent are penances for the season. As kids, we were always encouraged to give up chocolate, or soda, or some kind of food or drink as a way of self-emptying, or kenosis. In the life of Christ, we continually try self-emptying ourselves for the sake our redemption. Christ self emptied himself on the Cross; we are asked to do the same in order to be Christ like.
So Lent is a time set aside in the liturgical calendar for the spiritual preparation. What do we give up? A better question is: what do we take up?
A story: In my travels and experiences the last few years, I have come to meet probably over 100 different priests, mostly in Maryland and Pennsylvania. One priest I met in Maryland tells this story: When he was in his 20's, he was a wild party animal. He would drink to excess, and party like it was the end of the world. He was crazy. He was also a fallen away Catholic, and he didn't go to Church on a regular basis. As a joke, his friend bet him that for Lent he couldn't go to daily Mass every day for the season. To prove him wrong, he took the challenge and starting going to daily Mass.
After a little while he noticed his entire life transformed, and the things which were important to him before were no longer that important. After Lent ended, he continued going to daily Mass, continuing to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Pretty soon he went into the seminary because he heard the call to become a priest, and he is now a Catholic priest in Maryland.
The question for you: we have the season of Lent to help us spiritually grow, by the grace of God. Are you willing to take up a penance or practice for Lent that can potentially change your life? We are all striving to be Christ like, and the practice you take up in Lent is supposed to have that as its end. If you do something for Lent like not eating chocolate, but it is for the purpose of losing weight, then that isn't a suitable practice. Give it up for Lent so that it can spiritually edify you.
But I go back to the question: Are you willing to change your life for Christ? If your answer to this is "yes", which I sincerely hope it is, here are some suggestions for penances:
1. Daily Mass- the Mass is the greatest form of prayer and praise in the Church, so availing yourself of this every day will bring you much fruit.
2. Daily Rosary- talking to Mary, and asking her to pray for us will bring you many graces, and The Rosary has been known to change lives.
3. Daily personal prayer: Praying for 15 minutes in silence every day can take you far.
4. Give up all meats- Fridays are mandatory for most people, but by giving up meat completely, you will be taking a huge sacrifice on your shoulders, and it will reap many spiritual benefits.
Do not be afraid to take on a hard penance. God will give you the graces necessary for you to do it. Be not afraid of failure. These above ideas are not easy, nor should they be. They should be hard, and the harder they are, the more graces that will be given to you. Do not be afraid. Have courage to do the extraordinary.
There are three main components of Lent. Today I talked about the general idea about giving things up. In the next few days look for posts of these three main components, which are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
May the Divine assistance remain always with us, and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Prayer for priestly vocations
The following is a short prayer that can be prayed even at your dinner table. Remember to pray for vocations.
Lord Jesus, you called chosen men to be with you: to preach the good news of salvation and to have authority over the powers of darkness. Send your Holy Spirit upon the men you have chosen for the priestly ministry. May they answer your call and follow you with generous hearts. Amen.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Lord Jesus, you called chosen men to be with you: to preach the good news of salvation and to have authority over the powers of darkness. Send your Holy Spirit upon the men you have chosen for the priestly ministry. May they answer your call and follow you with generous hearts. Amen.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Hearing the call, but yet you have fear
Friends,
The next question I wish to write about is: "I've had these feelings about joining the priesthood, but I don't feel like I can talk to anyone. What do I do?"
My first observation is to tell people that you can talk to people. The couple of people you would most likely approach are your parents, and your parish priest. They would be more than happy to talk to you about your feelings. But what you are talking about is actually getting up the courage to talk to someone about it.
I think this is a common element in most vocation stories I have heard over the years, that for a while the man was afraid to say something to anybody. He may go for even years without saying anything. I say this to reassure you that it is probably pretty normal for you to go through a period where it is hard for you to say something.
At the same time, this gives you the opportunity to examine why it might be hard for you to say something. Perhaps you know yourself and your failings, and you are afraid you might be dismissed because of those failings and your short comings. There might be a sense of unworthiness that you feel, and you might feel ashamed to go to a priest or your family because they may know your failing as well. Let me reassure you that if only the worthy were called to the priesthood, we would have had only one priest, and that was Jesus Christ himself. Nobody is really worthy to undertake such a task, so if you can't talk to anybody about it because of this, do not fear, and realize that no one is worthy in the end.
You might also feel rejected. We must realize that some parents are against the idea of their son becoming a priest because they fear it will make them unhappy. But really, it is in following your vocation that you will become happy, and maybe that is something to remind your parents, that every person has a vocation from God, and through that vocation will they find the most fulfillment. Find more information out about seminary and the priesthood, and try to inform your parents about it. Have them talk to a priest about their life. While I say all this, we must remember to honor and respect our parents, and remember that they try to do what is best for us. So go about this respectfully, and respect their opinion. Also, prayer goes a long way in this respect. It would be good to pray for your parents that they may be open to the possibility of their son becoming a priest, God willing.
