Posted on 05/06/2011 4:58:53 AM PDT by GonzoII
At the Bottom of this post is an encouraging excerpt taken from a video, The Catholic Priest Today, produced by the Cresta Group. In it we are reminded once again of the resiliency of the Church, and that the Holy Spirit can make a way out of no way.
From a worldly perspective one would expect vocations to the priesthood to take a real hit in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal. Yet in many, if not most dioceses, vocations are up, or at least steady. One of the seminarians in the film clip says, I want to get close to our Lord, I want to pray, I want to help other people get close to Christ and Im not going to let the scandal thats been perpetrated by an another generation worry me, Im part of the solution, Im not a part of the problem. Well, said.
Here in Washington our vocations are strong. Many fine men are coming to us to discern a vocation to the priesthood. We are opening a pre-theologate house of formation, since our numbers are strong and we expect them to continue to be so, even to grow. God the Holy Spirit is up to something good. Some of our men come to us straight from college, others have had a career path of some years.
I have remarked before how pleased I am with the caliber of the seminarians I meet. They love the Church, have a strong and manly devotion to our Lord and our Lady, and deeply desire to preach the Gospel with courage and without compromise. They are committed to and well immersed in the teachings of the Church and seem keenly aware of the cultural obstacles that must be addressed. Many of them too, have experienced first hand
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.adw.org ...
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Seminarians cannot but be serious about the Priesthood now.
THANK the just made “blessed” JPII for planting the seeds when he walked on this earth!
From great trial the Church emerges triumphant -- as it has in the past and will in the future. it emerges triumphant thanks to the grace of God. Our God will not go back on His promise to His Church to keep her safe
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