tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post2115798441291032008..comments2024-03-28T12:59:52.914-04:00Comments on southern orders: HOW DO WE GET MORE VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD?Fr. Allan J. McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16986575955114152639noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-36071181968905877732019-03-20T08:47:44.587-04:002019-03-20T08:47:44.587-04:00There were other vocation discernments in and roun...There were other vocation discernments in and round the Holy Trinity Church. My family was part of the Alleluia Community. I and my brother both went to the Legionaries of Christ to discern a vocation. I did not stay and my brother Paul did and is now ordained. Aaron Pidel was another young man that is ordained within the Jesuit Order. Bernadette Almeter entered into religious life. <br /><br />The main reason I attribute to this glut of vocations during the nineties in the parish and from the Alleluia Community especially was that we were able to have a tangible relationship with Christ. Being holy and good was something we sought after. God was real to us. As a catechist for 8th graders in a North Atlanta parish, my classes are not about the beauty of the Church or the sacraments etc. It is if God exists. It is about how our lives show we do not consider Him as existent. When I talk about the life of the Church, I have discipline problems, distraction, and craziness. When I confront them with the reality that a being like God could exist, it is utter silence, questions, and discussion. <br /><br />Vocations cannot grow if the ground is hard as the path of life. The parable of the sower is very important and pertinent. TV, life, phones, technology in general, sports teams, difficulty in talking to kids, friends etc. are some of the things that beat down the road and do not allow your kids to open up and have the discussions that lead to God. <br /><br />If we want vocations, we have to till the soil. We have to find the way to break ground and turn over the soil of our kids hearts so that they can be open to the Love and Call of God. A lot of that is our example and what we "drag" them to do in their faith. Prayer (Adoration, team prayer meetings, Mass), and Confession. These give the possible vocation opportunities to hear the call; to find God; to believe that he exists. Without the connection, there is no vocation. Mark Algernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-774903815510354422016-01-18T02:21:02.206-05:002016-01-18T02:21:02.206-05:00I love the protestant meal table.
The new "ri...I love the protestant meal table.<br />The new "rites" of ordination & consecration post June 1968 are invalid.<br />Every man who received rites in this invalid rite (FSSP,ICKSP,Society of St.John included as they use invalid bishop's for ordination) needs to be conditionally re-ordained & re-consecrated by a valid Roman Catholic Bishop.<br />Why do you think Exorcisms are up 800%?<br />The new invalid ministers can't confer Sacraments nor is anyone receiving grace in the "concilliar church" or "novus ordo".Anthony Louisville KYnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-32640062075863258002012-09-01T13:04:03.700-04:002012-09-01T13:04:03.700-04:00Our seminary rector, Msgr. Richard McGuinness (RIP...Our seminary rector, Msgr. Richard McGuinness (RIP), always asked two questions at his first rector's conference each year. "How many of you (seminarians) have lived in or around the same city or town all your life?" and "How many of you have had a priest (pastor or associate) assigned to your pariush for ten years or more?"<br /><br />About 92% lived in the same place and about 95% had the long-term presence of a priest in his parish. In this day and age, these were pretty astounding numbers.<br /><br />McGuinness' contention was that STABILITY - geographic and clergy -contributed mightily to fostering/encouraging vocations. Interesting...Pater Ignotusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-35227211957569111982012-08-31T12:03:03.655-04:002012-08-31T12:03:03.655-04:00Basically, Fr. McDonald, I agree with you. Where y...Basically, Fr. McDonald, I agree with you. Where you have a serious priest, serious liturgy, and a serious server program that actively inspires the participation of altar boys, the negative effect of altar girls on priestly vocations may be negligible. <br /><br />Unfortunately, the more typical parish situation at present is an uninspiring priest with uninspiring liturgy. In this situation it is common to observe boys to be repelled and the server corps become mostly female, and in consequence very few priestly vocations result.<br /><br />Surely it all starts with the priest, and the poor formation of priests in recent decades is undoubtedly a greater impediment than altar girls.Henry Edwardsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-61646300018499632532012-08-31T10:34:48.861-04:002012-08-31T10:34:48.861-04:00Henry, as a former vocation director for our dioce...Henry, as a former vocation director for our diocese, 1986 to 1998, I think that it is very important for altar servers to be well trained and to take seriously their role and to execute their role in the most prayerful and solemn way. At Most Holy Trinity, I had and they still have Mr. Bill Harper who has trained the servers since the 1980's. He trains them regularly, has high expectations of them and a class system of promotion based upon numerous factors and they are recognized regularly when they are promoted. Although they wear cassock and surplice (the girls were red cassock, the boys black) they also wear a cincture. The color of the cincture designates their status and rewards. The Gold cincture was the highest and meant they had to master much and then were allowed to act as MC to other servers.<br />The girl issue is important for would-be priests. They must respect girls and their role in the Church and facilitate it, honor them and work closely with them and not see them as a threat sexually or otherwise. I think given the fact the Most Holy Trinity has a very successful track record of vocations that the girls have actually helped and are supportive of the "boys" who have gone on to be ordained priests. I pray that the girls, if given good solid role models by religious women would join various religious orders. What is lacking in Augusta is a visible, traditional religious order that wears a habit and lives in community. If that where there, I assure you there would be many young women from Most Holy Trinity entering religious life. They don't want the LCWR brand of religious life which is moribound. Fr. Allan J. McDonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16986575955114152639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-54128553275593905252012-08-31T10:13:57.709-04:002012-08-31T10:13:57.709-04:00I believe it's not just "prayer and invit...I believe it's not just "prayer and invitation" in the usual general sense, but the direct effect of its pastors and the parish liturgy over a period of time, that a parish like Most Holy Trinity illustrates. When the priest at the altar inspires emulation, and the "business" at the altar is serious, boys will want to be priests. No exceptions, it always happens. Look at the vocations from a parish, and you know what kind of pastors it's had.<br /><br />The altar girl discussion is a red herring. Certainly, when the liturgy is not serious, altar boys will not be attracted, and altar service will be seen as "girly stuff" that repels boys. What's true historically is that priestly vocations come from altar service. So I think it's posturing (or self-delusion) to say that altar girls are no impediment at a;; to priestly vocations, whereas Most Holy Trinity shows their presence is not a deal breaker, but is readily over come by a positive priestly role model and inspiring liturgy. Provided in this case by Fr. McDonald.<br />Henry Edwardsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7846189835239594160.post-17291575652474111052012-08-31T08:54:04.850-04:002012-08-31T08:54:04.850-04:00"He also believes that a strong parish faith ..."He also believes that a strong parish faith life combined with solemn Liturgies done by the book and with flare contributes to the awareness of the importance of vocations and the need for serious minded and mature candidates. "<br /><br />It also contributes to those faith filled homes that are needed. Parents can't do it alone, neither can the clergy. Each influences the other.<br /><br />~SLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com