"Military padres a rare breed"

From Canada.com
By Matthew Fisher

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Padre Bastien Leclerc is one of the rarest of the rare. He is a Roman Catholic priest and a cleric in the Canadian Forces.

Just as the Catholic Church is having a devil of a time finding priests for its parishes across Canada, it has become more and more difficult for the military to find priests to fill billets at bases in Canada and overseas.

Forty of the 84 Roman Catholic positions in the forces are now filled by lay pastoral associates. Four more are lay deacons, meaning that the 40 priests still in uniform have become a minority within their own chaplaincy.

"It is very hard for a bishop to give up a priest but it is even worse if the priest is young and I was only 34 when I joined the military,” said Father Leclerc, whose rank is major and is Task Force Afghanistan’s senior chaplain.

"There is such a shortage of priests in Canada that some have two or three parishes and spend all their time running from masses to baptisms to marriages. I admire the priests who can do that, but that was not me."

A priest who was a padre suggested to Leclerc, who was not keen on parish life but enjoyed his work at the time with street kids in Quebec, that joining the military might be his calling.

"I took spiritual direction and prayed and signed on the dotted line," he said, pausing for a moment as a pair of fighter jets screamed past his window. "My bishop reluctantly agreed. Ten years later he can see how much happier I am."

Nevertheless Leclerc, unlike some other military priests, remains on loan to the forces, and could be called back to Quebec at any time.

"The bishop still has that option but I think he knows that he would only get half a priest back," Leclerc said with a boisterous laugh.

Leclerc’s home base is Edmonton. He has done a tour of duty in Bosnia and is now near the front end of 9 months in the heat and dust of southern Afghanistan.

Part of his duties at the Kandahar Airfield include celebrating a mass every Saturday night for a congregation that includes not just Canadians, but soldiers from many other NATO countries and devout Filipino civilian workers who provide music for the service. Leclerc also often fills in for an American padre at a mass on Sundays.

Like all padres, Leclerc went through boot camp — minus weapons training — when he joined the military. The deployment to Afghanistan was preceded by months of pre-mission training at Wainwright, Alta.

During exercises there that simulated serious casualty situations "we made training prayers," Leclerc, explaining with another big laugh that "I had to begin those prayers by stating, ‘I am faking a prayer.’

"It is different work here than in Canada. The guys are younger and we deal a lot with family issues. Some will leave a newborn and come back to a walking kid who looks at them and wonders, ‘Who the heck is that guy?’”

There is also the immense challenge of helping soldiers to deal with grief.

"There is only so much that a man can take sometimes," he said. "When they lose a friend, and sometimes more than one, they sometimes ask questions about what we are doing here."

Leclerc was philosophical about the inexorable trend toward more Roman Catholic lay ministers in the military.

"The lay ministers bring a lot of different ways of doing things, of thinking and of reflecting, and there is a real richness to that," he said.

The future of the Catholic ministry within the military was already evident in how its representatives have been divided into three groups, with priests, deacons and pastoral associates.

"A lot of our future Catholic chaplains will be permanent deacons." Leclerc said. "These are usually married people who have been pastoral associates. They are not allowed to say mass but they can do weddings and baptisms."

Leclerc considers himself to be doubly blessed to be a padre and to have been given the "experience of a lifetime" by being posted to Afghanistan.

"To be here or anywhere in the world with our soldiers is a privilege," he said. "Some people, especially in Quebec, have questioned this mission. But it is something special to be part of a team that is trying to improve the quality of life here."

"Seminarians advised to stand firm on their calling"

From Nyasa Times

Bishop of Chikwawa Diocese, the right Reverend, Peter Musikuwa has advised seminarians in the country to avoid being swayed by earthly things in order to answer their priestly calling.

“There are so many challenges and temptations which can push you away from the path to the priesthood vocation but can easily be avoided if you remain focused and depend on prayer,” Musikuwa said.

He said like Jeremiah in the Bible who tried to give excuses to God's calling, many more young priests also get trapped in things which were against the calling to priesthood.

Musikuwa who is also Episcopal Conference of Malawi Bishop Chairperson for seminarians was speaking at Kachebere Major Seminary during presentation of Cassocks to first year seminarians in Mchinji.

The Prelate said seminarians were required to follow both God's teaching and the teaching of the church to successfully respond to the vocation.

He said the Catholic Church is faced with an increasing demand for the clergy due to the swelling number of Christians who need their services.

Said Musikuwa, “The church today is looking up to the clergy to save their souls. You should live the life of Jesus Christ to bring salvation to mankind.”

Musikuwa added that to fulfill that mission, there was also need for the seminarians to have a strong will and determination in the process of pursuing the path to priesthood.

“The path to the priestly vocation is not all rosy, there are hardships which you have to overcome to make it,” Musikuwa emphasized.

Rector for Kachebere Major Seminary, Reverend Father Denis Chitete thanked Musikuwa for the word of encouragement which he said was not only for the aspiring priests but also those already ordained.

However, Chitete appealed to parents of the seminarians to provide the institution the necessary support so that the work of molding them (young seminarians) was a joint one.

“The responsibility of shaping these young ones rests on both of us the priests and the parents,” Chitete observed.

He therefore called for cooperation from the seminarians, saying formatters in the seminary were there to provide the necessary spiritual direction to only those who were also willing to take advice.

During the Cassock Day, 36 seminarians from Blantyre, Chikwawa, Dedza, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba Dioceses received their robes at a function that was characterized by various sporting activities and later a social evening.

Back to blogging

Another diaconate formation weekend behind me - now it's back to work and blogging!

"We're hiring: New drive for vocations in diocese"

From the New Ross Standard

By Conor CULLEN

BOOKLETS, leaflets, DVDs, CDs, prayer cards and even Facebook will be among the means used by the Diocese of Ferns to spread the word about the priesthood as it seeks to bolster the dwindling numbers of priests in Co. Wexford.

'Is God Calling You?' is the question that was being asked as the Ferns Diocesan Vocations Programme was officially launched by Bishop Denis Brennan at Bride Street Church in Wexford last week.

The position in the diocese at the moment and the work that will be undertaken by the eight strong Vocations Team was outlined by Fr. Joe McGrath, who is joined on the team by Fr. Jim Finn, (Vocations Director), Fr. Gerry O'Leary, Fr. Roger O'Neill, Fr. Jim Doyle, Fr. Tom Kehoe, Fr. Odhran Furlong and Fr. Brian Whelan.

At the moment there are 89 priests working in the Diocese of Ferns who were ordained here and six from outside the diocese. This is down from 110 in 1981.

The challenges facing the diocese are reflected by the number of retired priests, which now stands at 17, compared to just three in 1981.

The age profile is also worrying as the majority of the priests working the diocese were ordained in the 1950s (5), '60s (25) and '70s (19). Seventeen priests were ordained in the 1980s, 18 in the '90s, but just five have been ordained since 2000.

At the moment just one young man from Co. Wexford, James Cullen from Castlebridge, is training to become a priest. However, the diocese has also accepted an application from Pat Duffy from Co. Wicklow, a former teacher and a late vocation.

Fr. McGrath acknowledged that the diocese was in 'a difficult position', but determined to get on with things. 'We're not interested in restoring the past. We want to prepare for the future,' he said.

In an effort to reach as many people as possible the diocese also has CDs, DVDs, posters, bookmarks and will be using its website – www.ferns.ie – and a new Facebook group, to be established by Fr. Furlong.

'Our idea is to get as much information out there to young people about what a priest does,' said Fr. McGrath, adding that they will also be liaising with teachers and going to schools to talk about vocations.

Officially launching the programme, Bishop Denis Brennan 'a vocation is a mysterious thing, an affair of the heart'.

'It's partly a call, partly a response, but we can never fully own it or explain it,' said Bishop Brennan, adding that he hoped the vocations programme would 'reach and touch many, many people'.

The Bishop acknowledged that while they are one of the few organisations 'hiring' in the midst of the current recession, he would hope that's not a reason anyone would have for joining the priesthood. 'We'd like people to come to us because of who we are and what we do,' he said.

Fr. O'Leary stressed that when it comes to recruiting it will be a case of 'quality not quantity', pointing out the rigourous acceptance process for would-be priests in the diocese.

"Recruiting tomorrow’s priests and religious through the internet"

From Catholic Online

BERWYN, IL (MARCH 11, 2009)- When it comes to finding youth who will become tomorrow’s Catholic priests, brothers and sisters, things have moved to the internet.

