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Disciples of Pope John Paul (Faculty of Gregorian University Gripe About Piety of New Seminarians)
Newsday ^ | 4/13/05 | Matthew McAllester

Posted on 04/13/2005 8:24:06 AM PDT by marshmallow

A generation of seminarians expects to continue a conservative approach that was the signature of late pope

ROME - Just as Karol Wojtyla came to Rome to study before taking up a post in his first parish in Poland, so thousands of hand-picked young seminary students and priests from all over the world come to Rome to continue their theological educations.

They are the elite. They may not become pope, as Wojtyla did in 1978, but many will likely go on to become bishops and cardinals, as the schools' graduates have in the past.

And if the graduates stick with their current convictions, the future Roman Catholic Church will likely be as conservative as it has become under John Paul II. This generation of young men is part of his legacy. They are his spiritual and philosophical sons and disciples, and with many, even the introduction into conversation of some of the issues raised by reformist members of the church produce unease sometimes bordering on hostility.

One young deacon, from Ireland, forcefully told a reporter that he didn't think an interview should focus any longer on the issue of condoms and HIV. At another point he demanded that a reporter read back from his notes the deacon's comments about why women should not be ordained as priests.

In interviews with students from Argentina, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Angola, Ireland and Sudan over the past few days, eight young men in four colleges spoke almost as one about key topics they will face in their careers: the future direction of the church, the kind of man they would like to see elected pope, and the controversial topics of sexuality, personal morality and the role of women in the church that have many Catholics concerned that traditional stances will alienate existing and potential Catholics.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; General Discusssion; Prayer; Theology
KEYWORDS:
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"I am concerned, and I don't want to isolate this clericalism to Rome," said the Rev. Tom Splain, an American professor of cultural anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. "It's on the increase in all of our seminaries. Kind of a return to piety, kind of a superficial piety.

Yikes!! Piety in seminarians!!! What a disaster!!!!

1 posted on 04/13/2005 8:24:07 AM PDT by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

It's time for a counter-revolution to throw out all these jokers like the professor.


2 posted on 04/13/2005 8:27:49 AM PDT by Pyro7480 ("All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady." - Tolkien)
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To: marshmallow
Kind of a return to piety, kind of a superficial piety.

Since the concept of genuine piety and devotion is foreign to this professor, all piety must be superficial piety. Sheesh.

3 posted on 04/13/2005 8:31:33 AM PDT by murphE (Never miss an opportunity to kiss the hand of a holy priest.)
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To: marshmallow
Kind of a return to piety, kind of a superficial piety. ... What happens in Rome is you have a greater percentage of those types."

Amazing, I wonder if he can pick lotto numbers too

4 posted on 04/13/2005 8:33:32 AM PDT by conservonator (Blank by popular demand)
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To: marshmallow
The young seminarians and priests who come to study in Rome are "careerists," he said, who spend very little of their careers in contact with regular parishioners and their problems.

Too bad, kind of like the Church keeping it's light under a bushel basket or something...

5 posted on 04/13/2005 8:36:22 AM PDT by conservonator (Blank by popular demand)
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To: conservonator

Kind of a return to piety, kind of a superficial piety, kind of a supercalifragilistic piety. This guy is a maroon.


6 posted on 04/13/2005 8:43:07 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler ( .:: Johannes Paulus Magnus: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" ::.)
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To: conservonator
The young seminarians and priests who come to study in Rome are "careerists," he said, who spend very little of their careers in contact with regular parishioners and their problems.

I think it's rather ironic for a professor at the Greg to make this complaint, when he himself probably has had less contact with parishioners than the typical priest.

7 posted on 04/13/2005 8:46:51 AM PDT by pseudo-ignatius
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To: murphE
"Since the concept of genuine piety and devotion is foreign to this professor, all piety must be superficial piety. Sheesh."

That's why it's important for the professors to just teach the concept and the basics, and leave the 'piety' up to the Holy Ghost and it's recipient. If one is going to teach religion, one must realise that piety is real, or at least a desireable option open to some.

Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach.

