CHICAGO ORDINATION
Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago gives the greeting of peace to newly ordained Father Grzegorz Wojcik during the ordination of 11 men at St. Juliana Church in Chicago May 17. (CNS/Karen Callaway, Catholic New World)
Posted on 05/20/2008 1:42:18 PM PDT by NYer
CHICAGO ORDINATION
Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago gives the greeting of peace to newly ordained Father Grzegorz Wojcik during the ordination of 11 men at St. Juliana Church in Chicago May 17. (CNS/Karen Callaway, Catholic New World)
CHICAGO (CNS) -- None of the 11 new priests the Archdiocese of Chicago ordained May 17 were born in the archdiocese, or even in the United States. Five are from Poland, products of the Bishop Abramowicz Preparatory Seminary program that brings Polish seminarians and forms them to be Chicago priests. Two are from Mexico, one from Ecuador and one from Colombia -- all products of Casa Jesus, a house of formation for Spanish-speaking young men considering the priesthood. And two are from Tanzania, and came through Tuite House, a program at St. Joseph College Seminary for African and African-American young men who are discerning whether they have priestly vocations. While the archdiocese welcomes the foreign-born priests with open arms -- and invests time and money in helping them learn about American culture, the American church and American English -- they won't have the familiarity with the people of many native-born priests, according to priests who work with them and with native-born Catholics who are considering the priesthood.
Still better than turning parishes over to Lay Ecclesial Ministers.
As long as all of these people are in the country legally... what’s the problem?
Just doing the kind of jobs American’s won’t do?
My Parish priest in Alaska is a missionary priest from Poland (previously served in Australia) and our Brigade Catholic Chaplain (thank goodness for having one) is from Poland. The Rite of Absolution in Confession in Polish is something.
We just had a Deacon ordained to the Priesthood who is native Filipino.
Across the street from us is a Polish Parish. Most of the higher ups are native Poles.
BUT we also have three seminarians that are Americans. We bring them up right.
And in my opinion, it's the Altar Boy program but that's for another thread.
Sad to consider the US now needs missionaries from overseas to bring us heathen savages to Christ....
How many young Americans are willing to do that? I really appreciate our Catholic priests more than ever. They are truly special.
Actually, it doesn't. The problem is with the bishops. The orthodox Catholic bishops know how to attract vocations. One need only look at the work of Archbishop Burke in St. Louis to see the fruits of his labord.
Archbishop Burke to ordain nine to priesthood after making vocations 'top priority'
During his recent pilgrimage to the US, Pope Benedict XVI visited Dunwoodie seminary in Yonkers, NY. There he addressed not only the handful of seminarians but a large crowd of youth that had assembled to hear his words. He addressed them from the heart about the joy of serving the Lord as religious. Note that for the for the first time in its 100 year history, the seminary had no new students enrolled for the Fall semester. So, how did the youth respond?
Papal visit triggers “tsunami” of New York seminary applications
Young people recognize the ills of society and desperately seek a more solid base upon which to build their lives. Is it any wonder that Catholics refer to the Holy Father as "Papa"? His message was embraced by many gathered on the lawn that day. God bless him and them.
And my pastor is from Lebanon where he studied under the monks and in the seminary before attending the Latin Church seminary in Boston, MA. He is an extraordinary priest - fluent in 8 languages, invited to study Canon Law by the bishop - who has placed the needs of his small parish before his own desires. He constantly amazes me with his knowledge of everything from construction to liturgy and fearlessly tackles the physical labor needed to restore the old Church, and the future 160 y/o rectory and Church, unassisted. From him, I have learned so much about my Catholic faith. He is uncompromising in his preachings on orthodox Catholicism.
Judging from both your comments, I can only say we are all truly blessed by these foreign priess who lead us to the path of Salvation. We should thank God for them, each and every day.
Our rector and one priest in residence are Irish born. The parochial vicar, soon to be given a church of his own as we just heard Sunday ( < sniff > ) is a young black man from the south side of Atlanta. One Filipino deacon, one Nicaraguan deacon, one Cajun deacon (does that count as a furriner?) and one from L.A. (Lower Alabama).
Have a newly ordained priest coming in June to be the new parochial vicar, he's a local who spent some time in the parish as a seminarian.
In July we’re getting a priest who was born in Juarez but grew up in NM, we already kind of know him because the bishop used him as a substitute priest throughout the diocese for years. He is going to be the administrator for the 3 churches in the county and he is going to get an associate pastor who will be ordained in August.
He is the intriguing one because he is in his late 40s so he came to his vocation late in life. He has a French sounding last name but since I haven’t met him I don’t have a clue.
It is going to be a new adventure, it always is when you get a new priest, at least that is my experience. Our present pastor says the first one may be too Roman, which actually sounds good to me.
All the best! Too Roman sounds good to me!
...Or worse, merging or even closing parishes.
...Or rather missionaries from those countries that have a LOT of priests to the US to help bring spiritual renewel.
Our pastor (Monsignor) is American, but we have a Polish priest and just welcomed a Nigerian priest into our parish (an online friend from Hot Springs was mourning his loss, since he came from her parish there). They are good men and an asset to our large parish, one of three Catholic churches in this city of 80,000 in the heart of Baptist country.
From a secular or protestant perspective, I should think "no problem at all".
From a Catholic perspective, it says some unflattering things about the Archdiocese of Chicago.
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