Eighty percent of new vocations now come from the internet, a vocations director of a major men’s religious said recently at the annual Here I Am Lord youth conference this past weekend in St. Charles, IL.

Hundreds of youth converged March 6 – 8 at St. Patrick’s Catholic parish in this western Chicago suburb to hear top Catholic speakers and musicians help youth find their calling in life, whether it be marriage, the single life (single life is not a vocation officially recognized [liturgically] by the Church - Consecrated Virginity is), or a religious calling.

Among priests and sisters staffing the booths, some were very experienced in using websites, enewsletters and online advertising, while others were just getting their feet wet, perhaps feeling a little behind in things.

“I know I have to learn about these things,” one priest said. He knew how to use a word processing program, but that was about it. Kevin Banet, TreeFrogClick president, was happy to explain to him about enewsletters, and how the popular social media site, Facebook works.

Once a person signs up with Facebook as a member, which is free, one can invite others to become a friend. When they agree to accept the invitation, they can see one's profile and what other friends have written on the profile “wall.”

A religious brother at the conference said, “When I get an email from someone on Facebook asking me to be their friend, I naturally assume that it is because they are interested in a vocation. So I say yes.”

Promotion is all about relationships, and the internet helps greatly. It is something that is not easy, but it takes knowledge, experience and persistence.

Fr. Richard Neuhaus - Having The Courage to Decide

While he is speaking in the context of marriage, what Fr. Neuhaus says certainly pertains to all vocations - The Courage to Decide.

"Second South African Catholic Priest Killed by Thugs"

From Catholic Information Service for Africa

The Catholic Church in South Africa, a nation plagued by violent crime, is mourning the murder of a second priest in slightly over a week.

Fr Lionel Sham, the parish priest of Mohlakeng in Johannesburg Archdiocese, was killed on Saturday, hours after being abducted from his home. He was 66.

Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg announced that police had found the body of Fr Sham, who went missing on Friday night.

Fr. Sham's death follows that of Fr Daniel Matsela Mahula, from Klerksdorp Diocese, on February 27. Fr Mahula was killed while driving his car by four hitch-hikers. A young priest, born on June 6, 1975, and ordained on December 22, 2002, he ministered at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Jouberton at the time of his death.

"All we can do now is pray with the family, the parish of Mohlakeng and the many people who loved and knew Lionel," said Archbishop Tlhagale. "I wish to express my own gratitude to the countless people who have looked for Fr Lionel and who have prayed for his safe return."

Archbishop Buti spoke of the great love Fr Sham shared with those he came into contact with. He was a friend and mentor to many people. He had worked at Boys Town, in various parish assignments, as administrator of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg, rector of the Orientation Seminary in Welkom, Secretary of the Seminary Department of the Bishops Conference, Vocation Director and Vicar General.

Memorial services will begin Wednesday until next Monday. The funeral service will be on Tuesday, March 17 at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

"Vatican visits of women religious welcomed by most but not by all"

From Catholic News Agency

Photo at left: Sr. Eva-Maria Ackerman FMSG. Sister is helping coordinate the Apostolic Visitations

Hamden, Conn., Mar 10, 2009 / 04:12 pm (CNA).- With a review of American seminaries recently completed, the Vatican is undertaking a series of visits to “look into the quality of life” of the women’s religious communities in the U.S. However, one sister sees the Visitations as “investigations” and is encouraging her fellow religious to engage in “non-violent” resistance.

Initially Sr. Sandra M. Schneiders’ reaction to the January 30, 2009 announcement was limited to those she emailed, but soon her words found their way onto the internet and were published with her permission by the National Catholic Reporter.

“We just went through a similar investigation of seminaries, equally aggressive and dishonest,” began Sr. Sandra’s email to a few of her colleagues.

“I do not put any credence at all in the claim that this is friendly, transparent, aimed to be helpful, etc. It is a hostile move and the conclusions are already in. It is meant to be intimidating. But I think if we believe in what we are doing (and I definitely do) we just have to be peacefully about our business, which is announcing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, fostering the Reign of God in this world,” Sr. Sandra wrote.

Sr. Eva-Maria Ackerman, a Franciscan Martyr of St. George religious who is helping conduct the Apostolic Visitations, told CNA that Mother Clare Millea is receiving quite a different reception. Mother Clare has been entrusted by the Vatican with carrying out the approximately 400 visits.
“Mother Clare has been impressed with the number of requests that have been made already and she has received a great deal of good feedback about the approach she is taking in this first phase of soliciting voluntary input.”

Sr. Eva-Maria also countered Sr. Sandra’s assertion that the Visitations are operating with foregone conclusions.

“Mother Clare is open to the Spirit’s guidance through this whole process and is focusing on each phase of the Visitation as it is scheduled. She has not drawn any conclusions but rather is desirous of hearing about the reality of each Congregation as it will be expressed by the Superiors General in the first phase,” she said.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the launch of the Visitations this past January, Sr. Eva-Maria explained the three step process.

“First, Mother Clare will solicit voluntary input from the superiors general through inviting them to make personal contacts with her in Rome or in the United States. During the second stage, the major superiors in the United States will be asked for information such as statistics, activities and community practices.”

She continued, “selected on-site visits will be made during the third stage. During this time, the sisters will have an opportunity to share with the visitation teams their joys and hopes, challenges and concerns about their lives as women religious in the Church today. The final stage will be the compilation and delivery of a comprehensive and confidential review by Mother Clare to Cardinal Rodé.”

When the Vatican undertook its 2005-2006 apostolic visits to U.S. seminaries, the visitors—groups led by a bishop but also including laity—used a working document or Instrumentum Laboris to evaluate the places they visited.

Sr. Eva-Maria explained the current status of the visitations to CNA, saying, “the writing of the Instrumentum Laboris is in process and we are currently involved in phase one of the Visitation which is the individual meetings of Superiors General with Mother Clare.”

“The visitation team is focusing on the quality of life of the religious institute itself,” she added.

When CNA asked Sr. Eva-Maria if the team would be looking at the number of vocations to each community, she replied, “While religious vocations are a concern for Mother Clare and all religious congregations, it will not be a primary focus of the visits. Of course, all are encouraged to continue to pray for an increase in vocations to religious life!”

Although Mother Clare reports that she has received “a great deal of good feedback about the approach she is taking in this first phase,” Sr. Sandra is encouraging resistance to the visits.

“We cannot, of course, keep them from investigating,” Sr. Sandra wrote in her email. “But we can receive them, politely and kindly, for what they are, uninvited guests who should be received in the parlor, not given the run of the house. When people ask questions they shouldn't ask, the questions should be answered accordingly.”

“…This is not mutual and it is not a dialogue,” she continued.

“The investigators are not coming to understand -- believe me, we found that out in the seminary investigation. So let's be honest but reserved, supply no ammunition that can be aimed at us, be non-violent even in the face of violence, but not be naive. Non-violent resistance is what finally works as we've found out in so many arenas,” Sr. Sandra said.

Mother Clare sees things differently though. As Sr. Eva-Maria explained to CNA, “With the mandate given to her by the Holy See as Apostolic Visitator, she has much confidence that she will be met with respect and openness.”

Sr. Eva-Maria also underscored the support that the Visitations are receiving from other members of the Church via its Apostolic Visitations Prayer Support page on Facebook. The group has grown to almost 350 members, since being launched in February.

One sister commented on the Facebook page that Mother Clare should be “assured of the enthusiasm, prayers and support of all the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. You will find no unhappy Sisters here. God's strength and Holy Wisdom be your constant blessing.”

Sister Anne Lythgoe, also writes of her own experience as a religious. “As a Dominican for 34 years I have been deeply blessed by my vocation and have had a happy and productive life. You will find many Christ-centered, prayerful, generous and holy women all over the US. There is much to esteem among the religious of the US who have truly embraced the call of Vatican II to renew and refresh religious life. So much wonderful service as been done in the name of Our Lord and for the Church.”

Mother Clare is currently hoping to finish scheduling meetings with the various Superiors General by March 15, and will begin her on-site visits in Los Angeles on June 2.

For the latest on the Apostolic Visitations, please visit http://www.apostolicvisitation.org/en/index.html

Pope Benedict XVI Says Contemplatives Give Breath to World

From ZENIT

ROME, MARCH 9, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Contemplative communities are called to be a type of "spiritual lung" for the world, so that spiritual "respiration" is not strangled by the bustle of cities, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope said this today when he visited the Oblate Sisters of Santa Francesca Romana. He stopped at the convent after having visited the headquarters of Rome's civil authorities, where he addressed the mayor and other civil leaders.

