Unhappy Priests Told To 'get Over It'

[DemonSlayer]

From: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/8917957/unhappy-priests-told-to-get-over-it/

Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey has dismissed a survey of Australian Catholic priests, which reveals many are deeply unhappy with the Church, suggesting they need to "get over it" and accept the Church as it is.

[b]The survey of 542 priests from across Australia by NSW academics Chris McGillion and John O'Carroll found many priests felt bishops were inadequate managers and they held serious concerns for the Church's future.[/b]

The survey, plus in-depth interviews with 50 Australian priests, has been compiled into a book, Our Fathers, which claims the priesthood is a "world rich in commitment but also in complaint, disillusionment and dissent".

Our Fathers reveals a deep distrust of Australian priests towards the Vatican, with 65 per cent of those surveyed saying they do not believe Rome understands the challenges they face.

[b]One WA priest said he had "no time" for the Catholic Church except as a means to an end.[/b]

Archbishop Hickey said he had not come across the attitudes reflected in the survey in his diocese, but he was aware many priests throughout Australia felt "unhappy and disaffected".

"They are mainly the priests who expected great changes after the Second Vatican Council (1962-65)," Archbishop Hickey said.

"Those changes didn't happen and so they feel the sort of church they were looking for didn't arrive and have therefore lost some enthusiasm."

He said celibacy was a struggle for some priests and many who entered the priesthood in the late 1960s had expected rules to change to allow them to marry.

"I think it was a bit naive to think that it would change," Archbishop Hickey said. "It didn't and some of them find themselves very unhappy about it all and some see celibacy as a huge burden. I have sympathy for them but their expectations were unrealistic."

[b]More than 70 per cent of priests surveyed thought clerical celibacy should be optional and several revealed they were in long-term relationships with women.[/b]

[CatherineM]

When you sign up with a club, you are told what the rules are. If you don't want to play by them, join another club.

[Brother Adam]

I don't agree that the appropriate response is to "get over it", but at the same time, the priests could have asked to be laicized and remained in good standing with the Church. Instead they are placing their own souls in peril.

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1298856684' post='2216303']
I don't agree that the appropriate response is to "get over it", but at the same time, the priests could have asked to be laicized and remained in good standing with the Church.[b] Instead they are placing their own souls in peril.[/b]
[/quote]

And others. Mark 9:42

[thessalonian]

"One WA priest said he had "no time" for the Catholic Church except as a means to an end.
"

Truly sad he wants to end up in hell.

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='DemonSlayer' timestamp='1298855221' post='2216297']

[b]One WA priest said he had "no time" for the Catholic Church except as a means to an end.[/b]
[/quote]

Wow. So they have no time for the Catholic Church, but they want to get married, and several of them are already in illicit relationships with women. If Dante knew about Vegemite, he would have incorporated it into the 9th Circle.

~Sternhauser

[CatholicCid]

[quote]He said celibacy was a struggle for some priests and many who entered the priesthood in the late 1960s had expected rules to change to allow them to marry.[/quote]
I never understand this quotation, though I've heard similar ones before. Did the priests not understand that once ordained, they could not marry? That even if the discipline changed, it would pertain to those not yet ordained? As I heard one priest from the time period put it before, (paraphrasing): It's not like they ordained us and then said 'Oh, by the way, you have to be celibate.' We knew what we were getting into.

The statistics surveyed were interesting to look into too. They attempted to survey a bit under 50% of the priests in Australia (3126 as of 2005). A third of that responded. A tenth of that was interviewed. Interestingly enough, "90.2 per cent said their lives as priests had been fulfilling." It is, though, confusing to tell if the percentages given are from the 500+ priests surveyed or the 50 priests interviewed.

Edited February 28, 2011 by CatholicCid

[Ed Normile]

This is depressing news. If I were in charge of the Church in Australia I would seek out those who were disillusioned and especially those who are in relationships with women and offer them the chance to be Laicized or retire them. They can not be properly ministering to the faithful living a life of complacency or sin. The church needs good shepherds, priests with zeal for the Word and the ability to communicate that zeal through words along with actions. These men would have to fall short on this need.

ed

[Chamomile]

It seems like the ones who were negative just want the priesthood to be stripped of all its beauty, uniqueness, and responsibility. How sad that they don't understand the great gift of their vocation. Prayers...


[quote name='CatholicCid' timestamp='1298860287' post='2216317']
I never understand this quotation, though I've heard similar ones before. Did the priests not understand that once ordained, they could not marry? That even if the discipline changed, it would pertain to those not yet ordained?
[/quote]

I think the media misunderstands this, too (like they do most things about the Church). I guess they think that all priests would just be free to date if married priests were allowed... ?

[Seven77]

[i][b]They better run; they better take cover.[/b][/i][b]
[/b]

[Groo the Wanderer]

Get in line or get out

[Socrates]

The Episcopalians or Anglicans, or whatever they've got Down Under would be happy to take them.

[Debra Little]

[quote name='DemonSlayer' timestamp='1298855221' post='2216297']
From: [url="http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/8917957/unhappy-priests-told-to-get-over-it/"]http://au.news.yahoo...to-get-over-it/[/url]

Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey has dismissed a survey of Australian Catholic priests, which reveals many are deeply unhappy with the Church, suggesting they need to "get over it" and accept the Church as it is.

[b]The survey of 542 priests from across Australia by NSW academics Chris McGillion and John O'Carroll found many priests felt bishops were inadequate managers and they held serious concerns for the Church's future.[/b]

The survey, plus in-depth interviews with 50 Australian priests, has been compiled into a book, Our Fathers, which claims the priesthood is a "world rich in commitment but also in complaint, disillusionment and dissent".

Our Fathers reveals a deep distrust of Australian priests towards the Vatican, with 65 per cent of those surveyed saying they do not believe Rome understands the challenges they face.

[b]One WA priest said he had "no time" for the Catholic Church except as a means to an end.[/b]

Archbishop Hickey said he had not come across the attitudes reflected in the survey in his diocese, but he was aware many priests throughout Australia felt "unhappy and disaffected".

"They are mainly the priests who expected great changes after the Second Vatican Council (1962-65)," Archbishop Hickey said.

"Those changes didn't happen and so they feel the sort of church they were looking for didn't arrive and have therefore lost some enthusiasm."

He said celibacy was a struggle for some priests and many who entered the priesthood in the late 1960s had expected rules to change to allow them to marry.

"I think it was a bit naive to think that it would change," Archbishop Hickey said. "It didn't and some of them find themselves very unhappy about it all and some see celibacy as a huge burden. I have sympathy for them but their expectations were unrealistic."

[b]More than 70 per cent of priests surveyed thought clerical celibacy should be optional and several revealed they were in long-term relationships with women.[/b]
[/quote]

Many of the bishops are inadequate and they are Modernists to boot. I have had only liberal bishops and priests in parishes
I've been in. The church I was confirmed in was the worst but my own parish here isn't much better. There are very few
Traditional priests and bishops anymore. Very sad!

It was not at all helpful to me, especially in my formation. I was taught nothing about the Church or the Catechism. What
I've learned was through a friend when I first came in to the Church and a little later the Carmelite Sisters. That was
my only Catholic education. What else I've learned has been learned through hunting around on my own for books
and on the internet. If I order books from certain places I can be sure they are correct.

The second Vatican Counsel was not taken in the right manner always and this liberalism is the result.
People did what they wanted to with Vatican 2. They went overboard. It would be very nice to see the
Church come back to her roots.

Edited March 1, 2011 by Debra Little