If there’s anything people
can agree on these days about priesthood and religious
life, it’s that there are fewer priests, brothers
and sisters and fewer people coming to houses of formation
and seminaries, at least in North America. It’s no
secret that we are facing a “vocation crisis”:
There are fewer such vocations today.
Yet we tend to compare
every period in history to the late 50's and early 60's,
when great numbers were entering priesthood and religious life. We need to
keep in mind that the vocation explosion of that era was
an exceptional phenomenon,
not at all the usual state of affairs. The Church needs to strengthen its priestly
and religious ranks with happy, healthy people who have a desire to make a
difference in the Church and the world; even
in the midst of struggle and confusion. They are looking for people for whom
God is significant and who have a burning desire to be of service to others.
The Church needs people who have leadership skills and
can work well with a variety of people. No one is born
priest, a sister, or a brother. Vocations
are God-inspired
and home-made.
Parish Laypersons, across the country, must help call
forth priests, sisters, brothers, permanent deacons, and
lay ministers. It is equally important
to
affirm those who already serve the Church so that they will continue to find
in their
vocation a fulfilling way of life. |