Today is the feast day of St. Francesca (1384-1440), whom the Holy Father referred to as "the most Roman of saints."

After spending some time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and in veneration of the saint's body, the Pope addressed the sisters and students that reside at the center.

Referring to his spiritual exercises last week with the members of the Curia, the Holy Father said "he had felt once again how indispensable silence and prayer are."

He noted how the convent is located at the heart of the city, saying, "How can we not see in it the symbol of the need to return the spiritual dimension to the center of civil coexistence, to give full meaning to the multiple activities of the human being?"

The Bishop of Rome told the nuns: "Your community, together with the other communities of contemplative life, is called to be a sort of 'spiritual lung' of society, so that the performance, the activism of a city, is not devoid of spiritual 'respiration,' the reference to God and his plan of salvation. [...]

"A singular balance is lived here between religious and secular life, between the life of the world and outside of the world. A model that was not born in a laboratory, but in the concrete experience of a young Roman woman: written -- it could be said -- by God himself in Francesca's extraordinary existence.

"It is no accident that the walls of this environment are decorated with images of her life, demonstrating that the real building that God wishes to construct is the life of the saints."

In this context, the Pope stressed that also today "Rome needs women who are all for God and for their neighbor; women able to recollect themselves and give generous and discreet service; women who are able to obey their pastors, but also able to support and motivate them with their suggestions."

This vocation "is the gift of a maternity that is made one with religious oblation, modeled after Mary," the Pontiff reflected. "Mary's heart is the cloister where the Word continues to speak in silence, and at the same time is the furnace of a charity that leads to courageous gestures, and also to a persevering and hidden generosity."

Pope Benedict XVI Notes Vocational Renewal Through Retreat

From ZENIT:

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 8, 2009 (Zenit.org).- After his Lenten retreat, Benedict XVI is sharing highlights of his experience and thanking the preacher for pointing to Jesus in the Church, in his Word, and in the Eucharist.

The Pope affirmed this Saturday in an address at the conclusion of his Lenten spiritual exercises. The retreat was given to him and the Roman curia by Cardinal Francis Arinze, retired prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

The Pontiff thanked the cardinal, acknowledging that the meditations "led, enlightened, helped and renewed us in our priesthood."

He told the retreat preacher, "You have not given us theological acrobatics, but you have given us sound doctrine, the good bread of our faith."

The spiritual exercises began on March 1 and centered on the theme, "The Priest Meets Jesus and Follows Him."

Word of God

The Holy Father noted the retreat's focus on "the Sacred Scriptures, the Word of God that gives us true nourishment," and the cardinal's presentation of this Word "in complete relevance."

He affirmed that he "admired and enjoyed this concrete experience" of Cardinal Arinze's 50 years in the priesthood that helped to "concretize our faith."

Benedict XVI spoke about the story of the first disciples who followed Jesus after his invitation, "Come and see." He stated: "To see we must come, we must walk with Jesus, who always precedes us.

"Only in walking with and following Jesus can we see." He told the cardinal, "You have shown us where Jesus lives, where his dwelling is: in the Church, in his Word, in the most holy Eucharist."

Encountering Jesus

Speaking to Radio Vatican Saturday, Cardinal Arinze described the spiritual exercises as a "very positive" experience: "Seeing all meditating, praying with Jesus in the middle, daily Eucharistic adoration, and then an individual time for each, in total silence [...] It's very uplifting and positive for the Church."

The cardinal explained that in the daily preaching he wanted to transmit a central message: "The priest accepts the invitation of Jesus, he finds him and follows him. And as the Apostles were with him three years, we try to stay with Jesus so that all our lives become as the offertory procession [in the mass]."

The priest, like everyone else, he said, encounters Jesus by "believing in him, encounters Jesus in the Church, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. He encounters Jesus in the people that serve the Church, he encounters Jesus in the people that suffer: the people who have need for justice, peace and solidarity."

Cardinal Arinze continued: "Find Jesus in prayer, find Jesus in the Sacred Scripture, where Jesus speaks to us. This is the heart of these thoughts with Scripture and the liturgy as guides."

"I tried to share my Jesus, if I may say so -- without the pretense of being a great teacher, but trying, with the Scripture and liturgy as guides, to follow Jesus and to share I could," he concluded.

"South Korea Church trains new priests for North"

From Reuters
By Jon Herskovitz and Kim Junghyun

SEOUL (Reuters) - The Roman Catholic Church of South Korea has started training priests to serve in North Korea, a country criticized by the United States and others for stamping out religion, for the first time in about 40 years.

"It's not something North Korea wants us to do. We are doing this with an eye toward the future when the two Koreas unify," Monsignor Matthew Hwang In-kuk, the Episcopal vicar of the Pyongyang Diocese, said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday.

Communist North Korea, which Church officials estimated had a Catholic community of about 55,000 just before the 1950-53 Korean War, does not allow priests to be permanently stationed in the country.

The five candidates began studies a few days ago for the priesthood, Monsignor Hwang said. The Church plans to recruit a new group each year.

It will take about 10 years to complete preparations and even then, they may not be allowed into the North.

Priests from the South do occasionally visit the hermit state, usually to accompany the delivery of aid or the start of a humanitarian project, and a visiting priest reportedly celebrated mass in Pyongyang when Pope John Paul II died.

There used to be about 20 priests in the Pyongyang diocese, which was incorporated into the Seoul diocese in 1970. The priests worked in the South but only seven of the group are still active, including Monsignor Hwang, who was born in Pyongyang in 1936 and fled North Korea during the Korean War at the age of 14.

"At the time when the Pyongyang diocese was incorporated into the Seoul diocese, it was a precondition for priests like myself to go back as soon as the two Koreas unify," he said.

The same applies to the five who just entered training for the priesthood, who are not been given any special preparation for serving in one of the world's most isolated states.

NEW PUSH NORTH

The Church in South Korea launched a new push into the North about three years ago when the Vatican named Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk as the new cardinal for South Korea. He also serves as the apostolic administrator of Pyongyang.

What is believed to be the first Catholic community in Pyongyang was formed in 1896. In 1927, the Pyongyang apostolic prefecture was carved out of the then Diocese of Seoul.

Japan's defeat in World War Two brought an end to its 1910-1945 colonial rule over Korea. The peninsula was then divided along Cold War battle lines and the new communist leaders in the North crushed any religion as they tried to build a cult of personality around state founder Kim Il-sung, historians say.

Priests and religious leaders were either killed or sent to political prison camps. Those practicing any faith faced punishment or death while the North's state propaganda launched a process to turn Kim Il-sung into a deity who would lead the masses to a place that would be a heaven on Earth.

Although the North says it protects religion, the U.S. State Department said in a report in 2008: "Genuine religious freedom does not exist." It quotes defectors as saying the North executes and arrests members of underground Christian churches.

The North built several churches, including a Catholic one about 20 years ago to show it allowed the practice of religion, but human rights groups have described the move as "a sham."

The South Korean Catholic Church will not say what it estimates to be the Catholic population in the North but outside groups have said it numbers in the few hundreds to about 4,000.

There are about 4.5 million Catholics in South Korea, which has a population of about 49 million and one of the largest percentages of Catholics of any country in Asia.

Monsignor Hwang has an old map of Pyongyang hanging in his office and gladly points out where his home used to be and how close his former church -- now long gone -- was to what has now become Kim Il-sung Square in the center of the city.

"We (the priests from the North) will perhaps be dead before unification, but the students hopefully won't be."

"Our Priests, Our Heroes"

"Theologian Comments on Compilation of Vocation Stories"

From ZENIT
By Karna Swanson

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Times are tough, and more than ever people need real heroes to inspire them, says theologian Christine Anne Mugridge

Mugridge is the co-author/editor with Jerry Usher of "Called by Name: The Inspiring Stories of 12 Men Who Became Catholic Priests," published by Ascension Press.

In this interview with ZENIT, Mugridge discusses the "heroic" aspect of the priesthood, and what led her to edit a compilation of vocation stories.

Q: As a woman theologian, what led you to edit a book of priestly vocation stories?

Mugridge: As a theologian in the Church, I realize that the public at large doesn't often hear a woman share about the topic of the priesthood as a "gift": that is that Christ gives himself to all humanity as a gift through his priesthood. Each man in saying yes to the priestly call is saying yes first to Christ personally -- this response is heroic.

