Number of US seminarians on the rise

[Fantine]

That's kinda what all Pope's are... perhaps this is about preference for you.

I was born when Pope Pius XII was Pope. I don't remember John XXIII that much, but I have never seen a Pope who has ignited the faith and captured the imagination of the entire world as Pope Francis has.

And I do believe that more men will be attracted to the priesthood.

I also believe that more women will be attracted to religious life since it will no longer be perceived as a dead-end entry-level vocation with a very low pink ceiling.

 

[WarriorAngel]

There seems to be a real vocations boon in my area. My hubby's cousin ust went to seminary in Maryland.

We have new priests & deacons being ordained every June.

My son just started in the seminary in St. Louis, this year at age 26 -- making him almost the oldest seminarian from Wichita. He got a BS degree in electrical engineering and after that he worked five successful years in flight test at Learjet, working on software and leading software teams. But he walked away from that, for this:

But, are they in the process of becoming priests or decons? Don't decons also go to seminary?

I think deacons do go to seminary - and they [those married] may have the prerogative to become a priest if they are widowed.

AT least i believe this is what our deacon did.

I think just about everyone I have met was an engineer. My priest was not happy in it though due to his calling. God must like engineers!

The Lord started out with fishermen - but moved up to engineers.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I was born when Pope Pius XII was Pope. I don't remember John XXIII that much, but I have never seen a Pope who has ignited the faith and captured the imagination of the entire world as Pope Francis has.

And I do believe that more men will be attracted to the priesthood.

I also believe that more women will be attracted to religious life since it will no longer be perceived as a dead-end entry-level vocation with a very low pink ceiling.

Here - i had the misconception nuns did it for servitude and obedience and poverty.
Perhaps only some...?

BTW - there has been a pick up of nuns... but they [the new ones] have joined the convents preferring servitude and wearing habits.

 

[Michie]

Here - i had the misconception nuns did it for servitude and obedience and poverty.
Perhaps only some...?

BTW - there has been a pick up of nuns... but they [the new ones] have joined the convents preferring servitude and wearing habits.

That upswing started back with Pope Benedict.

 

[Fantine]

We are all called to become our best selves for God. We are all called to use the gifts and talents we have been given.

I can't help but believe that the sisters who have cultivated the talent of being doormats have many more untapped, undiscovered, and uncultivated talents. Many may have the talent of leadership.

Pope Francis has recognized this, and I can't help but believe that in the ensuing years of his papacy the habited nuns will say, "Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty I'm free at last."

 

[WarriorAngel]

That's just weird to say.

Saints were the humble giving ones. Pope Francis said he himself is a servant.
Why would he not believe sisters do that too?

 

[judechild]

I was born when Pope Pius XII was Pope. I don't rememr John XXIII that much, but I have never seen a Pope who has ignited the faith and captured the imagination of the entire world as Pope Francis has.

When there's a large hurricane, people tend to pay more attention to hurricanes that are reported, and then they believe that there are more hurricanes happening now then there were in the past. Something similar is happening here. Pope Francis is pretty universally seen as a good guy - but John Paul II was practically a god, especially in Rome. Go into any church here, and you'll find entire corridors dedicated to him, in addition to all the reliquaries and altars.

And I do believe that more men will be attracted to the priesthood.

They will be; that's been the trend for the past ten-or-so years. Vocations are more affected by what goes on at the diocesan-level, though.

I also believe that more women will be attracted to religious life since it will no longer be perceived as a dead-end entry-level vocation with a very low pink ceiling.

That is certainly how a number of congregations see their vocation - which is why they're dying out. The growing and sustainable congregations are ones that see their vocation as a mystical spousal union with Christ, rather than a rung in corporate ownership.

Vocations in the convents will also increase, that is also the trend. As the philosophy of the more orthodox congregations expands, it attracts women at a much faster rate than what is currently the mainstream (statistically at least 4 for every 1). That leads to more women in religious congregation over a period of time.

 

[Second Phoenix]

I was born when Pope Pius XII was Pope. I don't remember John XXIII that much, but I have never seen a Pope who has ignited the faith and captured the imagination of the entire world as Pope Francis has.

He is tickling the ears (as prots say) of the media because he is expressing the faith in a way that is applicable to them.

And I do believe that more men will be attracted to the priesthood.

I don't think you know what draws men to the priesthood.

[quote[I also believe that more women will be attracted to religious life since it will no longer be perceived as a dead-end entry-level vocation with a very low pink ceiling.[/quote]

It is sad that people still think of life and work as matters of power and prestige.