Posted on 07/22/2006 7:06:59 AM PDT by NYer
Aw dang, Jeff, you caught us red-handed!Trying to Hook More Youths on Priesthood
In this era of Eminem and Britney Spears, of sexy sitcoms and sexier commercials, of high-speed Internet and instant gratification, a life of celibacy devoted to God can be a hard sell to a teenager.
So as the nation's Roman Catholic leaders gathered recently and watched a video called "Fishers of Men," designed to draw young men to the priesthood, they had good reason to worry about the future of their chosen way of life.
Church leaders have long been aware of the statistics. There are now about 43,000 Catholic priests in America, down from more than 58,000 in 1965. As the U.S. Catholic population has risen to about 70 million, more churches have had to share priests.
What receives less attention is that the men who go into the seminary generally don't do so until later in life. The average age of newly ordained priests was 36 last year, up from 28 in the 1960s and 26 in the 1940s.
...
Observers of vocational trends say more effort is needed now because of smaller families, with parents who want grandchildren; a secularized culture wary of lifetime commitment and celibacy; Catholic assimilation in America; and increased family mobility, which detracts from parish loyalties. [More...]
I will just agree to disagree on that point but it has been wonderful that we could discuss it nicely! I just wish we were discussing it post roe v wade!!!
Where have I violated the moderator guidelines?
Dear landerwy,
"I will just agree to disagree on that point..."
No problem. It's a point where lots of folks of good faith differ.
"... but it has been wonderful that we could discuss it nicely!"
Absolutely!
"I just wish we were discussing it post roe v wade!!!"
We will some day.
sitetest
I didn't introduce the Muslim belief in this thread, its OT.
I cited my definition clearly and its not potty.
thanks for the reply. I believe Matthias was an apostle chosen to replace Judas. I never have seen in the scriptures where apostles were bishops. That is what I was wondering!
Good night and I hope you have a wonderful mass!!
Dear marajade,
Did you read the Religion Moderator's guidelines?
sitetest
I hope soon!
Are you threatening me because I don't believe the same as you?
Dear All,
"Are you threatening me because I don't believe the same as you?"
ROTFL!!
Here we see the crux of the problem.
1. The poster uses a word in a post that is not acceptable according to the Religion Moderator's guidelines.
2. Another poster tries to give her a heads-up that she may wish to avoid that sort of language, as it won't be found acceptable.
3. The original poster questions the other poster all about what the other poster said about Muslims, and then comes back to this - taking a charitably-offered heads-up as a threat!
This shows in miniature the problem, here: the poster's responses don't show any evidence of sense, logic, or at times, even basic reading comprehension.
It's been real. It's been fun. But has it been real fun?
I'm going to bed.
sitetest
I have been watching this back and forth, and have not intervened, but it just seems to me, that you are not understanding what people are saying...
You have been told that you may have violated the moderators guidelines, by using the word 'crap', which is considered to be potty language or foul language and that is not usually allowed on the religious threads...
The rules governing the religious threads are a bit stricter and tighter than the general FR guidelines about posting..
I personally dont see where anyone threatened you for any reason...
And the introduction of something about the OT and the Muslims, may not be exactly on topic of this thread...however, everyone knows that often threads can get off topic slightly, it happens all the time...
Time out! LOL I've always wanted to do that! I just want both of you to know that I think you have good qualities! OK You can go back at it!!!
It is OT and so is all the abortion stuff and personal stuff about my marriage in this thread.
Did you even read what I said?...you were questioning where you might have violated the religion moderators guidelines, and I told you, its when you used the word 'crap', considered by some religion moderators to be the use of potty or foul language which is not allowed...
All the abortion stuff and stuff about Islam are just side issues, and that always happens on many threads...
Bookmark....this has turned out to be one of the funniest attempts at explaining Catholic belief to an anti-Catholic person ever. I want to read more after Mass tomorrow. I thought about jumping in but it's obvious there's no point! :o)
I'd like to give you a better answer, but I think a little reasoning could point in the right direction. We know that Christ established a Church, and that he promised the "gates of hell would not prevail against it". That is to say, he meant the Church to endure until his return at the Second Coming. The Apostles, eventually, would die, or more accurately "fall asleep in the Lord". Who would take their place? Who would assume the role of leaders of the Church until Christ's return? It seems unlikely that Christ's intent was that the charism of Apostle die out, especially as we have the evidence of the election of Matthias to replace the deceased Judas. The Eleven, and St. Peter in particular since he called for the election, apparently felt that there should be a succession to keep that charism alive. Who, then, would be the most likely candidates to assume the Apostolic charism, if not the bishops, since they are the highest rank of clergy cited in the New Testament?
Good night and I hope you have a wonderful mass!!
Thanks very much. Good night & God bless!
I guess my reasoning is a bit different but i guess that is why I am not Catholic. Thanks for the insight and the best to you!
What do Muslims and what they believe and the scripture from the Bible have to do with what I'm talking about? You know, First Tim 3?
Which "what I'm talking about" do you mean? Don't bother to answer.
I believe you may be right.
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