How Do You Say "no" To An Archbishop?

[bonoducchi]

[quote name='son_of_angels' post='1302531' date='Jun 26 2007, 08:59 PM']I do not agree, but you have to form your own conscience in this matter. If you are a priest and close to the bishop, perhaps you can help to fix the seminary problem, perhaps you can make more available the sacraments. If these issues bother you, realize that Christ often stirs our hearts for a reason, other than simply "that they be stirred."
I do however find it somewhat ridiculous that you have so little respect or deference towards priests who are not parish priests. How do you expect there to ever be enough parish priests if contemplative or even administrative priests are not doing their jobs? Contemplative priests offer themselves, with the whole church (not simply their congregation) to our Lord in the exercise of the sacraments, and thereby obtain grace for the whole Church. Moreover, in chapels and monasteries dedicated to prayer and the sacraments, many vocations are formed that could never grow alongside the busy, often too hectic lives of the parish priest. Consider the parable of the sower, how one seed fell on hard and stony ground, and never gained a root. So it might be with those who grow up around parish priests leading the hard life of modern ministry.[/quote]

We are all entitled to disagree.

I have great respect for ordered priests. However, as I see parish after parish closed or merged, many parishes without a pastor, and daily Mass not offered at many parishes, how could I join an priestly order and live a life of priestly ministry that does not include pastoring God's people? But then again, the savior came once already, and I doubt I'm number 2....

I was out to dinner with a couple old friends tonight and got my dander up about how Christianity in America has lost sight of serving God's people and instead has become serving issues. I started pontificating in the restaurant and when I was finished, my friend asked when Fr. Dave would be opening his church. All in time.....

[Veritas]

[quote name='VaticanIILiturgist' post='1302953' date='Jun 27 2007, 12:32 AM']We are all entitled to disagree.

I have great respect for ordered priests. However, as I see parish after parish closed or merged, many parishes without a pastor, and daily Mass not offered at many parishes, how could I join an priestly order and live a life of priestly ministry that does not include pastoring God's people? But then again, the savior came once already, and I doubt I'm number 2....

I was out to dinner with a couple old friends tonight and got my dander up about how Christianity in America has lost sight of serving God's people and instead has become serving issues. I started pontificating in the restaurant and when I was finished, my friend asked when Fr. Dave would be opening his church. All in time.....[/quote]

+

That's nice, but it's really about what God is asking YOU to do and what gifts and talents he's given YOU. As a priest, you are useful simply because you exist. The Mass is not more or less efficacious because there are more or less people present. The time devoted to prayer and/or teaching by religious priests is not less important than the priest in a parish. It is a matter of both/and. The Church has some pretty interesting and profound teachings on the contemplative life, which of course not all religious life is. Perhaps if we had more praying contemplatives, we would have more priests in parishes, and good priests at that. Wait, that's not a perhaps, that is a for sure thing! So, again, where is God calling YOU?

Edited June 27, 2007 by Veritas

[bonoducchi]

[quote name='Veritas' post='1302966' date='Jun 27 2007, 12:49 AM']+

That's nice, but it's really about what God is asking YOU to do and what gifts and talents he's given YOU. As a priest, you are useful simply because you exist. The Mass is not more or less efficacious because there are more or less people present. The time devoted to prayer and teaching by religious priests is not less important than the priest in a parish. It is a matter of both and.[/quote]

Let me put it this way: if I am called to the priesthood, I would be a diocesan priesthood because I feel, at this moment, called to care for God's people in a pastoral way that gets my hands dirty. Celebrating Mass is the source and summit of life, but what flows out of that experience, for me, is something that begets service and action in the parish world.

And besides, I hated college when I was in it - why would I want to go back and teach it?

[Veritas]

[quote name='VaticanIILiturgist' post='1302971' date='Jun 27 2007, 12:55 AM']Let me put it this way: if I am called to the priesthood, I would be a diocesan priesthood because I feel, at this moment, called to care for God's people in a pastoral way that gets my hands dirty. Celebrating Mass is the source and summit of life, but what flows out of that experience, for me, is something that begets service and action in the parish world.

And besides, I hated college when I was in it - why would I want to go back and teach it? [/quote]

Okay. You do realize that you probably have a good 7-8 years of Seminary? Or, do you have a theo and philo degree? How's your Latin?

[bonoducchi]

[quote name='Veritas' post='1302975' date='Jun 27 2007, 12:58 AM']Okay. You do realize that you probably have a good 7-8 years of Seminary? Or, do you have a theo and philo degree? How's your Latin?[/quote]

Trust me, I know how much school I have left. I do want a doctorate at some point in my life, so I do have a few years of books and papers left....I'm just enjoying the freedom of work right now...

[shortnun]

[quote name='VaticanIILiturgist' post='1302953' date='Jun 27 2007, 12:32 AM']...

I have great respect for ordered priests. However, as I see parish after parish closed or merged, many parishes without a pastor, and daily Mass not offered at many parishes, how could I join an priestly order and live a life of priestly ministry that does not include pastoring God's people? But then again, the savior came once already, and I doubt I'm number 2....

...[/quote]
I'm not positive this analogy will work, but hear me out. When I read that statement you made above, it's kind of like saying "I don't feel called to be a mother (using myself as an example), but I really want to help the negative birthrate in Italy. So I'm going to move there and have 10 kids." As a woman, I could just as easily use the gifts and talents God has given me to nurture others, but it doesn't *have* to happen through biological motherhood. Just b/c you see a situation as one way (ie parishes merging, closing, and clustering) doesn't mean there's only way to respond to the situation. I don't even know if I'm clear. We may just be mincing words now.