No Seminarians in Rhode Island for Fall

According to the New York Post, the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island will have no seminarians for the Fall of 2018.  Father Chris Murphy told WPRI-TV that there will be no new applicants to Our Lady of Providence Seminary. Church officials usually expect about two to six men every year.  However, for the first time in its history, no new applicants will enter in the Fall.  The diocese is not panicking, but is aware that there are many things keeping men from entering the seminary.

Pope Francis himself has blamed scandals and changes in cultural trends as the major culprits for the lack of answered vocations.  A report in 2015 claimed that American seminarians have seen an increase of millennials entering the seminary. Only time will tells as to whether or not Rhode Island will get future applicants and if the trend goes upward.  We must pray for vocations and replies to those vocations.  Many people are called, few are chosen and few answer the call. Today's world is full of so many hardships and the shortage of answered vocations is a fruit of this. 


Source:

https://www.npr.org/2015/09/23/442243849/at-u-s-seminaries-a-rise-in-millennials-answering-gods-call

https://nypost.com/2018/05/23/catholic-seminary-says-it-has-no-applicants-for-fall-program/

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/m/3eb5fbff-d86e-372b-9c49-e6b8d5aa4d25/ss_catholic-seminary-says-it-has.html

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Leave All Behind

Today's readings remind us of answering God's call, leaving all behind and accepting rejection for the sake of God.

In the first reading, we read of Elisha, son of Shaphat who is chosen as a disciple of the prophet Elijah. Elijah throws his cloak over him as a symbol of selection or calling (Exodus 28:2).  Elisha understood this well and left the oxen to ask Elijah for permission to say goodbye to his parents.  Elijah gives him permission.  He finishes what he had to do and joins Elijah as his attendant. This reading brings to mind when one answers a vocation whether to the priesthood, religious life (priest, brother, sister) or even the married life. We must leave all behind to do what we are called to do (Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:26). This is why the Church stresses that a man or woman who feels called to the priesthood (man only) or religious life must not have any obligations at the time of application (Can. 1026). He or she must not have children that depend on them or any other responsibilities. All must be taken care of before entry just as we read with Elisha. Those called to the priesthood and religious life give up everything that is worldly. God becomes their inheritance and should be every Catholic's inheritance as we read in today's responsorial Psalm.  God is indeed our inheritance. We were created for Him and Him only (Ephesians 2:10). God is always there for us counseling us and protecting us (Isaiah 41:10). We must be glad and rejoice in Him. If we are faithful, God will not let us fall into the netherworld nor allow us to undergo corruption. We have seen how some saints literally did not see corruption in regards to their bodies.  God protected their bodies as a sign that death is not the final say of the human story. If we are faithful, God will show us the path of life (Jeremiah 29:11-13).  He will set us free from the slavery of this world as the second reading tells us.

Christ sets us free. We must stand firm and not allow ourselves to submit to the yoke of slavery (Romans 6:18).  Our call is for freedom, not slavery. As we fight on in this Fortnight for Freedom against a government that seeks to limit religion, we must not allow ourselves to become slaves to the world again.  One of the biggest ways we can become slaves is by the sins of the flesh.  Sexual drives are very powerful. In this time of summer, seeing people with less clothing or super tight clothing can stir up all kinds of passions. No one is immune to this. It happens to heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals and even those who call themselves transsexual.  We must resist these passions (Galatians 5:17). We must thank God for the beauty in others and leave it there; not dwelling on sexual thoughts.  We do this by living in the Spirit which will prevent us from desiring the flesh.

Lastly, in the Gospel, we read of Jesus being rejected at a Samaritan village. The disciples James and John wanted revenge and asked Jesus to call down fire from heaven to consume them. Jesus rebuked them because we must not be about vengeance. God will take vengeance on the last day (Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35). Ironically, Jesus did send a fire that consumed and that was on Pentecost (Luke 12:49, Acts 2). This fire would consume the disciples and Our Lady with the love of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, Jesus tells us that if we want to follow Him, we must go wherever He goes and accept the hardships (Matthew 16:24).  Jesus describes these hardships as not having a place to rest His head. Jesus is independent of this world; counter-cultural. Following Christ is a serious call regardless of one's state in the Church (laity, religious, clergy). We must put the kingdom of God first and accept even the mockery of others (Matthew 10:18 ).  Those who focus on the past or are attached to things of this world are not fit for the kingdom of God. If we take the plow to work and then stop to take a break, then we are clearly too weak for God's kingdom. The pull of this world is still strong in us. We must be willing to continue plowing, sweating and face the hardships that come with being a Catholic. As the hymn goes, "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back."  Let us not turn back, but move forward to Jesus who is the Lord and source of our inheritance.  May Jesus Christ be praised!



Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/062616.cfm

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Pope: Bite Your Tongue Catholic Gossipers!

"If you get an urge to say something against a brother or a sister, to drop a gossip bomb, bite your tongue! Hard!"

These were the words of the Holy Father at the close of the Year of Consecrated Life. The Pope voiced his concerns of the gossip atmosphere found in the Church, particularly in religious orders where members trash each other or others outside of the order. He also criticize orders for accepting just anyone into religious life without screening applicants' true intentions and whether or not they do have a genuine vocation.

I agree with the Pope. There is too much of a display of fallen human nature than divine grace among religious, clergy and the laity. I have had personal experiences with the aformentioned who have done all kinds of things to stifle my ideas of evangelization. They apparently felt threatened by my presence, assertiveness, educational background and courage to take on risks. These were mostly older Catholics, but a few were young as well (near my age). When they did not get their way, they would make up stories or talk behind my back in order to get others against me (divide and conquer tactics). I remember two ladies who always tried hard to ruin liturgies I had planned by the book (rubrics). They had tried to incorporate their new age-Protestant-like ideas into Masses, but had to deal with me.

Another guy was also jealous of me because the pastor favored me.  This guy took it upon himself to act as master of ceremonies at Masses for years, but never officially was. He is openly gay and dresses like a priest with a cassock. I have even seen photos of him dressed in a papal cassock! Needless to say, he did not like me very much and at one time on Good Friday grabbed my shoulder trying to make me face him since I was ignoring his baiting.  I immediately notified the police present there for the procession.  Unfortunately, though he was removed, he, I believe, has returned after I was assigned elsewhere years later and is still pretending to play master of ceremonies at several parishes while living a double life.

There was also a layman who was ordained a deacon. He was very docile as a layman, but when he became a deacon, he tried to present himself as being 'above' me as if we were in the army and were using ranks.  However, the pastor made him know publicly that I was in charge.  About a year or two later, he moved to Florida so I did not have to deal with him.  Lastly and one of the most craziest is involving this priest from Peru who because of gossip, turned against me. He used to be friendly with me. I even helped him learn some English. However, he changed. One time I was serving as an extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist and he told me to leave publicly while having the microphone on. The people at the Mass were scandalized and attacked him for him afterwards. After a priest I know became the pastor of the parish, this priest and the one who did not like me argued constantly. The latter was forced out.  He was either mentally ill or was a forced vocation and was bitter all his life.  

It is this behavior that discourages many Catholics and forces them to leave the Church for another faith or leave the faith altogether. Today, we see online many blogs trashing the Pope by people who call themselves 'traditionalists.' In my many discussions with them, they have come across as ignorant of actual Church doctrine and have their convictions based on nostalgia, not faith or reason. In any event, this must stop. We must show the world now more than ever what Christianity is all about: Faith, Love and Hope.  It is not about selective faith, love for those who agree with us and hope for things to return to the way they were before Vatican II.

Lastly, I agree that there needs to be more screening of people trying to enter religious life or the priesthood/seminary. While psychology is not perfect, it can be useful at screening underlying psychological issues in people. Moreover, tests of character are needed. We cannot allow people who are rude, arrogant, stubborn, immature etc to join the ranks, so to speak. These people do not have the temperament to handle the challenges of religious or diocesan (priesthood) life.



 




Source:

http://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=67019

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/02/pope-francis-drop-gossip-bomb-warns-priests-nuns

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3427510/Pope-tells-gossip-loving-priests-nuns-bite-tongues.html

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-warns-gossipping-priests-nuns-bite-tongue-160509227.html