You might also feel as though you will be targeted if you talk to a priest. So you talk to the priest, and then he has the Vocations Office on speed dial, and tells us about you. At this point, you probably fear that you won't be left alone after that, and that we will call you constantly. This isn't the case. While a priest may tell us about a man he had a conversation with, we encourage the priest to continue the conversation with you. We might send you a letter and invite you to an event, but we mostly encourage the priest to continue working with you. When you are ready, you then call the vocation office and talk to us about vocations. We work with the priest in providing you good resources to assist you in your discernment. Our office is stocked full of vocations materials that you can use, and we do our best to provide to you and the priests of the Archdiocese that material for your use. So, in short, we don't harp on men, but we gently encourage them to continue their discernment, and when they are ready, they can talk to us more seriously.
In the end, I pray that you may not be afraid in talking to somebody about movements of your heart that are telling you that you may be called to go into the seminary. Please know of our office's prayers for you and your continued discernment. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The next question I wish to write about is: "I've had these feelings about joining the priesthood, but I don't feel like I can talk to anyone. What do I do?"
My first observation is to tell people that you can talk to people. The couple of people you would most likely approach are your parents, and your parish priest. They would be more than happy to talk to you about your feelings. But what you are talking about is actually getting up the courage to talk to someone about it.
I think this is a common element in most vocation stories I have heard over the years, that for a while the man was afraid to say something to anybody. He may go for even years without saying anything. I say this to reassure you that it is probably pretty normal for you to go through a period where it is hard for you to say something.
At the same time, this gives you the opportunity to examine why it might be hard for you to say something. Perhaps you know yourself and your failings, and you are afraid you might be dismissed because of those failings and your short comings. There might be a sense of unworthiness that you feel, and you might feel ashamed to go to a priest or your family because they may know your failing as well. Let me reassure you that if only the worthy were called to the priesthood, we would have had only one priest, and that was Jesus Christ himself. Nobody is really worthy to undertake such a task, so if you can't talk to anybody about it because of this, do not fear, and realize that no one is worthy in the end.
You might also feel rejected. We must realize that some parents are against the idea of their son becoming a priest because they fear it will make them unhappy. But really, it is in following your vocation that you will become happy, and maybe that is something to remind your parents, that every person has a vocation from God, and through that vocation will they find the most fulfillment. Find more information out about seminary and the priesthood, and try to inform your parents about it. Have them talk to a priest about their life. While I say all this, we must remember to honor and respect our parents, and remember that they try to do what is best for us. So go about this respectfully, and respect their opinion. Also, prayer goes a long way in this respect. It would be good to pray for your parents that they may be open to the possibility of their son becoming a priest, God willing.
You might also feel as though you will be targeted if you talk to a priest. So you talk to the priest, and then he has the Vocations Office on speed dial, and tells us about you. At this point, you probably fear that you won't be left alone after that, and that we will call you constantly. This isn't the case. While a priest may tell us about a man he had a conversation with, we encourage the priest to continue the conversation with you. We might send you a letter and invite you to an event, but we mostly encourage the priest to continue working with you. When you are ready, you then call the vocation office and talk to us about vocations. We work with the priest in providing you good resources to assist you in your discernment. Our office is stocked full of vocations materials that you can use, and we do our best to provide to you and the priests of the Archdiocese that material for your use. So, in short, we don't harp on men, but we gently encourage them to continue their discernment, and when they are ready, they can talk to us more seriously.
In the end, I pray that you may not be afraid in talking to somebody about movements of your heart that are telling you that you may be called to go into the seminary. Please know of our office's prayers for you and your continued discernment. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Saint Valentine's Day and love
Dear friends in Christ,
Tomorrow millions of couples around the United States and beyond will be celebrating Valentine's Day. Now, it might be funny to be talking about Saint Valentine on a website dedicated to priestly vocations, but there is a connection.
I first have to admit that while I knew there was a Saint Valentine, I really had no idea about the role he played that got him on the date where couples celebrate their love. So I had to go to one of my most trusted sources, Wikipedia for some background information. From Wikipedia, I read about how in the ancient book of the saints, "The Golden Legend", Valentine was actually a priest in the Roman Empire. The story "The Golden Legend" tells is that the Emperor Claudius II made an edict, or a law forbidding young men to marry. He did this as a way to bolster his army, since he didn't consider married men to be good soldiers. Father Valentine, recognizing the importance of Christian marriage, went on a campaign to secretly marry young men and women. As a result, he was eventually thrown in jail. He was executed a few days later. This story happened in the third century after the death of Christ.
