The Quoteable...

[EJames]

Quotes from Fr Benedict Groeschel, one of the founders of the Franciscan Friars of Renewal,N.Y.
------
Gen X Revert: “How are you Father?”
Fr. Groeschel: (shrugging shoulders) “Ehhh…I’m old”
----------
From 'Arise from Darkness':

“No one lives the Christian life perfectly. In my life, I've known dumb Jesuits, confused Dominicans, proud Capuchins, rich Franciscans, and Salesians who can't stand small children! I've known merciless Sisters of Mercy and uncharitable Missionaries of Charity and foolish Daughters of Wisdom.” mystery of vocation.
---------
On being called a “conservative” priest: “I don’t want to conserve anything …I want to blow the whole thing up!”
'
On dressing for Mass: “The middle class dress like they are going to the beach and the upper class dress like they are coming from the beach”
'
On meeting Mother Theresa for the first time: “I thought she was so ugly she was almost cute”
'
On his funeral: “If people at my funeral talk about me like I am already in Heaven, or the music is too sappy, I am going to get up out of that coffin and scare the daylights out of everyone!!”
'
On hearing, along with a Rabbi friend, at an outdoor Easter service, a minister preach that whether the physical resurrection of the body actually happened is not important: “I wanted to push the minister over the cliff, but then thought of the headlines- Priest Kills Minister While Rabbi Looks On”.
'
On Youth 2000: “I belong to Youth 1950”
'
On his Franciscan community: “Our median age is 37 and if I drop dead tonight it will go down to 25”.
'
On translations: “In the old canon we said ‘From the rising of the sun to its dimunition,( to its setting)’-a beautiful poetic phrase, now we say ‘From East to West’. Whenever I hear that East to West I think of I-80!”
-
On the younger guys of his community: “The younger men in this community are so good I feel like I don’t deserve them. One guy I teach is so good, so holy, that on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception I wish him a Happy Name Day”.
-
On Reform from Scandal to Hope: “The fact is that the great majority of laity are more traditional and devout than they have been permitted to be by those who saw renewal as the principal object of Christian life.”
-
On the scandals from Scandal to Hope: “Does all this scandal of some Priests shake your faith in the Church? I hope so, because ultimately your faith should not be in the Church. Ultimately our faith is in Jesus Christ, and we accept the Church. We support the Church. We believe in and belong to the Church because Christ established it on His apostles.”
-
Pax et Bonum

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='EJames' post='1249005' date='Apr 19 2007, 03:45 PM']Quotes from Fr Benedict Groeschel, one of the founders of the Franciscan Friars of Renewal,N.Y.
------
Gen X Revert: “How are you Father?”
Fr. Groeschel: (shrugging shoulders) “Ehhh…I’m old”
----------
From 'Arise from Darkness':

“No one lives the Christian life perfectly. In my life, I've known dumb Jesuits, confused Dominicans, proud Capuchins, rich Franciscans, and Salesians who can't stand small children! I've known merciless Sisters of Mercy and uncharitable Missionaries of Charity and foolish Daughters of Wisdom.” mystery of vocation.
---------
On being called a “conservative” priest: “I don’t want to conserve anything …I want to blow the whole thing up!”
'
On dressing for Mass: “The middle class dress like they are going to the beach and the upper class dress like they are coming from the beach”
'
On meeting Mother Theresa for the first time: “I thought she was so ugly she was almost cute”
'
On his funeral: “If people at my funeral talk about me like I am already in Heaven, or the music is too sappy, I am going to get up out of that coffin and scare the daylights out of everyone!!”
'
On hearing, along with a Rabbi friend, at an outdoor Easter service, a minister preach that whether the physical resurrection of the body actually happened is not important: “I wanted to push the minister over the cliff, but then thought of the headlines- Priest Kills Minister While Rabbi Looks On”.
'
On Youth 2000: “I belong to Youth 1950”
'
On his Franciscan community: “Our median age is 37 and if I drop dead tonight it will go down to 25”.
'
On translations: “In the old canon we said ‘From the rising of the sun to its dimunition,( to its setting)’-a beautiful poetic phrase, now we say ‘From East to West’. Whenever I hear that East to West I think of I-80!”
-
On the younger guys of his community: “The younger men in this community are so good I feel like I don’t deserve them. One guy I teach is so good, so holy, that on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception I wish him a Happy Name Day”.
-
On Reform from Scandal to Hope: “The fact is that the great majority of laity are more traditional and devout than they have been permitted to be by those who saw renewal as the principal object of Christian life.”
-
On the scandals from Scandal to Hope: “Does all this scandal of some Priests shake your faith in the Church? I hope so, because ultimately your faith should not be in the Church. Ultimately our faith is in Jesus Christ, and we accept the Church. We support the Church. We believe in and belong to the Church because Christ established it on His apostles.”
-
Pax et Bonum[/quote]

I absolutely love this man!

I especially like this quote: “The fact is that the great majority of laity are more traditional and devout than they have been permitted to be by those who saw renewal as the principal object of Christian life.”