8 posted on 04/13/2005 8:49:11 AM PDT by Arguss (Take the narrow road)
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To: Jeff Chandler
This guy is a maroon.

Maybe suffering form superpiospantheisticheritctheosis.

9 posted on 04/13/2005 8:54:57 AM PDT by conservonator (Blank by popular demand)
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To: marshmallow; ilConteVerde; american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; ...
And if the graduates stick with their current convictions, the future Roman Catholic Church will likely be as conservative as it has become under John Paul II.

The JPII legacy grows!

10 posted on 04/13/2005 10:36:50 AM PDT by NYer ("America needs much prayer, lest it lose its soul." John Paul II)
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To: NYer; ninenot

I can't wait until this generation becomes priests. I sent this funny article to my Gregorian seminary deacon friend in Rome. Should prove fruitful for discussion as it is passed throughout the seminary.


11 posted on 04/13/2005 10:43:09 AM PDT by Mershon
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To: NYer
"And if the graduates stick with their current convictions..."

Interesting.

Does anyone know specifically what these convictions consist of? I would be curious to know. This is good news.

12 posted on 04/13/2005 10:43:51 AM PDT by ilConteVerde
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To: marshmallow
And if the graduates stick with their current convictions, the future Roman Catholic Church will likely be as conservative as it has become under John Paul II.

And this is a problem how?

Santo subito! Giovanni Paolo il Magna!

13 posted on 04/13/2005 10:46:33 AM PDT by Bombardier (Strategic Air Command (SAC): Mission Accomplished, but needed now more than ever!)
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To: ilConteVerde
Does anyone know specifically what these convictions consist of? I would be curious to know. This is good news.

Based on the negative comments of some of the people quoted in the article I would surmise that the convictions revolve around fidelity to the magisterium and Scripture. If this proves to be true it is indeed good news.

14 posted on 04/13/2005 10:54:00 AM PDT by conservonator (Blank by popular demand)
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To: Mershon

The Greg's faculty has been regarded as less-than-orthodox for quite a while, with the usual exceptions.

There were a bunch of leftovers from Paul VI's reign, and then the inbreeding continued for a while.

I don't know if JPII ever really reversed the direction.


15 posted on 04/13/2005 11:01:58 AM PDT by ninenot (Minister of Membership, TomasTorquemadaGentlemen'sClub)
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To: ninenot

One of my college friends entered the seminary and completed his studies in Rome where he was ordained. He is now a parish priest here in Virginia at his second assignment. Not only was he heavily influenced by John Paul the Great, but he is a solid Reaganite to boot. (He served as my College Republican Vice Chairman one year.)


16 posted on 04/13/2005 11:08:04 AM PDT by ReagansRaiders
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To: marshmallow

The African students were emphatic about the ban on rubbers...

The more one reads from the article, the more it becomes apparent that the reporter REALLY tried hard to get one of them to wander away from doctrine.

Must have really had the reporter PO'd when he couldn't...


17 posted on 04/13/2005 11:08:39 AM PDT by ninenot (Minister of Membership, TomasTorquemadaGentlemen'sClub)
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To: marshmallow

I personally know 13 seminarians - two of which were sent to Rome under this very same program - and let me tell you, the Church in the next 20 years will be in very capable hands. The true affect Pope John Paul II had on the Church has yet to even be realized yet...


18 posted on 04/13/2005 11:10:26 AM PDT by mike182d ("Let fly the white flag of war." - Zapp Brannigan)
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To: ReagansRaiders

Arlington had an excellent Bishop and Voc Director for a number of years.

IIRC, your current Bishop is not the same kind of guy as his predecessor and has allowed a few tweaky things; but there are so many good men out there (including at least 1 from Milwaukee) that the Diocese should remain solid for quite a while.


19 posted on 04/13/2005 11:11:53 AM PDT by ninenot (Minister of Membership, TomasTorquemadaGentlemen'sClub)
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To: marshmallow
kind of a superficial piety

As opposed to the professor's piety? Lead by example, my good man!

20 posted on 04/13/2005 11:12:30 AM PDT by siunevada
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