But let us look beyond this human element and see the priesthood in terms of Christ who then gifts himself in his eucharistic presence. I take this gift of Christ personally. The Eucharist is a powerful witness of Divine Love in the world, not a fable, not wishful thinking. The greatest gift of love is the gift of our living God -- present in holy Communion. As a Catholic laywoman, I am keenly aware of this reality and praise God for it.

These are challenging times for everyone: Both inside and outside the Church. In working on this book, I likewise wanted to defend the priesthood today from a largely negative and false perspective that has been portrayed through the media in general.

People need heroes. We need heroes to lift up our hopes and inspire us to live life with a sense of meaning and virtue even as we are challenged to the depths of our faith. The priesthood is a great gift won by the price of Christ's blood, given for the world. This vocation certainly represents a heroic form of life. The personal witness of the men in sharing their individual vocational calling is important in that while it shows us heroic virtue in action it also humanizes our understanding of the priesthood and assists the Church in expressing the Gospel message. Heroes do not have to be perfect to inspire us.

While growing up my family was very blessed to be close to our parish priests. These men were personal friends. The balance of family life and friendships with priests was always there as a part of my foundational education in the faith. I wanted to share something of this same relational experience with others.

Q: The book features a cardinal, an archbishop, a founder of an order and various other priests who have contributed to the Church in many ways. How did you choose which 12 priests you would ask for their vocation story?

Mugridge: Choosing only 12 men was very difficult, of course. In fact, we had so many good choices the book could have been three times the present volume. Readers are asking for a second edition and we certainly could fulfill that request!

I wanted to bring a global experience of the gift of the priesthood itself into one book, telling of the universal nature of the Church and the vocational calling from different cultural backgrounds. Many Catholics may never have the opportunity to meet so many varied people from different places in the world or even from another diocese. The criteria for the individual participation in writing a chapter was a high standard of holiness and openness to God's will in living out their priestly vocation today. I think the book succeeds in presenting these goals.

Q: Is there one aspect or story that stands out to you?

Mugridge: One aspect certainly struck me as we edited the testimonials. Very clearly what emerges from these stories is that the call to the priesthood is unmistakably a special call from God himself to unite with Christ's self-giving and to participate in this self-donation and thanksgiving that is the Eucharistic Celebration.

As I wrote in the introduction [I kept in mind that] there is only one priesthood and this is the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. John Paul II highlights this point as he wrote in his Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday 2005: "Christ's self-giving, which has its origin in the Trinitarian life of the God who is Love, reaches its culmination in the sacrifice of the Cross, sacramentally anticipated in the Last Supper. It is impossible -- for the priest -- to repeat the words of consecration without feeling caught up in this spiritual movement [...]

"The priest must learn to apply these words also to himself, and to speak them with truth and generosity. If he is able to offer himself as a gift, placing himself at the disposal of the community and at the service of anyone in need, his life takes on its true meaning. This is exactly what Jesus expected of his apostles. [...] It is also what the people of God expect of a priest."

Q: What are the main elements that seem to underline every vocation story?

Mugridge: The priestly call is a personal call from God to each individual man. This is not a question of a "career choice" nor a simple job to try out for a period of time on one's "faith journey."

As each man says yes to God in his priestly ordination, his identity -- his whole being -- then is eternally linked to the salvific identity of Christ himself. So deeply is this call felt, that the man who hears it cannot "avoid" it if you will -- no matter how many years or distractions he experiences!

It is amazing to read in each of the stories of the growing awareness of this reality. Each man would come face to face with God and give an answer to this Call. Likewise, it is profound to read of the corresponding grace and sacrifice that is required for each man to follow Christ.

Originally, we wanted to title the book "In Persona Christi" precisely because we could read that as each one surrendered to the call and went on to priestly ordination, the Person of Christ and his mission of salvation for the world would emerge more brilliant.

This level of appreciation for the vocation has been marred in recent years. We the editors and publisher of the book wanted to allow the beauty and mystery of the vocation to be seen anew.

Q: In the midst of so much bad news in the Church these days, this book shows us that God is still present and active in the midst of it all. What did you learn in editing this book about how God is continually working in the lives of individuals, even in the midst of challenging circumstances?

Mugridge: There is no doubt that God is continuing to work in all our lives even in the midst of challenging news. We have had our share of bad news recently -- but Christ is with us in the midst of this suffering. The Good News with a capital g is written in, with and through the Incarnate Word himself. This being said, there are many good priests whose lives inspire renewed faith.

In producing this book, we wanted to afford the reader the opportunity to read such stories; testimonies that are not necessarily being shared on a larger public scale. History unfolds both difficult and noble periods of Christian life. The mystery of salvation history we know, is that God is continually working through fallen humanity. It is not that God only tolerates mankind, it is that God in his wisdom, knowing human strengths and weakness, chooses to become one of us and wishes to share a living communion with us. We are his instruments of grace.

Each of us as baptized Christians is called to be a witness to Christ and his Church. However, it is especially in the person of the priest that Jesus Christ unites himself to the human family and in a unique manner to the People of God -- for only through the sacrifice of the mass is the Covenant Communion -- the salvific love of the Triune God -- made manifest on earth in a manner most excellent in the Real Presence.

There is no scandal in the Church now, no matter how bitter, that was not committed against the person of Christ himself first by his own followers. We must not forget the fundamental reality that at the cross, there was only one disciple standing.

Our hope therefore is not in frail humanity -- our hope is in the living presence of the person of Christ himself whose promise to remain with us until his glorious return is an unbreakable promise. It is the truth. The Bridegroom will not betray his own Bride -- his Body.

Q: Who should read this book, and why?

Mugridge: I would like to encourage everyone to read this book -- men and women, young and old. The personal witness of faith and the encouragement to pursue the call of Christ in one's life is strengthened through reading these stories. The temptation now is to see the priesthood as a type of job, focusing on the imperfections of the person and not in the mystery of the Triune God. This book identifies the presence of God in the life of these men. They share with the reader their interior dialogue with the Lord regarding being called by name. My belief in Christ and sense of optimism regarding the Church was strengthened through reading these personal stories. We encourage people discerning their own vocation to read it as well as those who want deeper insight into the Catholic Church and the vocation of the priesthood in the Roman Rite.

"Vatican: number of priests slowly rises"

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican says the number of priests worldwide is slowly but steadily rising.

The Holy See presented its yearbook filled with statistics to Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday.

Since 2000, the number of priests has gone up by several hundred each year. The two decades before that had witnessed a marked decline.

The percentage of Catholics worldwide remains stable, at about 17.3 percent.

In 2007, the last year statistics were available, Catholics numbered some 1.147 billion around the globe.

The Catholic church has been stung by sexual abuse scandals involving clergy, and the Vatican has cracked down on standards for seminarians.

Worldwide, the number of candidates for the priesthood rose by just under one-half of a percentage point, although Europe and North and South America registered small declines.

"Catholic priests meld sacred duties with personal lives"

One of our own from the Diocese of Raleigh!

From the Rocky Mount Telegram

By Laura McFarland
Photo by Alan Campbell, Fr. Tim Meares on the left, Fr. Bavinger, S.J. on the right

Being a Catholic priest is not a 9-to-5 job.

It is a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week vocation.

If somebody calls while a priest is eating dinner and needs to him to come to the hospital, he goes. If a problem arises the day before his vacation starts, he stays.

The primary role of a priest is clear and constant: He is a shepherd, a confidant, a teacher and a herald of the gospel, said the Rev. Tim Meares, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Rocky Mount. It is a life he chose at age 27 and now at 41 has never regretted.

“I love being priest. ... I would have never picked myself to be a priest. God chose me, and it is just amazing. It is a wonderful life to be able to celebrate the sacraments, to be able to teach, to be able to be involved in peoples’ lives and to see God work in such incredible, miraculous ways,” Meares said.

Beyond that core role though, changes within churches and the culture, combined with the decreasing number of men entering the priesthood in the last few decades, have had lasting effects on the life of a priest, said the Rev. Bruce Bavinger, assistant pastor at Our Lady.

“We have been used to smaller numbers. I have been used to hearing that there were smaller numbers in the seminaries from the time I entered. The sexual abuse scandals did not help at all either,” said Bavinger, who has been a priest for 30 years.

Despite substantial growth in the Catholic population, the number of men entering the priesthood in the United States significantly has decreased in the last three decades. The total has gone down from 58,909 in 1975 to 40,580 in 2008, says the Web site for the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, a nonprofit research center that conducts studies on the Catholic Church.

There were 652 Catholics per priest in 1950, the site says. By 2000, that number had soared to 1,257.

That translates into more work, especially of the administrative kind. Meares is the pastor of two churches, Our Lady and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and is responsible for the school attached to the former.

