Posted on 04/13/2004 10:17:26 AM PDT by franky
Time to toughen up the priesthood Mission presenter feels seminarians need toughening to persevere By Joanne Flemming
Who is responsible for the current shortage in vocations, especially to the priesthood? Both the church's "head and body," said Mercy Fr. Shannon Collins, who gave missions this month at Appleton and Green Bay parishes.He spoke on "the vocation crisis" Nov. 8 at Monte Alverno Retreat House in Appleton during a taping of a talk for St. Joseph Communications, which makes and distributes audio and video tapes on Catholic teachings.The "head" or bishops and other religious superiors, do not actively recruit "good solid young men" to the priesthood, Fr. Collins said.
Parents, he added, are not willing to give their sons and daughters to ordained and religious life.Another source of the problem, Fr. Collins said, is a "softness ... a type of effeminacy" in seminarians that needs to be rooted out during formation. He defined that "softness" as an unwillingness "to persevere, to take on obstacles and to overcome.
"The goal of formation, he said, should be to create men tough like Jesus "who was the toughest man in history." He said "tough" men know how to be gentle and caring as well as how to persevere.Fr. Collins listed several steps seminarians should do to create this "toughness":•
Follow a regular schedule of prayer and meditation, and practice self-denial and penance.• Participate in competitive sports, such as football and baseball.• Once a year, if possible, visit shrines of the martyrs to learn how they suffered for the faith.Fr. Collins, whose community is based in Kentucky, gave missions at St. Therese Parish in Appleton and Ss. Peter & Paul Parish in Green Bay. His theme was "Spiritual Boot Camp -- Becoming a Soldier of Christ."
Listen to Fr. Shannon discuss Celibacy Scroll down to #25
http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/seriessearchprog.asp?seriesID=6695&T1=
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