So, one can see the origins of Saint Valentine's Day to this story of a priest named Valentine who went around marrying people against the wishes of the Emperor. How far have we come from this idea of celebrating Saint Valentine's Day? The first thing is that any kind of Christian element has been taken out of the day itself. The day may celebrate love, which is a virtue in the Christian tradition, however, the "love" usually takes forms that are essentially non-Christian. For non-married couples, Valentine's Day is an excuse to engage in pre-marital sex, usually with the use of contraception. This day is also an excuse, most likely, for homosexual couple who think that what they experience is love. In both of these instances, the "love" the couple feels is a distorted and disordered love. Their idea of "love" isn't Christian love. Christian love is a beautiful union between a man and woman in holy Matrimony that is open to procreation. This Christian love is much more beautiful than any kind of distortion of love out there.
Christian love is found in every vocation God has given us, from the married life, to the priesthood and religious life. In marriage, love is fairly obvious: it is that mutual love a man and woman give each other for the sake of their sanctity. They continue to grow in love. In the priesthood and religious life, this Christian love takes the form of a non-exclusive love. Since the priest's bride is the Church, he is called to give himself to the Church in a completely loving way. In married life, the love is exclusive. For the priest, they have the benefit of their love being inclusive. They are called to love all, not in a sexual way, but in a completely Christian way nonetheless.
This points to an important aspect of the notion of love: love is a sacrifice. A man is supposed to lay down his life for his wife, and vice versa. A priest is supposed to lay down his life for his bride, the Church. Sacrifice is the ultimate notion of love. Don't let the media or popular culture tell you that love equals pleasure. This is a completely false notion of love. While it is true that Christian marriage and the marital act is pleasurable, the pleasure points to the sacrifice of each other. Sex isn't to be used as a tool for pleasure for those who are not in a marital relationship (man and woman). And those in a loving marital relationship, the marital act in which they participate would be directed to union and procreation. This doesn't mean that you can't have sex unless you are trying to get pregnant; but there must be that openness to life nontheless.
But why is sacrifice the ultimate form of Christian love? It is becase of the reality of the death of Christ. Christ says himself in the Gospel, there is no greater love than a friend giving his life for his friends. This is what Christ does on the Cross. He dies for His people, His Church so that, through His sacrifice, humanity can be saved. We celebrate this in the Eucharist. Since the priest acts in the person of Christ, that priest offers that same sacrifice for His Church. In the benediction prayer for Holy Hour, it reads: "Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the Memorial of your Suffering and Death." In the end, the love you give the people as a priest, or the love you give your husband or wife, should reflect the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
If you are reading this and think I am down on Valentine's Day, please know I am taking my fiancee to a nice dinner Saturday night for Valentine's Day, so I am not down on it; it is a great time to get together with the one you love. For those who are going out with boyfriends, girlfriends, or fiancees or spouses, I hope you have a great time, and remember real Christian love isn't getting as much pleasure as possible, but rather a reflection of the love of Christ crucified. May your actions be Christ like.
-Bobby
Tomorrow millions of couples around the United States and beyond will be celebrating Valentine's Day. Now, it might be funny to be talking about Saint Valentine on a website dedicated to priestly vocations, but there is a connection.
I first have to admit that while I knew there was a Saint Valentine, I really had no idea about the role he played that got him on the date where couples celebrate their love. So I had to go to one of my most trusted sources, Wikipedia for some background information. From Wikipedia, I read about how in the ancient book of the saints, "The Golden Legend", Valentine was actually a priest in the Roman Empire. The story "The Golden Legend" tells is that the Emperor Claudius II made an edict, or a law forbidding young men to marry. He did this as a way to bolster his army, since he didn't consider married men to be good soldiers. Father Valentine, recognizing the importance of Christian marriage, went on a campaign to secretly marry young men and women. As a result, he was eventually thrown in jail. He was executed a few days later. This story happened in the third century after the death of Christ.
So, one can see the origins of Saint Valentine's Day to this story of a priest named Valentine who went around marrying people against the wishes of the Emperor. How far have we come from this idea of celebrating Saint Valentine's Day? The first thing is that any kind of Christian element has been taken out of the day itself. The day may celebrate love, which is a virtue in the Christian tradition, however, the "love" usually takes forms that are essentially non-Christian. For non-married couples, Valentine's Day is an excuse to engage in pre-marital sex, usually with the use of contraception. This day is also an excuse, most likely, for homosexual couple who think that what they experience is love. In both of these instances, the "love" the couple feels is a distorted and disordered love. Their idea of "love" isn't Christian love. Christian love is a beautiful union between a man and woman in holy Matrimony that is open to procreation. This Christian love is much more beautiful than any kind of distortion of love out there.
Christian love is found in every vocation God has given us, from the married life, to the priesthood and religious life. In marriage, love is fairly obvious: it is that mutual love a man and woman give each other for the sake of their sanctity. They continue to grow in love. In the priesthood and religious life, this Christian love takes the form of a non-exclusive love. Since the priest's bride is the Church, he is called to give himself to the Church in a completely loving way. In married life, the love is exclusive. For the priest, they have the benefit of their love being inclusive. They are called to love all, not in a sexual way, but in a completely Christian way nonetheless.