“I have a couple of priest friends of mine in Virginia, and they are responsible for four different churches, the two of them. That would not have happened, especially in predominantly Catholic areas, 50 years ago,” Meares said.

---

The numbers aren’t as good as they used to be, but there still are men answering the call to the priesthood, said Monsignor David Brockman, vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. The diocese has a steady amount of men applying.

“That has provided a good number of candidates for the priesthood in our diocese, which is a good sign of not only the family life … but also the parishes they come from. It is a testament to both, as well as their own faith,” Brockman said.

It helps that priests are reaching out to people in new ways, such as using church Web sites, downloads to iPods and e-mail, Brockman said.

People see priests as more approachable today, Meares said. They can see the human side of the man as well as the servant of God.

Meares has hobbies, like everybody else. He enjoys reading, going to the movies, snow skiing and other sports.

“It is interesting because kids always want to know if you go to Taco Bell or if you play sports or that type of thing. Sometimes they think you are different and wouldn’t do those types of things. Yeah I go to Taco Bell. I go to baseball games. I tell them, ‘When I was young, I used to love sports. I played all different sports,’” Meares said.

Things are slightly different for Bavinger. Unlike Meares, a diocesan priest, Bavinger is a Jesuit, a member of the Society of Jesus. They dedicated themselves to the church and and celibacy, but Bavinger also took a vow of poverty. Everything he has belongs to the order, and he is allowed to use it.

“I still kind of live a normal life, making purchases, but pretty much with permission as far as any big items,” Bavinger said. “I am living the same kind of life that a lot of people are, kind of a middle class life. I have access to a TV, and I have my own laptop. That was a gift to me from another parish I was in. I was allowed to keep it.”

Even in their hobbies and special interests, priests still are set apart, Meares said. As leaders, they are held to a higher standard by the public, their congregations and themselves.

“The church teaches that you should avoid all occasions of sin. That can be persons, places or things that would lead you to sin. You want to be prudent about those things. Even as a follower of Jesus Christ, you don’t want to put yourself in a place of temptation because the church teaches we are all weak, and we can all fall,” Meares said.

Regular posting to resume tomorrow

Just back from a three day Priesthood Discernment Group pilgrimage to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. We had 13 men on the trip discerning for the Diocese of Raleigh. Much posting to catch up on, but it can wait till tomorrow!

The Perfect Priest

From the blog of Fr. Zuhlsdorf - a post about the sometimes unrealistic demands placed on a parish priest. You can view the full post HERE, and read the content of a "chain letter" he posted below:

The "Perfect" Priest

The results of a computerized survey indicate the perfect priest preaches exactly fifteen minutes. He condemns sins but never upsets anyone. He works from 8:00 AM until midnight and is also a janitor. He makes $50 a week, wears good clothes, buys good books, drives a good car, and gives about $50 weekly to the poor. He is 28 years old and has preached 30 years. He has a burning desire to work with teenagers and spends all of his time with senior citizens.

The perfect priest smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his work. He makes 15 calls daily on parish families, shut-ins and the hospitalized, and is always in his office when needed.

If your priest does not measure up, simply send this letter to six other churches that are tired of their priest, too. Then bundle up your priest and send him to the church on the top of the list. In one week, you will receive 1,643 priests and one of them will be perfect. Have faith in this procedure.

One parish broke the chain and got its old priest back in less than three weeks.

"A Guy’s Guy: Dolan’s Personality May Help Archdiocese Recruit More Priests"

From The New York Times

By Paul Vitello

The big recruiters talk about him as if he were future Hall-of-Fame material — the kind you build organizations around. They talk about his “skill set,” the leadership qualities that make the young ones double their commitments.

They speak of Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of Milwaukee, the gregarious, football-coach-size prelate whom the Vatican named on Monday to take the helm of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

They hope he helps attract more men to the priesthood.

“He’s a professional extrovert, a banterer, a sports fanatic,” said the Rev. Edwin H. Obermiller, director of vocations for the Congregation of Holy Cross at the University of Notre Dame. “He knows how to talk to young men.”

In his first foray after being introduced as New York’s next archbishop at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Monday, Archbishop Dolan visited St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers — where three diocesan priests are to be ordained in May, compared with the 30 or 40 who graduated each year in the 1960s — and promised to make recruitment one of his top priorities.

The depth and difficulty of the struggle to overcome a decades-long and nationwide priest shortage can be measured by how church officials define success.

Three graduates from St. Joseph’s this year is considered a disappointing number. On Monday, Cardinal Edward M. Egan referred to the lagging ordinations there as one of the chief disappointments of his nine-year tenure as New York archbishop.

But at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee, where the rector, the Rev. Donald J. Hying, credits Bishop Dolan’s “radiant joy” and “charismatic nature” with bringing new vigor to recruitment efforts, the graduating class this year will be six.

“We haven’t ordained six priests since 1992,” Father Hying said. He said the seminary expected to graduate “five or six each year for the next few years.”

Recruiting young men to make the commitment to become priests is a complex process that involves guidance by priests as well as the self-explorations of the candidates, said the Rev. Luke M. Sweeney, director of vocations at St. Joseph’s. An important if intangible factor is how a candidate imagines himself in the future, a priest in full — and his bishop can be an important role model.

“Whenever he met with them, Cardinal Egan did an excellent job of connecting with our seminarians,” Father Sweeney said. But Archbishop Dolan brings “a different skill set” to that meeting.

“Each man brings to the job his own abilities, and Bishop Dolan is obviously blessed with a particular ability to reach out and inspire potential recruits,” Father Sweeney said.

On Monday evening, after a vespers service at St. Joseph’s chapel in which Archbishop Dolan addressed the seminarians as “the future of the priesthood I love,” many of them stood around gaping with what seemed a mixture of curiosity and awe as he held court in a scrum of television cameras and sound booms, answering questions from reporters.

The bishop laughed a lot. He spoke glowingly of the Green Bay Packers, the Mets, the Yankees, hot dogs and jelly doughnuts. At one point he shouted over reporters’ heads: “Hey, when’s opening day at Yankee Stadium?”

One seminarian, standing with his chin resting on his closed hand, smiled broadly when asked by a reporter what he thought of the new guy. “They asked us not to make comments,” he said, turning to walk down a hall to a dinner in honor of Cardinal Egan and his successor.

“But I like him.”

A moment later, Archbishop Dolan followed him down the same hallway, a long stone corridor whose walls were lined with class photos, beginning with the classes of the 1950s and ending with 2008. The gallery told the whole story: With each passing year, the camera angle of the class picture gets tighter to frame the recent classes of three and four.

Archbishop Dolan’s qualifications as a recruitment magnet for young priests include a stint in the late 1990s as rector of the Pontifical North American College, the seminary in Rome for American priests pursuing post-ordination studies. He has also written a book, “Priesthood in the Third Millennium,” composed mainly of a series of lectures he gave while in Rome, which is used in some seminaries in the United States as a textbook.

It is hard to recruit people to the Catholic priesthood these days, experts say. Many social trends work against it, from declining church attendance to the declining size of Catholic families that once happily dedicated one in the bunch to the seminary.

Father Sweeney, who visits high schools and colleges to talk to young men about the job, said that most young men have the same questions: “Will I be able to live a celibate life? Will I be able to give up on having a family? Or on the idea of making lots of money.”

The biggest question, “Is this what God really wants for me,” he said, is the hardest.

What seminarians and prospective seminarians see in Bishop Dolan, said Father Hying of the Milwaukee seminary, is “a man who has answered all these questions and who is an obviously happy person with holiness and peace inside him.”

“That’s always good for us,” he added.

Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate

"The Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate are a contemplative-active community of religious women, founded in Guelph, Ontario by Mother Mary Josephine Mulligan and Father W. Lloyd Ryan on August 1, 1977, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton.

The general aim of the Community is to strive for holiness of life in imitation of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Mother, Mary. This will be attained through a life of liturgical and private prayer, the practice of the three Evangelical Counsels and in conformity with the teachings of the Holy Father and the college of bishops in union with him.

In response to the needs of the Church the Sisters have as their Apostolate the education of youth, particularly in the field of catechetics and the care of the elderly."

H/t to Sister Elizabeth Marie, SOLI

"Heeding call to priesthood DON'T AWAIT DIVINE E-MAIL"

From Fredericksburg.com
BY Amy Flowers Umble

As a young adult, Keith Cummings felt God calling him to become a Catholic priest.

He responded by leaving the church.

