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Irish seminarians reach 10-year high
Sep. 29, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionDUBLIN -- The number of Irish men entering the seminary to become Roman Catholic priests has risen to a 10-year high following years of dwindling vocations.
The Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors for the Catholic Church in Ireland said that 36 new seminarians were about to begin studying for the priesthood in Irish dioceses. The announcement came against the backdrop of a recent damning government report about the abuse of children in Catholic institutions.
“Despite ongoing challenges to the gospel values in the modern world, it is encouraging to see evidence that God continues to inspire people to answer his call of service in the priesthood,” said the Rev. Patrick Rushe, national coordinator of diocesan vocations.
The number of seminary entrants represents the highest intake of new students since 1999, and is almost double the number that entered in 2003.
The new seminarians range in age from 18 to their mid-40s, and come from a wide range of backgrounds, including industry, academia, medicine and the civil service.
In addition to the 36 new seminarians, seven trainee priests are transferring from Scotus College in Glasgow, Scotland, to complete their studies after the closure of Scotland's last remaining Catholic seminary earlier this year.
Wonderful news!
Wonderful news!
Perhaps the economic
Perhaps the economic down-turn has inspired more young men who may have been "thinking about it" to "give it a try." It certainly seems to have happened during the Great Depression. When one's other prospects are looking a bit more dismal, a foray into consecrated life becomes relatively speaking more attractive.
“...God continues to inspire
“...God continues to inspire people to answer his call of service in the priesthood,” said the Rev. Patrick Rushe, national coordinator of diocesan vocations.
At least God continues to inspire half the people to answer his call!
This is good news regardless and may every blessing be upon these courageous men. At this rate, there will be about one new priest per year for every diocese in Ireland.
One missing statistic: How
One missing statistic: How many of them are also studying SPANISH so they can be "exported" to the American sunbelt, like so many of their golf-club bearing clerical forefathers who have been incardinated in Florida?
It would be interesting to
It would be interesting to see if the very small rise in numbers of men entering seminary training are doing so because of the lack of employment and jobs of any type that are no longer available as a result of this world wide recession or depression. Some may be entering just to have a roof over their heads and a meal in their stomachs. No matter, the numbers are exceedingly small and will continue to diminish because the Church of Rome is in rapid decay due to the fundamentalist right wing elements that seized power in 1978.
Well your certainly full of
Well your certainly full of vitrol today, aren't you Chris Smith? Chris, calm down now. Have a little faith and love man. I don't like some of the nasty stuff you have been posting lately and I am sure God does not either. Granted I have lost my temper and posted some stuff here too which was pretty outrageous. But perhaps tradition is the answer? Seriously, don't just write those of us who love the ancient traditions of the Church as "right-wing fundametnalists." Actually I think it is dangerous to use political terms when talking about something as deep as faith.
This is good news. I wonder
This is good news. I wonder if the increase in traditional Catholic liturgy and prayers which is happening has anything to do with this? All I know is that in Scotland the Dominican order (which in Scotland is very traditional in it's liturgy) is having an influx of new novices.
In the end, however, it won't be the new seminarians, pope, or inclination to traditional liturgy and prayers which save the Church in Europe. It will be God's hand. I do believe, however, that God is presently working through those things. Let us pray for those Catholics in Ireland and Scotland who have had to go through so much such as sex scandals. May this new crop of seminarians in Scotland (the Dominican growth) and Ireland help rebuild Christ's Church there!
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