This points to an important aspect of the notion of love: love is a sacrifice. A man is supposed to lay down his life for his wife, and vice versa. A priest is supposed to lay down his life for his bride, the Church. Sacrifice is the ultimate notion of love. Don't let the media or popular culture tell you that love equals pleasure. This is a completely false notion of love. While it is true that Christian marriage and the marital act is pleasurable, the pleasure points to the sacrifice of each other. Sex isn't to be used as a tool for pleasure for those who are not in a marital relationship (man and woman). And those in a loving marital relationship, the marital act in which they participate would be directed to union and procreation. This doesn't mean that you can't have sex unless you are trying to get pregnant; but there must be that openness to life nontheless.
But why is sacrifice the ultimate form of Christian love? It is becase of the reality of the death of Christ. Christ says himself in the Gospel, there is no greater love than a friend giving his life for his friends. This is what Christ does on the Cross. He dies for His people, His Church so that, through His sacrifice, humanity can be saved. We celebrate this in the Eucharist. Since the priest acts in the person of Christ, that priest offers that same sacrifice for His Church. In the benediction prayer for Holy Hour, it reads: "Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the Memorial of your Suffering and Death." In the end, the love you give the people as a priest, or the love you give your husband or wife, should reflect the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
If you are reading this and think I am down on Valentine's Day, please know I am taking my fiancee to a nice dinner Saturday night for Valentine's Day, so I am not down on it; it is a great time to get together with the one you love. For those who are going out with boyfriends, girlfriends, or fiancees or spouses, I hope you have a great time, and remember real Christian love isn't getting as much pleasure as possible, but rather a reflection of the love of Christ crucified. May your actions be Christ like.
-Bobby
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Our Lady of Lourdes
Dear friends in Christ,
Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Our growth in holiness should be rooted in a deep love of Christ and His mother, Mary. 151 years ago, Mary appeared to a young girl in Lourdes, France. I found a page on the popular site EWTN: Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes.
It was on February 11th, 1858 that the apparitions started happening. 151 years later, Lourdes has become on of the biggest pimgrimage sights in the world. An estimated 5 million people go every year to Lourdes on pilgrimage.
I would encourage you to learn a little bit about Lourdes, and the Blessed Mother under the patronage of Our Lady of Lourdes. Who knows the countless miracles that can happen as a result of your prayer to Our Lady?
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Our Lady of Lourdes.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Seminary curriculum
We received a great question about the actual seminary classes one takes. There are two tracks prior to theology studies. The first is college for those who haven't gone to college, or completed college. The second is pre-theology, which is designed for those who have already finished college.
College division:
I College Fall
Com 101 Oral Composition
Eng 101 College Composition
His 101 History of Western Civilization I
Lat 105 Elementary Latin I
Thl 101 Perspectives of Catholic Belief
Spring
Phl 102 Introduction to philosophy
Eng 106 Great Works of Western Lit I
His 102 History of Western Civilization
Mth 106 College Algebra and Trigonometry
Lat 106 Elementary Latin II
Thl 102 Introduction to Liturgy
II College
Fall
Eng 204 Great Works of Western Lit II
Latin 205 Intermediate Latin I
Phl 203 Logic
Psy 201 Human Development and Life Stages
Elective
Spring
Bio 201 Human Biology
Lat 206 Intermediate Latin II
Phl 204 Epistemology
Thl 203 Introduction to Scripture
Elective
III College
Fall
Hum 301 Humanities
Spa 301 Basic Spanish I
Phl 303 Metaphysics I
Thl 303 Introductory Church History
Elective
Spring
Grk 302 Elementary Greek I
Spa 302 Basic Spanish II
Phl 304 Metaphysics II
Phl 305 Ancient Philosophy
Elective
IV College
Fall
Grk 401 Elementary Greek II
Phl 401 Philosophy of Man
Thl 401 Christian Commitment and the Moral Life
Phl 405 Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy
Elective
Spring
Grk 401 Greek New Testament Readings
Phl 402 Ethics
Phl 406 Later Modern and Contemporary Philosophy
Thl 402 Introduction to Dogmatic Theology
Com 401 Oral Communication II
Elective
Pretheology Division:
Year 1
Fall semester
Phl 504 Logic
Phl 511 Ancient Philosophy
Thl 510 Practical Theological Concepts
Lat 507 Latin I
Elective
Spring
Phl 518 Medieval/Early Modern Philosophy
Phl 503 Epistemology
Thl 502 Introduction to Dogmatic Theology
Lat 508 Latin II
Elective
Year II
Fall Semester
Phl 519 Later modern/ contemporary philosophy
Phl 512 Metaphysics I
Phl 501 Philosophy of Man
Thl 505 History of Christian Spirituality I
Grk 507 Greek I
Spring
Phl 502 Ethics
Phl 504 Natural Theology
Phl Elective
Thl 506 History of Christian Spirituality II
Grk 508 Greek II
Some of the things you may notice is that the course load is very philosophically heavy. The Program for Priestly Formation put out by the USCCB (The Conference of Bishops) calls for at least 3o credits of philosophy before studying graduate level theology. Philosophy gives you important grounding in order to better grasp difficult theological concepts. The curriculums also give a great importance to the study of language, not only Greek and Latin, but the seminary recognizes the pastoral importance of Spanish.