"It was a radical way of life, and one that I was not ready to embrace," Cummings said.

Overwhelmingly, young Catholic men are turning away from the priesthood.

The number of American priests began dropping in the late 1970s and has declined ever since, creating a priest shortage in the country, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

Religious scholars and the Vatican offer a number of reasons for the decline: smaller Catholic family sizes, a tarnished image of Catholic clergy following sex-abuse scandals, a cultural shift in American priorities and the celibacy requirement.

But the impact is pretty similar. Parishes often struggle without priests. Some share clergy. Some shut down.

But this isn't much of a problem in the Arlington Diocese of the Catholic Church, which extends from Northern Virginia through Spotsylvania County. In fact, while nationally the priesthood has declined, the diocese has had a growing number of priests since its formation in 1974.

Now, more than 160 diocesan priests serve in 68 parishes. The number is adequate, but if more priests came on board, the diocese could open more parishes for the growing Catholic population.
With that goal, the diocese has an active vocations program to help those who, like Cummings, may feel a calling but hesitate to take the leap of faith.

Over the course of 20 years, Cummings came back to the church occasionally. In 2005, after the death of his mother, he began attending Mass several times a week. He knew he would probably end up a priest.

Still, Cummings--who worked as a computer scientist in King George County--doubted his worthiness. Priests, he thought, were a lot like the saints: extremely holy.

He brought his concern to the Rev. Brian Bachista, vocations director for the Arlington Diocese. It's a common worry.

"What we say off the bat is that you're not worthy enough, and you're not holy enough. There are no perfect priests," Bachista said. "We're all called to be faithful Christians and the reason one explores the priesthood is not their level of holiness but because they believe this is what God created them for."

On Easter 2006, Cummings said he definitely felt God calling him to be a priest with a very strong, peaceful feeling.

It took nearly a year to apply to seminary. The proc-ess involves a 38-page application, eight letters of reference, a criminal background check, a psychological evaluation, two essays and a 10-page biography.

"The process is similar to applying to a college, with a much more detailed analysis on our personalities and spirituality," said Jason Burchell, a Courtland High School graduate studying to be a priest.

The application is long and difficult, but Cummings said he understood.

"The church takes very seriously the problems of the past," he said.

The process weeds out the majority of applicants, Bachista said. They are not asked to continue to seminary if they've committed any sexual abuse or if they have deep-seated homosexual tendencies, he said. Also, anyone who comes to the priesthood immediately after a job loss or breakup is asked to wait a year.

After making it through the screening process, potential priests enter seminary. The diocese sends priests to one of six seminaries. Cummings attends a Massachusetts seminary, geared toward older men. Burchell, 29, attends one in Maryland.

For most men who, like Cummings and Burchell, already have college degrees, it takes about six years of study to become a priest. The diocese pays the $30,000 annual tuition. About 75 percent of those with degrees will go on to become priests. About 50 percent of those without college degrees will finish. Those who become priests serve in the sponsoring diocese.

Most of the 33 men now studying to become priests first finished college and had another career. The trend, Bachista said, has been for older men to enter the priesthood.

But he sees that changing and attributes it to Pope John Paul II's outreach to youth.

Burchell said that many of his generation felt closer to the recent pope and this, in turn, changed them from a "me-first" generation to one prepared to serve.

The sacrifices of the priesthood are great, he and Cummings said. Even now, they spend much of their time in class, teaching and and serving. And in the future, they expect to work hard as priests.

"All of our life is a balancing act between the sacrifices we make and the compensations we get from those sacrifices," Cummings said. "This is a radical sacrifice but we are compensated by Christ himself."

Blessed Damien of Molokai to be Canonized on October 11

From an Associated Press article:

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A 19th-century Belgian priest who ministered to leprosy patients in Hawaii, and died of the disease, will be declared a saint this year at a Vatican ceremony presided over by Pope Benedict XVI.

The Rev. Damien de Veuster's canonization date of Oct. 11 was set Saturday.

Born Joseph de Veuster in 1840, he took the name Damien and went to Hawaii in 1864 to join other missionaries of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Nine years later, he began ministering to leprosy patients on the remote Kalaupapa peninsula of Molokai island, where some 8,000 people had been banished amid an epidemic in Hawaii in the 1850s.

The priest eventually contracted the disease, also known as Hansen's disease, and died in 1889 at age 49.

"He went there (to Hawaii) knowing that he could never return," The Rev. Alfred Bell, who spearheaded Damien's canonization cause, told Vatican Radio. "He suffered a lot, but he stayed."

De Veuster was beatified — a step toward sainthood — in 1995 by Pope John Paul II.

The Vatican's saint-making procedures require that a miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession be confirmed in order for him or her to be beatified. De Veuster was beatified after the Vatican declared that the 1987 recovery of a nun of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary was a miracle. The nun recovered after praying to Damien.

After beatification, a second miracle is needed for sainthood.

In July, Benedict declared that a Honolulu woman's recovery in 1999 from terminal lung cancer was the miracle needed for de Veuster to be made a saint.

The Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints said Audrey Toguchi's 1999 recovery from lung cancer defied medical explanation. Toguchi, too, had prayed to Damien.

The Vatican announced the date for Damien's canonization and that of nine others. Five will be declared saints at a ceremony April 26, with the rest, including Damien, on Oct. 11.

Bell said Damien's concern for others was a model for all the faithful today, particularly the young.

"Father Damien's example helps us to not forget those who are forgettable in the world," he said.

"'God created me a deaf person for his glory,' explains priest"

From Catholic News Agency

By Sr. Lou Ella Hickman

Corpus Christi, Texas, Feb 21, 2009 / 04:16 pm (CNA).- When Father Tom Coughlin began seriously considering a priestly vocation in high school, little did he realize how long and winding the road would be to becoming the first deaf priest ordained in the United States.

Fr. Tom began applying to various seminaries after he graduated from high school, but was turned down from one after the other due to the fact that he is deaf. Instead, he went on to study and graduate from Gallaudet University in 1972 with a BA in English and then in 1976 obtained his MA in Religious Studies from Catholic University. He entered the Trinitarians in 1972 and was finally ordained by Cardinal Lawrence Sheehan of Baltimore in 1977.

He met with so much opposition before and after ordination that he almost quit, explained Fr. Tom to Sr. Lou Ella Hickman of the South Texas Catholic Newspaper. “Most people were not prepared to welcome a deaf person. I was all alone, but the vocation director Father Joseph Lupo told me ‘You have to open the door. You have to suffer so others won’t.’ And I saw his point. Following Christ you have to make sacrifices. One has to enter the mystery of suffering in order to pray better. Mary, Joseph, the apostles all suffered but they understood the meaning of God’s love.”

Fr. Tom also received support from Cardinal Pio Laghi, former Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the United States, also gave his support to Fr. Tom’s effort to start a community that would minister to the deaf.

Years later, Cardinal O’Connor of New York invited Fr. Tom to set up a House of Studies for deaf seminarians in Yonkers, New York which was later transferred to the Archdiocese of San Francisco upon the death of Cardinal O’Conner.

Bishop Allen Vigneron of the Oakland Diocese erected Fr. Tom’s deaf community to the status of Private Association of the Faithful – one of the first steps in the creation of a creation of a religious institute. As result, the community moved from San Francisco to Oakland. Then, in 2007, the community moved from California to San Antonio, Texas as the cost of living there was too high.

Now that the community has moved to San Antonio, Fr. Tom explains, “The vocations are coming to us.” That translates to nine members. One is in theology and hopefully will be ordained in about two years. There are three novices, one postulant, two are in philosophy and one is earning a master’s in Spanish. As all of the prayers and formation is done in sign language, if someone is interested he would have to proficient in signing in order to join.

Fr. Tom is currently in contact with ten men who are interested in joining the community.

At present, the down side to this community is that they depend one hundred percent on donations, however, Fr. Tom is also very interested in admitting more men so that the deaf in other cities such as Chicago and New York can benefit from their charism, the special God-given gift that the community lives out. And for Fr. Tom, that is best part of his ministry. He described it simply, “The Word became Flesh. In sign language God’s word is more clear’ not just verbal but made flesh. This is our charism.”

Litany in Honor of St. Francis de Sales, Patron of the Deaf:

For the Church, that we may become more aware of the great giftedness of those with disabilities, — St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

For the Church, that we may like Christ, reach out and empower those with disabilities, — St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

For each local Church, that we may respond with care and respect to the needs of those with disabilities, — St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

For an increase of religious vocations to and by those with disabilities. — St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

To learn more about Fr. Tom’s community, visit: www.Dominicanmissionaries.org.

