Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Spanning the Globe

to bring news on Vocations, via CNS NewsHub:

First, the reports of the efforts of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and their recent upswing in numbers of seminarians:

Money and effort alone can't effect vocations to the priesthood, Jiron explained, "God calls men interiorly." But in 15 years of working in vocation discernment, including some time in the seminary himself, Jiron said, "Every single vocation I know of has always been invited - by a priest, religious or other lay person ... so God's call also speaks through others."

A Vocation Group in Los Angeles helps men discern the call to the priesthood:

"We started interviewing priests and seminarians," explained Tirone, "asking them, 'What were the key aspects that you did during your pre-seminary days that either moved you closer to the seminary or took you away from it?' And we basically came up with five phases in the vocational journey process: 'Serving Others,' 'Vocation Thoughts,' 'Informal Inquiry,' 'Spiritual Formation' and 'Formal Discernment.'
"The vocational journey starts with a passion to serve. So, if somebody is open to whatever God wants in his life, [they're welcome] to come to the group," said Tirone, who added that people in Phase One usually never thought about the priesthood but typically enjoy serving others.


Finally, words of wisdom from Cardinal McCarrick: "Happy priests attract men to want to be priests":

“I think every priest should stand outside church after Mass, even when it’s cold,” Cardinal McCarrick said. “Maybe not when it rains,” he added, drawing laughter from the audience.A priest once came to him, Cardinal McCarrick said, who was distressed that few people came to see him during the week, even though the priest always made himself available. The priest was skeptical when Cardinal McCarrick suggested standing outside to greet parishioners after Mass.“I‘ll make you a bet,” Cardinal McCarrick said, that if the priest stood outside church after Mass, he would soon find that people had no trouble going to talk with him during the week.

A swing of the Thurible to Rich for pointing me in the right direction.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Spanning the Globe

to bring news on Vocations"

To copy ABC's "Wide World of Sports" even more, you should have a video of a server falling down the sanctuary steps, like the guy crashing off the ski jump.

Just a suggestion. :)

Father Schnippel said...

I'll see what i can come up with.

Although, I once saw a video clip of a server setting his hair on fire while holding a candle... Would that work?

Anonymous said...

Would that work?

Close enough.

BTW Great news from Kansas City. Next thing you know some of those "crazy little women" will be joining the convent.

(That's a test to see if you're old enough to get the joke)

Father Schnippel said...

I think I flunked the test. Eric, you're bringing back bad memories of high school!

Anonymous said...

There was a popular R&B song that was sung by many, including Fats Domino and Little Richard that made reference to women of Kansas City.

Anonymous said...

I know a certain someone that once tackled the candle sticks while serving Christmas Day Mass a few years ago. . . . .

Father Schnippel said...

Who was that???

I'm telling you, that candlestick was about to jump up and attack Fr. O'Conner as he was proclaiming the Gospel. I had to stop it!