In addition, seminarians are required to take a music class every semester, and seminarians have the opportunity to sing in the schola, or to play the organ. And I also believe that the music director also gives organ lessons to those who are interested. I hope this answers your question.
College division:
I College Fall
Com 101 Oral Composition
Eng 101 College Composition
His 101 History of Western Civilization I
Lat 105 Elementary Latin I
Thl 101 Perspectives of Catholic Belief
Spring
Phl 102 Introduction to philosophy
Eng 106 Great Works of Western Lit I
His 102 History of Western Civilization
Mth 106 College Algebra and Trigonometry
Lat 106 Elementary Latin II
Thl 102 Introduction to Liturgy
II College
Fall
Eng 204 Great Works of Western Lit II
Latin 205 Intermediate Latin I
Phl 203 Logic
Psy 201 Human Development and Life Stages
Elective
Spring
Bio 201 Human Biology
Lat 206 Intermediate Latin II
Phl 204 Epistemology
Thl 203 Introduction to Scripture
Elective
III College
Fall
Hum 301 Humanities
Spa 301 Basic Spanish I
Phl 303 Metaphysics I
Thl 303 Introductory Church History
Elective
Spring
Grk 302 Elementary Greek I
Spa 302 Basic Spanish II
Phl 304 Metaphysics II
Phl 305 Ancient Philosophy
Elective
IV College
Fall
Grk 401 Elementary Greek II
Phl 401 Philosophy of Man
Thl 401 Christian Commitment and the Moral Life
Phl 405 Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy
Elective
Spring
Grk 401 Greek New Testament Readings
Phl 402 Ethics
Phl 406 Later Modern and Contemporary Philosophy
Thl 402 Introduction to Dogmatic Theology
Com 401 Oral Communication II
Elective
Pretheology Division:
Year 1
Fall semester
Phl 504 Logic
Phl 511 Ancient Philosophy
Thl 510 Practical Theological Concepts
Lat 507 Latin I
Elective
Spring
Phl 518 Medieval/Early Modern Philosophy
Phl 503 Epistemology
Thl 502 Introduction to Dogmatic Theology
Lat 508 Latin II
Elective
Year II
Fall Semester
Phl 519 Later modern/ contemporary philosophy
Phl 512 Metaphysics I
Phl 501 Philosophy of Man
Thl 505 History of Christian Spirituality I
Grk 507 Greek I
Spring
Phl 502 Ethics
Phl 504 Natural Theology
Phl Elective
Thl 506 History of Christian Spirituality II
Grk 508 Greek II
Some of the things you may notice is that the course load is very philosophically heavy. The Program for Priestly Formation put out by the USCCB (The Conference of Bishops) calls for at least 3o credits of philosophy before studying graduate level theology. Philosophy gives you important grounding in order to better grasp difficult theological concepts. The curriculums also give a great importance to the study of language, not only Greek and Latin, but the seminary recognizes the pastoral importance of Spanish.
In addition, seminarians are required to take a music class every semester, and seminarians have the opportunity to sing in the schola, or to play the organ. And I also believe that the music director also gives organ lessons to those who are interested. I hope this answers your question.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
How Early Can You Enter The Seminary?
Friends,
Some of you might be wondering how early you can enter the seminary. The answer is that you must be 18 on your first day at the seminary in August. St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is not only a major theological seminary, but it is also a college seminary, so you can go right out of high school, provided you are 18 by August. You must be 18 for liablility purposes, since before 18 you are still technically a minor.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
-Bobby
Some of you might be wondering how early you can enter the seminary. The answer is that you must be 18 on your first day at the seminary in August. St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is not only a major theological seminary, but it is also a college seminary, so you can go right out of high school, provided you are 18 by August. You must be 18 for liablility purposes, since before 18 you are still technically a minor.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
-Bobby
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Being a priest teacher
Dear Friends in Christ,
The next question I wish to present is: "What if you want to be a teacher as well as a priest?" This is a great question. In the college level, there are many priests who teach full time. They mostly teach religion and theology, but it isn't limited to that. In fact, you can be an English teacher, or a math teacher, or anything really.
In the high schools here in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, there are a good number of priests who are teachers. They evangelize and spread the Gospel through their teaching, and it is their full time work.
But even if you don't teach full time, part of the priest's very identity is that of being a teacher. He teaches the people about Christ and His Church. As a result of this, every priest is a teacher by virtue of the office of the priesthood. If you don't teach full time, you can always do some teaching at the grade school of your parish, or you can teach CCD. A priest can also lead Bible Studies at his parish, or Catechism classes.