I have been wondering recently if a call to holiness is a vocation because I am impressed at how many deeply sincere and religious people there are. I attend Mass at a lot of different churches, at a lot of different times, and there are always, at every service, a group of devout and loving people who attend each one - it surprises me and makes me happy to think how much these people are pleasing to the Lord! It seems that there is a whole world of people who strive for holiness in their everyday lives -- and I admire them all so much.

I think this priest is one of the "holy ones" whether he knows it or not! Thanks for sharing that with us.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

I had the privilege of meeting Fr Benedict last year. He gave a talk about the relationship between psychology and spirituality. (He's a psychologist by profession.) I was deeply touched by this man's gentle spirit and 'holy humour'. At the end of the talk I asked him how young people who have been abused could get their faith back, because my friend in hospital was in a pitiful state then. I will never forget the way he said, "I will pray for her by name every day." It was such a simple thing to say, but you could tell that he meant it.

He told some amusing stories as well. He was once invited to the funeral service of an atheistic Jew, which had only a small congregation - four Pentecostal ladies and the rest Liberal Jews. One of the family members of the dead person said to Fr Benedict politely, "As you're the only religious person minister here, would you like to say a few words?" I don't know whether Fr Benedict really stumped up to the front, turned his gaze to the ceiling and said, "To Whom it May Concern" or whether that is just what he wanted to do, but I could imagine him doing it.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Cathoholic Anonymous

[the lords sheep]

[quote]On hearing, along with a Rabbi friend, at an outdoor Easter service, a minister preach that whether the physical resurrection of the body actually happened is not important: “I wanted to push the minister over the cliff, but then thought of the headlines- Priest Kills Minister While Rabbi Looks On”.[/quote]

:

[Ash Wednesday]

I love him.

[Ash Wednesday]

I love him.

[philosophette]

[quote name='EJames' post='1249005' date='Apr 19 2007, 02:45 AM']Quotes from Fr Benedict Groeschel, one of the founders of the Franciscan Friars of Renewal,N.Y.

----------
From 'Arise from Darkness':

“No one lives the Christian life perfectly. In my life, I've known dumb Jesuits, confused Dominicans, proud Capuchins, rich Franciscans, and Salesians who can't stand small children! I've known merciless Sisters of Mercy and uncharitable Missionaries of Charity and foolish Daughters of Wisdom.” mystery of vocation.[/quote]


Hilarious!!

[johnnydigit]

Fr. Groeschel is hilarious!

one time during my visit, i came with the novices to his friary for class. it's a lovely house, with a big lakeside backyard. they picked a spot near the running fountain and formed their chairs in a circle. as everyone took their seat, i awkwardly looked around for a place to sit, and Fr. Groeschel motioned for a seat to be given to me, and directed it to be placed right in front of him, in the middle of the circle. i took my seat, and he began to speak for about an hour to the class. even with the quiet trickle of the fountain, you had to lean in to be able to hear him.

such a wise man, such a serene scene, and at one point he suggested everyone take a note on something. i was sitting there empty handed while everyone else was writing, and he asked me where my pen was. as sweat trickled down the side of my face, someone passed me a pen. i began to write, but it was out of ink! somehow i got passed it and just continued to listen. at another point he mentioned a "schelp". he looked right at me and asked, "do you know what a schlep is?" i didn't have a clue, i was almost paralyzed. he said, "a schlep is.. a moron.. an idiot.." we all laughed, and i was put at ease and we keenly listened to his every word. afterwards he talked to me about my visit and sent me to get one of his books which he signed and gave to me. on the door to his office, i saw that he had a t-shirt with "Schlepman" printed on the front like superman.

===

on one of his shows he was talking about the dire situation a lot of our clergy is in. let's just say a lot of them aren't acting up to par. he talked about how the next generation of priests coming in are very promising. as for what to do with the current clergy until that time arrives, well, our clergy are growing old, and "well, we all gotta die some time.."

[shadowedseraph]

He is truly an amazing man i love the quotes

[Laudem Gloriae]

I have a set of 3 tapes/talks he gave and at point he is talking about vocations - postulants, aspirants - and he stated he tells these men - "Don't come "try" your vocation - don't bother coming. You should be coming with the intention of commitment and staying. The ones who came to "try", always left. They were defeated before they even started."

I guess it is like the mindset of some who marry: "If we don't like it, we can always divorce."

[johnnydigit]

good thread. i find myself quoting him often. i wish there was an organized place where i can find manuscripts of his shows and short segments he does on EWTN so i can properly quote him..


[quote name='Laudem Gloriae' post='1819341' date='Mar 28 2009, 09:55 PM']I have a set of 3 tapes/talks he gave and at point he is talking about vocations - postulants, aspirants - and he stated he tells these men - "Don't come "try" your vocation - don't bother coming. You should be coming with the intention of commitment and staying. The ones who came to "try", always left. They were defeated before they even started."

I guess it is like the mindset of some who marry: "If we don't like it, we can always divorce."[/quote]

that one really caught my ear as well. they have a tough charism, and don't have time to mess around..