[fr maximilian mary]

Ave Maria!

If you know anyone who wants to do something concrete about vocations, the young men and women are waiting. Check out the website of Mater Ecclesiae. I just went to the profession of one of their grantees, Sr. Marianna, O.P. ("Nashville Dominicans") and one of our Brothers, Br. Matthew Ball, is one of their grantees and is about to enter Novitiate Sept. 7th.

[fr maximilian mary]

ping

[GCC Catholic]

God blessed me very richly even before I began discerning a call to the priesthood; because of the circumstances He put me into, I have no debts going into seminary. That said, some dioceses are willing to work with seminarians to deal with debt; a friend of mine is also discerning, but his dad has insisted that he work to pay off his debt before applying to the diocese.

I think one important thing that can be done is to impress upon young people that debt does not need to be an impediment to discerning a vocation. Thank you for posting this and getting the word out.

[tiki]

Do the Knights of Columbus help? I know that our local chapter has an account called a Seminary Burse but they’ve never used any of the money for anything in 7 years.

[Frank Sheed]

Vocations bump!

[firerosemom]

My son is in his 2nd year at Franciscan U. in Steubenville OH, (he’s a pre-theologate, discerning the priesthood. diocesan, most likely) and we are wrestling with this very problem right now! Circumstances (too involved to insert here) are such that he is having trouble qualifying for student loans this year. He is working with the financial aid counselor at FUS on various options, but I thought I might ask here too: Does anyone know of organizations that give student loans specifically to pretheologates? I think the diocese (Manchester NH) will do something once he gets to major seminary, but it’s going to be difficult until then, unless our specific circumstances change. Any ideas are much appreciated. Thanks!

[MarkBsnr]

I’ve had a loooooong day.

I thought that it said: Debt, the Vacation Killer [Catholic Caucus] and was wondering how Catholic vacations are killed by debt as opposed to the Protestant ones.

[ichabod1]

Neither a borrower nor a lender be
Do not forget,
Stay out of debt.

[Tax-chick]

Very interesting information - thanks!

[Salvation]

**The need is great. “One of every two aspirants will have had student debt at one time,” said Corey Huber, executive director of the Fraser Family Foundation. “One of every four aspirants will have debt in excess of $25,000.”**

This has to be in undergraduate degrees from secular colleges?? Correct?

[Salvation]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

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[Frank Sheed]

Father,

EVERY seminarian should become a Knight. The RSVP Program is Order-wide:

http://www.kofc.org/about/activities/church/vocations/index.cfm

Just as every Catholic man who is a fireman, policeman or in the Military should be Knights for the insurance benefits of a First Degree Member alone!

Please check into your local Councils! The Councils give or pledge $500 to the RSVP program and they receive a refund for their efforts. My Council funded 6 seminarians each year. The last was “free” due to the $100 per capita refund from the other 5! Note that more than one Council could fund a seminarian and that we sent them CARE packages at key times in the year (like Christmas). One man asked us to cut back as he was gaining too much weight! We also gave them free tickets to any Council event. And, many came over the years for the “home cooked meals.”

F

[Coleus]

.

[Dajjal]

bumpus ad summum

[Biggirl]

Thank-you for the excellent article.

[magisterium]

I found the article title to be rather ironic. There was a time, not all that long ago, when many dioceses would subsidize (eat the cost) a seminarian who clearly had a true vocation. Many religious orders would do something similar for women religious. The abuse scandals and the previous, general erosion of participation in Catholic life by a large proportion of the laity have dried-up whatever financial help could be given to those with a vocation. THIS kind of debt, rather than student loan debt, is possibly more of a vocation killer than anything else. Twice over. It has not only removed the financial capability to help many people become priests or religious, it has also troubled the faith of many others who may have had a nascent vocation, but are now just hanging on as catholics in any capacity. Jadot’s proteges and their ilk have certainly woven a tangled web in their attempts to turn the priesthood into a giant Club Med over the last few decades.

[rimwell]

Another Catholic college helping their vocationally inclined students:

http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu/news/VianneyDrexel.html

[SuziQ]

It occurs to me that maybe some older folks, who could be donors to any program, may not be aware of the nature of the need. It used to be that young men went to Minor Seminaries for their undergraduate studies, then on to the Major Seminary. I'm not sure how those were funded, but folks may just have assumed they were paid for by each Diocese or Religious Order. Lately, many vocations have tended to be men who had attended a regular college for undergraduate school, then gone on to a Major Seminary. Because of this, they do have debt from the college, that would need to be handled at some point in time. Since their 'job' when they finish Major Seminary might preclude them from paying back a big debt, I can see how many might not seriously consider a vocation, because they see how much they owe, and don't see a way to pay that back within the typical 10 year time period.

If this problem is laid out for folks in Parishes, there may be some who might feel called to help these young men. I'm sure that they, like I, would hate to think that there are young men who are foregoing the priesthood, or men and women the religious life, because they don't see a way clear through the financial problems posed by the undergraduate degree.