Follow Up to the Fr. Tolton Article

After posting THIS ARTICLE on Fr. Augustine Tolton, I received an email from Fr. David Streit, S.V.D. in Rome. It seems the article stirred some memories and he wrote me the following, which I post here with his permission...

"Reading your story on Fr. Tolton brought back memories

for me, since the Divine Word Missionaries have been in
charge of St. Elizabeth's (St. Monica's) parish in Chicago
for generations.

I spent my time as a deacon at St. Elizabeth's. The church
at the time (since replaced) was a converted hall. The rectory
was the closest thing to a slum I have ever seen in my life, full
of cockroaches and rats. Many of the people in the parish lived
in a series of truly appalling low income high rise buildings
called the 'Robert Taylor Homes' (since demolished by the
City of Chicago). I remember sweating blood at the thought
of going to visit sick people in those awful buildings.

The neighborhood was in really poor shape, but the
Black Catholic community of St. Elizabeth's had a collective
memory of Fr. Tolton and were proud of him.

The Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) were the first congregation

in the U.S. 'post Tolton' to accept Black candidates for the
priesthood and religious life. Our pioneering seminary,
St. Augustine's in Bay St. Louis, MS, was founded in
the 1920s by stubborn German SVDs who didn't let
a little thing like the prevailing racism keep them from admitting
and training Black candidates from all over the South and the
Caribbean.

The attached pictures show the first four Black SVDs who
were ordained on May 23, 1934. They were Fr. Vincent Smith, SVD,
Fr. Francis Wade, SVD, Fr. Maurice Rousseve, SVD, and
Fr. Anthony Burgess, SVD. Shortly after, Bro. Vincent Webb, SVD
professed his vows as the fist Black religious Brother. He just died
a few years ago after 68 years as an SVD Brother. Our Holy Spirit
Sisters (SSpS) were among the first Sisters to open and teach in
Black schools in Louisana, Mississippi and Arkansas. The very first
congregation founded by African American women were the
Oblate Sisters of Providence, founded in Baltimore in 1821.
They pre-dated Fr. Tolton by 50 years. (Picture below)

The 4 Black SVDs pictured below are usually called the first African
American men ordained as priests, but I believe that what is really
meant is that they were the first ones ordained in the U.S. (as the article
mentioned, Fr. Tolton was ordained in Rome.)

Since then, about 100 of the African American priests in
the U.S. have either been SVDs or had their training with SVDs
and later were incardinated in dioceses as things opened up.
At least seven African American SVDs have been appointed
as Bishops in the U.S.

February is Black History month, and it's a good time to
remember Fr. Tolton and those courageous men and women who followed him."

Fr. Dave Streit, SVD
Rome

Fr. Augustine Tolton - America's First Black Priest

From the Examiner.com

By Pamela Luther

With Illinois’s political dirty underwear hanging out to dry in the past few months, it looks like more political negative dispersions are falling upon us Is there any one who has not heard enough of Blago and now the evolving comments by Burris? My "profound" editorial comment is “Ugh”. So much for that, as far as I am concerned. I want to examine a person of integrity.

One illustrious man of exemplary character from Illinois impacted Chicago and the mid-state region. This was America’s first black priest, Fr. Augustine Tolton.
He was born into slavery in 1854 in Missouri. He was baptized Catholic and was apparently catechized (taught) in the faith as a young person. There are several versions regarding his escape from slavery, but they all grant that his mother escaped with him (age 7) and her other children to Hannibal, Missouri where they crossed the Mississippi in small boat into Illinois, a free state.

They made their way 21 miles north to Quincy, IL where they ultimately resided and worked in a tobacco factory. Young Augustine was befriended by an Irish Catholic priest who allowed Tolton to attend St. Peter’s parochial school. Although Illinois was a free state, racial biases ran strong during the Civil War era, and his going to this school caused controversy among those in the parish. Even though Tolton was very bright and was involved serving the parish as an altar boy, the hullaballoo ballooned. His mentor, Fr Peter McGirr, sensing the vocational call this young man had, encouraged him to finish his education. Tolton and his siblings stayed in the parochial school in spite of the social backlash.

In spite of adversity and racism, Tolton finished school and graduated from Quincy College, a Franciscan college. As he prepared to enter the priesthood, it became clear that the racial barriers still existed. Every single American seminary rejected him as a student, even the one that trained priests to minister to the black community!

His benefactors finally were able to assist Tolton enough that he was able to go to Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome. There he became fluent in Italian as well as learning Latin and Greek.Tolton was ordained in Rome in 1886. Shortyly after his ordination, he was informed that his mission would be to “negroes in the United States.”

Upon returning to Quincy, he celebrated his first American mass at St.Boniface parish and was appointed to serve at St. Joseph Negro Church in that city. He was such an articulate preacher that many whites were flocking to the parish; thus causing great controversy again because of the ugliness of racism. Tolton graciously decided to move on.

Because of prejudice and the attitudes of the times, Fr. Augustine Tolton received a significant amount of flak while serving as pastor of St. Joseph’s Negro Church in Quincy, IL. He was very successful and became well known as an inspiring homilist with his eloquent voice and impressive education.

“The large number of people who sought his classes of inquiry, the crowded Sunday Masses, the coming together of people of both races in his church brought down on him not only the jealously and scorn of some white priests, but also the envy of some Protestant Negro ministers”. (rootweb)

This did not go over well in the post-Civil war years where racism persisted in spite of the emancipation of slaves. It appears that Tolton agreed to leave the city—I assume that he didn’t want to be the source for disunity within the Church.

He went to Chicago where he was well received. In Chicago, he led the development of the “Negro national parish” at St. Monica’s Catholic Church at 36th and Dearborn with the help of St. Elizabeth’s parish. He was very successful earning national attention and a parishioner count of 600 people. He was affectionately known as Good Father Gus. The parish ultimately became an mission of St. Elizabeth's.

Fr Tolton had some health issues and died from heat stroke one hot Chicago summer day in July, 1887. He was buried in Quincy, IL at a priest’s cemetery, as he had requested. Apparently his coffin was buried very deeply so that another priest’s coffin could be placed over it. According to sources, it is surprising that, given the times, it was amazing that he was even allowed to be buried in a “white” cemetery, and speculation exists regarding racism following him to the grave.
I find this man to be incredibly fascinating. He overcame insurmountable odds in order to fulfill the call God had given him. He bore the “yoke of slavery and racism’. Even in the face of all odds, he received an unbelievably rich education and ministered to the black community of his time. He was called upon by bishops from large dioceses to help establish parishes for black Catholics. The hope of possibility, the achievement of all he did demonstrate the power of God, the importance of mentors and strong self-determination to live out the Gospel in the face of all negative odds. That to me is very inspiring!

Read the full story in this book:

"Young Indian Catholics turn away from vocations"

From Radio Australia
By Murali Krishnan

With India modernizing at breakneck speed, more young men and women are choosing financial gain over spiritual vocations.

The lure of attractive jobs and the increasing attacks on Christians are just some of the reasons young people in India are moving away from a career in the Church. So why are youngsters moving away from a career in the church?

Presenter: Murali Krishnan
Speakers: Father Babu Joseph, a spokesperson for the Catholic Bishop Conference of India; Chinamma Jacob, president of the Council of Catholic Women of India

The decline in the number of young Catholics joining the religious way of life is impacting on the more than 30,000 educational institutions and 6,000 hospitals being run by the Catholic church- all manned by nuns and priests.

Some of the forces contributing to a lack of priests in Europe and the United States have begun to take shape here. Earlier hundreds have been allowed to go, siphoning support from India's widespread network of Catholic churches, schools, orphanages and missionary projects.

India, Vietnam and the Philippines are among the leading exporters of priests, according to data compiled by researchers at Catholic University of America in Washington.

But high-ranking members of the clergy have now reason to ponder over the dipping number of nuns and priests.

The attraction of other professions, the desire to begin a family and not wanting to go in for a religious vocation are among the reasons coming in the
way of young people taking to nunhood or priesthood, say church officials.

Catholic girls, for instance, especially in the southern state of Kerala, are taking to the nursing profession in a major way.

Father Babu Joseph, a spokesperson for the Catholic Bishop Conference of India explains the reasons behind this trend.

JOSEPH: We do notice a considerable decline in the number of young women and men joining in religious congregations and the priesthood. Most of these vocations have been coming from the traditional christian belt of India, namely Kerala, Mangaluru and Karnataka and Goa. There is a decline for a couple of reasons. Number one would be because of the small size of families; earlier there used to be bigger families and therefore one or other of the children joining religious life would not affect the family or parents in their old age. This is a big reason behind the decline. Secondly, there are also bigger career options today available.

