7 Reasons To Be a Priest

NCR ^ | January 13-17, 2008 | Editors

[NYer]

Continued prayers for vocations.

[Tax-chick]

Good article! Christ instituted many sacraments throughout his life, but only one after his resurrection. That was the sacrament of confession, when he breathed on the Apostles and told them, “Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven.”

I hadn't thought of this. I'll have to mention it when I cover the Sacraments with my Sunday School class.

[stuartcr]

Doesn’t God already know who’s going to join the clergy and who’s not?

[Mad Dawg]

AND .....

The Retirement Plan is out of this world!

[Mad Dawg]

Maybe He knows that the prayers of the faithful are among the tools He will use to call them into the clergy ...

[onedoug]

Ein sof.

"If I knew God I'd be Him."

I suspect He knows, but we all, being mortal, must yet listen for that "still small voice".

[MEGoody]

Fifth: To Be Like Mary.

Mary was female and, thus, would never have been able to be a priest.

[stuartcr]

Who knows for sure? Maybe it’s just pre-destined for them to become clergy?

[stuartcr]

If He knows, then it must be just a matter of time for it to happen.

[onedoug]

God created time.

[Kevmo]

And dozens of reasons not to become a priest.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Mary was female and, thus, would never have been able to be a priest."

This is true; yt all of us are called to be Mary-like: the listen with all humility and openness and availability to God; to "hear the Word and keep it," to carry Christrand bring Him forth for the salvation of the world.

It's part of the universalcall to holiness, becdause the really important and really interesting people in Catholicism are not the priests, nor the popes, but the Saints.

And look: if the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the Pope, which of the two would drop to their knees?

[stuartcr]

Along with all else.

[NYer]

Maybe it’s just pre-destined for them to become clergy?

God imbued man with free will. If the invitation is served, it is up to the recipient to accept or refuse.

[Barnacle]

Doesn’t God already know who’s going to join the clergy and who’s not?

As Catholics we believe that God gives us the gift of free will. From one moment to the next, we make choices that determine our destiny.

[Mad Dawg]

I guess I was saying that even if we're wrong about that, and the predestination gang is right, prayers seem to be something God wants and even something He uses in working His will.

And besides, bottom line, prayer is a means which God seems to use to bring us into accord with His will.

[ducdriver]

Doesn’t God already know who’s going to join the clergy and who’s not?

Of course, since He's omniscient; He knows who is going to respond to His call and who is going to reject it. Out of His great love for us, He gives us free will to respond or not.

[Barnacle]

And dozens of reasons not to become a priest.

I can give you a thousand earthly reasons.

[stuartcr]

I believe that God knows what we are going to do.