Having an interest in teaching is important if you are discerning the priesthood, precisely because teaching is so pertinent to the life of a priest. A priest is always teaching, and you don't always have to be in a classroom to teach. So, if you want to be a teacher, remember that it isn't incompatible with being a priest.
Take care, and may you stay close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
What if you leave the priesthood?
Dear friends in Christ,
This is a difficult question to write about, because some of us may know men who were priests who ended up leaving and getting married. I personally know no less than six priests who ended up leaving active ministry to get married, and it is hard to think about. Yet it does happen.
First, seminary life is designed to help a young man discern their vocation. If they are truly called to be a priest, then the seminary will help confirm that for them. If they are called to married life, then after a period of discernment they should leave. Men who leave the priesthood do one of two things (or both) while in seminary that results in them leaving.
The first is that instead of availing themselves of what the seminary has to offer, including daily Mass, Holy Hour, and periods of intense prayer, some men try to skim by, doing the bare minimum. They may not see a problem with missing Mass, or not doing their times of prayer every day. They may use the excuse that they are too busy. But really, the spiritual life should be primary in the life of a seminarian, and the habits a seminarian learns goes with him as a priest. So if he had the habit of missing prayer often while in seminary, when he becomes a priest he will also find himself missing the important times of prayer. Prayer for a priest is absolutely essential. If the priest doesn't pray, he will not stand a chance. Prayer is the fundamental corner stone of the life of a priest, and if isn't there, the rest of him will crumble. It is in periods of prayer that a man encounters God, and the man discerns God's will. If that conversation isn't happening, then the discernment isn't happening.
The second thing they try to do is that they view the seminary as a thing to conquer, and they try to beat the system. These are called submariners, since they go under the water and hide for long periods of time. They have formation issues that they need to work on, but instead of working on them, they hide them from everybody else, and they don't get fixed. Then, when the priest is outside of the seminary, the issues they need to work on get exasperated by the business of the priest, and the issues that they should have worked on come out glaring. This is especially the case of the priest doesn't pray. His faults and failings become an exponential problem without a spiritual base.
If someone leaves the priesthood, it is always a sad case. We must pray ernestly for the man, and we must pray that he returns to active ministry. If he gets married, we must then ernestly pray for the salvation of his soul. I don't know of any saints who left the priesthood and got married. But if a man honestly avails himself to everything the seminary offers and dives headfirst into formation and discernment, then he shouldn't have this problem, as long as he keeps up the prayer.
I hope this answers the question adequately. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
This is a difficult question to write about, because some of us may know men who were priests who ended up leaving and getting married. I personally know no less than six priests who ended up leaving active ministry to get married, and it is hard to think about. Yet it does happen.
First, seminary life is designed to help a young man discern their vocation. If they are truly called to be a priest, then the seminary will help confirm that for them. If they are called to married life, then after a period of discernment they should leave. Men who leave the priesthood do one of two things (or both) while in seminary that results in them leaving.
The first is that instead of availing themselves of what the seminary has to offer, including daily Mass, Holy Hour, and periods of intense prayer, some men try to skim by, doing the bare minimum. They may not see a problem with missing Mass, or not doing their times of prayer every day. They may use the excuse that they are too busy. But really, the spiritual life should be primary in the life of a seminarian, and the habits a seminarian learns goes with him as a priest. So if he had the habit of missing prayer often while in seminary, when he becomes a priest he will also find himself missing the important times of prayer. Prayer for a priest is absolutely essential. If the priest doesn't pray, he will not stand a chance. Prayer is the fundamental corner stone of the life of a priest, and if isn't there, the rest of him will crumble. It is in periods of prayer that a man encounters God, and the man discerns God's will. If that conversation isn't happening, then the discernment isn't happening.
The second thing they try to do is that they view the seminary as a thing to conquer, and they try to beat the system. These are called submariners, since they go under the water and hide for long periods of time. They have formation issues that they need to work on, but instead of working on them, they hide them from everybody else, and they don't get fixed. Then, when the priest is outside of the seminary, the issues they need to work on get exasperated by the business of the priest, and the issues that they should have worked on come out glaring. This is especially the case of the priest doesn't pray. His faults and failings become an exponential problem without a spiritual base.
If someone leaves the priesthood, it is always a sad case. We must pray ernestly for the man, and we must pray that he returns to active ministry. If he gets married, we must then ernestly pray for the salvation of his soul. I don't know of any saints who left the priesthood and got married. But if a man honestly avails himself to everything the seminary offers and dives headfirst into formation and discernment, then he shouldn't have this problem, as long as he keeps up the prayer.