KRISHNAN: Parents are having fewer children, with even observant Catholics freely admitting they use birth control.

Families are moving to cities, far from the tight-knit parishes that for generations kept Indian Catholics connected to their faith.

Also educated young Catholics are increasingly attracted to fields like engineering and technology.

Chinamma Jacob, president of the Council of Catholic Women of India says faith formation activities should be stepped up to arrest the drift.

JACOB: We must hold faith formation in a better way. Earlier you know it was very particular that the children go for Sunday classes and attending Saturday mass and first Friday devotion. Now these times are being taken for tv, internet etc. So we must see that the children are given better education in these faith formation activities.

KRISHNAN: Another factor keeping them away are the attacks on Christians as witnessed in of the eastern state of Orissa last year contributing to the steady decline in nunhood and religious life.

Father Joseph says this is a contributory factor.

JOSEPH: Well it could be a contributory factor, but I would not consider that as a major reason why the decline. Although there might be a decline in the number of young men and women joining in the congretations work, particularly in North India where the disturbance is most. But I think in the other parts of India where there is relative peace and calm existing, even there you do find a decline in the number of people joining these kind of professions. The modern trends, the consumeristic society and of course less appeal to religious organisations and religious institutions also are contributory factors.

KRISHNAN: Catholics represent 2 per cent of India's billion plus population. But they have played an important role in weaving the country's social safety net, establishing schools, hospitals, old-age homes and other organizations that serve many non-Catholics.

But this is changing.

"Altar server program provides grounds to foster vocations"

From The Colorado Catholic Herald
By Patty O'Connell

COLORADO SPRINGS. One more way of fostering vocations has been established in the diocese in the form of a server/acolyte program at Corpus Christi Parish. The system allows young servers to work toward the acolyte-in-training level, which Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan said he believes can encourage boys and young men to have a greater awareness of their calling from God.

Under the guidance of Father Mark Zacker, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, the program emphasizes liturgical reverence and teaches servers to value their presence on the altar. Participants achieve various ranks by taking written and oral tests and accepting more responsibilities on the altar. Although servers include both boys and girls, only boys may achieve the rank of acolyte-in-training and are distinguished by the wearing of black-and-white cassocks and surplices.

The term "acolyte server" should not be confused with the liturgical term which refers to seminarians installed as "acolytes" in a diocese. This official acolyte role is reserved strictly for men in the seminary. However, according to church guidelines, altar servers may attain the rank of acolyte server.

Corpus Christi recently held a celebration for their acolytes-in-training, which was attended by Bishop Sheridan. The bishop wanted to encourage the boys in their service at the altar, and urge them to continue to the highest ranks. He said he appreciates this program because it encourages more children to serve.

"This is a response to what the Holy See is asking for. This is not just a matter of rote training. We teach them about the altar and Mass, and it may be the beginning of a vocation," Bishop Sheridan said. "It has been proven that priests come from the ranks of servers."

This, in fact, was the case for Father Zacker, who was an altar server from third grade through part of his high school years.

"I’ve had nothing but positive comments about this program," he said. "I wanted to raise the bar for the servers. They’ve accepted these responsibilities."

Mark Smith, a junior at Coronado High School, is an acolyte-in-training and is currently achieving the requirements to become a full acolyte server after which Bishop Sheridan will conduct an installation ceremony.

"I like being involved with younger kids in the parish and train them," Smith said. "I meet more people of the parish because I’m working with their kids and the parents come to me and talk to me. It makes me more attentive to what’s going on in the Mass.

"I think it unifies the community. It’s fun to see other people excited for their faith. I can see the younger kids striving to become acolytes-in-training."

After he is installed as a full acolyte server, Smith can serve Father Zacker as Master of Ceremonies for special Masses.

According to the 2004 document "Redemptionis Sacrementum" from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments: "It is altogether laudable to maintain the noble custom by which boys or youths, customarily termed "servers," provide service of the altar after the manner of acolytes, and receive catechesis regarding their function in accordance with their power of comprehension" (No. 47).

At Corpus Christi, Father Zacker said he wanted the best of the best to be accepted into this program, which incorporates the patens during holy Communion, swinging processional torches, the ringing of bells during consecration, and on special occasions, incense. There is a strict dress code, and servers must come to each Mass dressed appropriately, whether they are scheduled to serve or not, just in case they are needed. They are interviewed and tested at various levels and are expected to take their responsibilities seriously. Acolytes-in-Training can also be named as captains of a team.

"I like being one of the people in charge," said Tommy Ambuul, 12, an Acolyte-in-Training and team captain. "I find serving makes me closer to God."

Ed Wilmes is the father of 11-year-old Mark Wilmes, who is a pre-aclolyte, and 13-year-old Justin Wilmes, who is an acolyte-in-training. Wilmes believes this program has called attention to the sacredness of the liturgy.

"I think the program is excellent because it brings reverence to the Mass which is what the Mass deserves," he said. "The congregation is more apt to follow in that reverence. The kids are learning about the Mass. Serving in this way becomes a seed for the priesthood."

This summer, Father Zacker took all of the servers to a Colorado Springs Sky Sox baseball game as an appreciation for their dedication and service to this rigorous program.

"Before this program, I was begging for servers at every Mass," said Father Zacker. "Now we have plenty."

"Why are so many of us misled on religious vocations?"

From the Irish Times
By Paddy O'Meara

RITE & REASON:

I WAS with a small group of students preparing for Mass – the final part of their school retreat. A girl mentioned, in a casual way, that her grand-aunt, then 80, had joined a religious order at the age of 17 and spent the remainder of her life in a convent.

One lad was astonished by this. The idea that someone would make such a choice as a teenager and go on to spend the rest of her days with a religious order was incomprehensible.

“You can have faith,” he said, “but that’s taking things to extremes.”

Others got involved in the discussion, but it was impossible to convince the young man that a religious vocation had merit and could bring contentment.

“You couldn’t get drunk or have sex” was his clinching argument for believing that there was something very strange about a person deciding to make a lifelong commitment to religious life.

The following Sunday, a priest in our local parish gave an inspiring sermon on vocation to the priesthood. There was no doubt about how privileged this man felt to be a priest.

He mentioned notable achievements of his life that most would be proud to have on a CV, but none of these, he said, came anyway close to the joy, reward and fulfilment he experienced as a priest.

Nor did he evade the issue of loneliness. It can be lonely at times, he admitted, but that is not unique to priesthood.

Each of us experiences that emotion – it is part of the human condition: married or single, those who yearn to be married and those whose marriages have ended, because of death or separation.

Sitting in my pew, it was encouraging to hear such a positive sermon on the priesthood and I began to realise that I had swallowed a great big lie about the lonely, disheartened priest, struggling with an ever- increasing workload.

The vast majority of priests I know don’t fit that description. In fact they are the very opposite: good-humoured, outgoing and enthusiastic about life. It was puzzling to understand why and how I had bought into the caricature.

Recent surveys have indicated that clergy are far more contented in their careers compared with other professions and a very big percentage would choose priesthood if they were to live life over again. This however is not how clergy are seen in 2009.

Listening to that priest, I began to understand part of the reason for the high level of satisfaction. He mentioned some of the “peak moments” of his ministry: comforting and praying with those in the final stages of life; supporting those battling with illness; being with families as they joyfully celebrate baptisms and weddings.

But back to that student who could not comprehend someone opting for religious life . . . after two days spent with him and his peers, what was disturbing was the frightening degree of unhappiness among some.

In most cases the problems were caused by misusing drink or drugs or a lack of respect for self and others in relationships. For others the source of pain was in the family. Parents were addicted to alcohol and then there was marriage breakdown or family disharmony. If these students and their parents are the “liberated generation”, then this liberation is not delivering happiness.

Various reasons are suggested for the decline in vocations to the religious life. A factor must be the lack of encouragement for the person considering “the road less travelled”.

Some parents actively discourage a son thinking about the priesthood from pursuing that path. They seem to believe that would amount to him signing up for a lonely, isolated life.

And still, despite the growing number of marriages ending in separation or divorce, romantic love and marriage are considered to be the high road to lifelong happiness.

By comparison, a religious vocation is considered as a risky choice, with hardship and loneliness almost assured. All of which ignores the data and research available on both vocations. Why has this lie such force and persistence? Why are so many of us misled?