tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560483615460834385.post1554771023712775423..comments2024-03-22T05:53:17.342-04:00Comments on On This Rock: New to the Endangered Catholic Species List: "The Mass of Convenience"Father John Hollowellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12850864104003705536noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560483615460834385.post-56582460504256153392012-10-03T08:40:22.716-04:002012-10-03T08:40:22.716-04:00Seriously...you're going to blame the younger ...Seriously...you're going to blame the younger clergy??? If you need the priest to "empower" you then you're in deep trouble. <br /><br />St. Peter: "So, let's look at how you lived the Gospel..."<br /><br />Unempowered Catholic: "Excuse me, St. Peter...I would like to say that my priest never empowered me..."<br /><br />St. Peter: "In that case, come on in"<br /><br /><br />The role a priest has to play in empowering the laity is minimal. A priest can preach on the idea that people should get out there and live the Gospel...what else do you want a clergyman to do? Create more committees? <br /><br />Don't blame your priest...Catholics need to take responsibility for whether or not they are living the Gospel in the world.Father John Hollowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12850864104003705536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560483615460834385.post-60563411306379496182012-10-02T14:41:19.832-04:002012-10-02T14:41:19.832-04:00Demographics of a few counties in our diocese prov...Demographics of a few counties in our diocese prove its not a shortage of people causing the shortage of priests.<br />clay county vigo county marion county<br /> 33860 62000 197000 1900<br /> 29000 100000 348000 1920<br /> 25000 99000 460000 1940<br /> 24000 108000 697000 1960<br /> 25000 114000 765000 1980<br /> 26556 106000 860000 2000<br /> 26868 107000 903000 2010<br /> The above stats show even vigo and clay should be able to hold their own in vocations and marion should be booming. so what is the problem in vocations and the church?- the answer is the same to both.<br />I'm not sure that over the past century in this diocese its been either the good evangelization of priests or laity, that first caused growth and then decline in the priesthood and in the church attendence. I would guess its been more of a decline in the strength of our catholic marriages and families, that have led to decline in both priests and full churches.<br />One step already underway is improving our worship within the liturgy with the more accurate translation, along with chant and increased reverence. Popes JP2 and Benedict both felt the need to restore the liturgy and felt that some of the sloppiness in the liturgy caused unseen mystical problems or rifts between the heavenly and earthly liturgy. <br /> Also Challenging all caholics and specifically young people to be more Holy will eventually strengthen our families which will solve the priest shortage, because strong families produce priests. families are in themselves evangelistic. as young couples outside the church begin to realize, hey these catholics stay married and have strong families, its very appealing to a young couple who become eager to create love in the form of children.moviemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560483615460834385.post-49250543536750644192012-10-02T12:04:52.241-04:002012-10-02T12:04:52.241-04:00Wow, the laity taking ownership for their faith an...Wow, the laity taking ownership for their faith and participating in evangelization. It's not a novel idea by any stretch. Look to the early Church. Look to Vatican II's Lumen Gentium, Gaudium et Spes, and Notrae Aetate for examples of evangelization. The days when Father did everything hopefully are over. Now if we could just convince the younger clergy to learn how to empower the laity. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560483615460834385.post-15418600325907111522012-10-01T15:23:56.493-04:002012-10-01T15:23:56.493-04:00That is truly outstanding! Good post Fr. John. I...That is truly outstanding! Good post Fr. John. I despise the mass of convenience because it is truly a spiritual laziness or abuse, or maybe presumption, but it is not the apex of love for God.<br />We ought not settle for left overs when we can strive for excellence... even in the spiritual life.Fr. Farleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06969531376390736625noreply@blogger.com