I hope this answers the question adequately. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Army Chaplain follow up
Dear friends in Christ,
To follow up from a comment left regarding actually interviewing army chaplains, the following is a link to the archives for Holy Spirit Radio's Vocation Hour. Every month, Fr. Chris Rogers does a radio show, and almost 3 years ago he interviewed two Army Chaplains, Fr. DiGregorio and Fr. Krick. The interview happened on 6-2-2006, and here is the link: Holy Spirit Radio Vocation Hour archives. You will have to scroll down on the page to get to it. I hope you enjoy it.
To follow up from a comment left regarding actually interviewing army chaplains, the following is a link to the archives for Holy Spirit Radio's Vocation Hour. Every month, Fr. Chris Rogers does a radio show, and almost 3 years ago he interviewed two Army Chaplains, Fr. DiGregorio and Fr. Krick. The interview happened on 6-2-2006, and here is the link: Holy Spirit Radio Vocation Hour archives. You will have to scroll down on the page to get to it. I hope you enjoy it.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Being an Army Chaplain
Friends in Christ,
One of the questions we had was: "How do I become an Army Chaplain?" That was a great question, and I was the first to say that I had no idea how to become an Army Chaplain. As a result, in researching this question, I went right to my friend Fr. Steve McDermott, who I met in Philadelphia in August. He is now deployed as an Army Chaplain in Bamberg, Germany. Here is his response:
Many thanks for your email. Great question! There are two parts to
this answer.
1) The first is the issue of discernment. Obviously this is huge for
priestly vocations. We have the "Come and See" mentality to promoting
priestly vocations. But in the Army... I never had that. When I wanted
to learn more about it... I called them and "They came to Me"
Discerning
the calling to the Chaplancy is the same as discerning the calling to
Priesthood. "Is this what's God calling me to." All of that you
can
share with the person inquiring as you would a person looking at the
Preisthood.
2) If they truly feel that they are being called... then they should
talk to someone. I had three Army priests help me along the way. I can
tell you that there is a huge (and I mean HUGE) shortage of Catholic
priests in the Army. I met a Protestant Chaplain who was busting on me
about the lack of Catholic Priests in the Army. He had just gotten back
from being down-range (Iraq) and he said at his FOB (Forward Operating
Base) they would weekly have Wiccan services... but there was no Priest
there! That's a hard pill to swollow!
Nonetheless... For Philadelphia, there is a five year wait before going in to the
Chaplancy. But you can go through the school during the summer years of
Seminary (obviously with the permission of the Seminary). Let me add
here that Cardinal Rigali is VERY supportive of guys choosing the Army.
He has a friend, Msgr Philip Hill who is (or was) in the Army. When the
Cardinal heard that I choose the Army, he was very happy. In fact, he
mentioned that while in St. Louis, one of the priests there submitted a
request to go into the Navy. The Cardinal told him to go into the Army
instead... he was needed there more!! (Good Man!)
If a priest is five years ordained (in Philly) and he has the
Cardinal's approval, he will go through a VERY lengthy application
process. (Here, I would be willing to explain and help anyone
interested.) Once accepted, that person would then receive orders to
head down to Fort Jackson South Carolina for a 12 week course. This
course is broken off intro four sigments: (1) Chaplain Initial Military
Training {CIMT}, after this, there are three Phases (I, II, & III). Once
the priest graduates CH-BOLC (Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course),
he would then be assigned to a unit or a Garrison (as in my case).
If the person you are talking about would like to email me... pls feel
free to give him this address. I hope that this was helpful.
God Bless
Chaplain McDermott
If you are interested in hearing more about Army Chaplancy, feel free to contact Fr. Steve McDermott at frsmcdermott@yahoo.com. He will be happy to hear from you, and say a little prayer for him as well.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
One of the questions we had was: "How do I become an Army Chaplain?" That was a great question, and I was the first to say that I had no idea how to become an Army Chaplain. As a result, in researching this question, I went right to my friend Fr. Steve McDermott, who I met in Philadelphia in August. He is now deployed as an Army Chaplain in Bamberg, Germany. Here is his response:
Many thanks for your email. Great question! There are two parts to
this answer.
1) The first is the issue of discernment. Obviously this is huge for
priestly vocations. We have the "Come and See" mentality to promoting
priestly vocations. But in the Army... I never had that. When I wanted
to learn more about it... I called them and "They came to Me"
Discerning
the calling to the Chaplancy is the same as discerning the calling to
Priesthood. "Is this what's God calling me to." All of that you
can
share with the person inquiring as you would a person looking at the
Preisthood.
2) If they truly feel that they are being called... then they should
talk to someone. I had three Army priests help me along the way. I can
tell you that there is a huge (and I mean HUGE) shortage of Catholic
priests in the Army. I met a Protestant Chaplain who was busting on me
about the lack of Catholic Priests in the Army. He had just gotten back
from being down-range (Iraq) and he said at his FOB (Forward Operating
Base) they would weekly have Wiccan services... but there was no Priest
there! That's a hard pill to swollow!
