Catholic Priest Recruitment Program Launched [Fishers of Men]

FoxNewsChannel.com ^ | October 14, 2005 | AP

[Salvation]

Catholic Priest Recruitment Program Launched

 

American bishops, aiming to rebuild the dwindling ranks of Roman Catholic () priests, started a new campaign Friday encouraging clergy to invite young men into the priesthood.

 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops () said the "Fishers of Men" program () is a response to research that found nearly 80 percent of seminarians ordained in 2003 had been asked by a priest to consider the vocation. In another survey, less than one-third of Catholic clergy said they had specifically suggested that young men enroll in seminary.

 

As part of the campaign, priests in each diocese will be interviewed about what they find most rewarding in their ministries, then will meet to discuss their responses and develop a strategy to convey those thoughts to promising priest-candidates.

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The program launch comes at a difficult time in the church, as the clergy sex abuse crisis has demoralized many priests and Catholics await a Vatican () document on whether gays should be ordained. A Vatican-directed inspection of all U.S. seminaries is under way in response to the abuse scandal that began in 2002.

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Bishop Blase Cupich, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Vocations, said church leaders are aware of these challenges, but believe the program can still be effective. "Fishers of Men" has already been used successfully in five dioceses, he said.

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Since 1965, the number of annual ordinations has dropped by more than half to 454 this year.

The number of American priests has decreased in the same period from 58,632 to 42,528.

[Salvation]

For the further discussion of the Religion Forum --

[Salvation]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

[Salvation]

I know I type Recruitment into that title, but it didn't take. Could one of you please fix it?

Thanks in advance.

[Chickensoup]

First the Church needs to offload the light-in the-loafers priests. My kid's school has a barely touching the ground priest who has a poor dog he is always focused on. He is pathetic and the teens...about 600 of them are in stitches.


Now that's a man a young normal boy will want to emulate...

[Smartass]

The biggest mistake that the Vatican can do, is to allow gays into the priesthood. They must look over their shoulders and into the past. History has shown, that gays have destroyed the Catholic church, and could care less. Better to have less, but more dedicated men, then a load of damaging perverts.

[Salvation]

**Now that's a man a young normal boy will want to emulate...**

NOT!

[Salvation]

**Better to have less, but more dedicated men, then a load of damaging perverts.**

Absolutely!!!

[Salvation]

Thanks, you guys/gals?? are awesome!

[Smartass]

:o)

[baa39]

Get rid of the gay subculture in the American priesthood, and perhaps we will see a huge increase in vocations...of real, holy, pure young men who will no longer feel there's no place for them in the lavender seminaries.

[SuziQ]

In another survey, less than one-third of Catholic clergy said they had specifically suggested that young men enroll in seminary.

Archbishop Bruskewitz in the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska started getting LOTS of young men entering the Seminary in his Diocese. When asked why he thought they were willing to consider the priesthood, he replied "Because I asked them".

[Smartass]

If the Catholic Church is going to survive, the Vatican must purge and turn things around. There can be no place for that behavior in our faith, and especially at the pulpit. So far, gays have done an excellent job at demolishing the Catholic church's finances, and credibility.

[Salvation]

So true. How many of us do something for the first time only because we were asked to try it?

[Marie Antoinette]

A bump for vocations!

I have 4 boys so far, I would love for one of them to dedicate their life to Christ through the priesthood!

[Salvation]

I thought a son was headed that way also. Might be headed to the permanent diaconate instead.

[JohnRoss]

When you have a secularized priesthood, an ignorant populace and an uninspiring liturgical life, what do you expect?

[Salvation]

Improvement!

The pendulum of Catholic history has swung to the left and his coming back the other way. It is now a little bit to the right of dead center and going further right.

Have no doubts. I have been saying this for five years now.

[evilC]

from: www.catholic.org

[Bigg Red]

When you have a secularized priesthood, an ignorant populace and an uninspiring liturgical life, what do you expect?

&&
Ouch!

[Bigg Red]

Blessings upon you. We need more big families in this country. (I come from a family of 9 children.)