Nonetheless... For Philadelphia, there is a five year wait before going in to the
Chaplancy. But you can go through the school during the summer years of
Seminary (obviously with the permission of the Seminary). Let me add
here that Cardinal Rigali is VERY supportive of guys choosing the Army.
He has a friend, Msgr Philip Hill who is (or was) in the Army. When the
Cardinal heard that I choose the Army, he was very happy. In fact, he
mentioned that while in St. Louis, one of the priests there submitted a
request to go into the Navy. The Cardinal told him to go into the Army
instead... he was needed there more!! (Good Man!)
If a priest is five years ordained (in Philly) and he has the
Cardinal's approval, he will go through a VERY lengthy application
process. (Here, I would be willing to explain and help anyone
interested.) Once accepted, that person would then receive orders to
head down to Fort Jackson South Carolina for a 12 week course. This
course is broken off intro four sigments: (1) Chaplain Initial Military
Training {CIMT}, after this, there are three Phases (I, II, & III). Once
the priest graduates CH-BOLC (Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course),
he would then be assigned to a unit or a Garrison (as in my case).
If the person you are talking about would like to email me... pls feel
free to give him this address. I hope that this was helpful.
God Bless
Chaplain McDermott
If you are interested in hearing more about Army Chaplancy, feel free to contact Fr. Steve McDermott at frsmcdermott@yahoo.com. He will be happy to hear from you, and say a little prayer for him as well.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Can you leave the seminary?
Dear friends in Christ,
I hope everybody's weekends were good, spend with family and friends and enjoying the time away from either going to school or going to work. Recreation and leisure is an important aspect of life, and we should always remember that we work to live, not live to work. I have been under the weather, but I appear to be on the mend, and the weekend was an important time of recovery for me.
Today's question: If you enter the seminary do you have to become a priest? Is that the only option?
This question gets at the primary reason a man goes into seminary: to further discern whether or not God is calling him to the priesthood. When a man goes into the seminary, there is a distinct possibility that he is called to the priesthood. It is also a distinct possibility that he is called to married life, or some other personal vocation, such as being a doctor, or lawyer etc. A man goes to seminary to further try to figure out if God wants them to be a priest.
A healthy number of men leave every year to go do something else, many of whom because they have honestly discerned God's call to leave the seminary. And God does call men to leave. Sometimes God calls men to go into the seminary for a period of time to train him for something else, or to prepare him for someone else, a future wife. I know a good number of former seminarians who are now married with children. They are active in their local churches, and they raise their family Catholic.
In short, it is perfectly normal to leave seminary if you feel, with the help of spiritual direction, that a call to the priesthood isn't your call. At the same time, you must be cautious when you leave, and you must make sure you are leaving for the right reasons. The decision to leave, or even stay, should never be decided on a good or bad day in the seminary, but rather, over a longer period of time. You must defeat the temptation to leave after your first bad day, because there will be many bad days, but just because you have bad days doesn't mean that you aren't called. Now, if every day is a bad day and it gets to be painful, that's one thing. What I am talking about is a bad day every now and then, but they happen to everybody.
In short, you go to the seminary to further discern whether you are called to the priesthood. And you can leave if you realize it isn't what you are supposed to do. I hope this answers the question adequately. God bless.
I hope everybody's weekends were good, spend with family and friends and enjoying the time away from either going to school or going to work. Recreation and leisure is an important aspect of life, and we should always remember that we work to live, not live to work. I have been under the weather, but I appear to be on the mend, and the weekend was an important time of recovery for me.
Today's question: If you enter the seminary do you have to become a priest? Is that the only option?
This question gets at the primary reason a man goes into seminary: to further discern whether or not God is calling him to the priesthood. When a man goes into the seminary, there is a distinct possibility that he is called to the priesthood. It is also a distinct possibility that he is called to married life, or some other personal vocation, such as being a doctor, or lawyer etc. A man goes to seminary to further try to figure out if God wants them to be a priest.
A healthy number of men leave every year to go do something else, many of whom because they have honestly discerned God's call to leave the seminary. And God does call men to leave. Sometimes God calls men to go into the seminary for a period of time to train him for something else, or to prepare him for someone else, a future wife. I know a good number of former seminarians who are now married with children. They are active in their local churches, and they raise their family Catholic.
In short, it is perfectly normal to leave seminary if you feel, with the help of spiritual direction, that a call to the priesthood isn't your call. At the same time, you must be cautious when you leave, and you must make sure you are leaving for the right reasons. The decision to leave, or even stay, should never be decided on a good or bad day in the seminary, but rather, over a longer period of time. You must defeat the temptation to leave after your first bad day, because there will be many bad days, but just because you have bad days doesn't mean that you aren't called. Now, if every day is a bad day and it gets to be painful, that's one thing. What I am talking about is a bad day every now and then, but they happen to everybody.
In short, you go to the seminary to further discern whether you are called to the priesthood. And you can leave if you realize it isn't what you are supposed to do. I hope this answers the question adequately. God bless.
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