Ireland’s national seminary has reported a new low in this year’s intake of candidates, giving rise to fears of ancient parishes closing down. Just 13 men from seven dioceses will enter studies for the priesthood at Maynooth this year, down from 20 last year. Association of Catholic Priests co-founder Fr Brendan Hoban warned in The Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Priesthood’
Monasticism, clericalism, and the priesthood of the baptised
Friday, August 1st, 2014
The essence of monasticism is not clerical service—which is possible only for some—but a radically converted way of life, available to all. “In the church, the [consecrated] religious are called to be prophets in particular by demonstrating how Jesus lived on this earth, and to proclaim how the kingdom of God will be in its Read more
535 years of priestly ministry celebrated in Auckland
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014A total of 535 years of priestly ministry was celebrated in Auckland as 13 priests were acknowledged and appreciated for their years of service to the faithful. Msgr Paul Farmer, chairman of the Council of Priests, said the celebration of their brother priests’ jubilees is a significant day that no priest dare miss. Continue reading
Priests – employees of an NGO or a shepherds
Tuesday, June 10th, 2014“Am I a pastor, or an employee of this NGO called the Church?” This is the question that every Catholic priest should ask himself. “This is the question that I, the bishops, and the priests, everyone, must ask themselves”, said Pope Francis. He was commenting on the last words of Christ that close the Gospel Read more
Hundreds said to be leaving priesthood in Portugal
Friday, June 6th, 2014Hundreds of priests in Portugal have reportedly left their vocations recently, to get married or take up secular lives, often without being laicised. Portuguese television station TVI 24 reported comments from a former cleric that six priests in one diocese all walked away from their vocation on the same day. “Young priests – and some Read more
Pope warns seminary is not a refuge for the fearful
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014
Pope Francis has told seminarians that the seminary is not a refuge for those who lack the courage to “get on in life”. The Pope told seminarians training for the Italian diocese of Lazio that a seminary is not a refuge for those who have psychological problems either. The Pontiff was speaking on April 15 Read more
Eight new diocesan seminarians this year
Friday, April 11th, 2014Eight new first year seminarians at Holy Cross Seminary make for a diverse group, reflecting the increasingly multi-cultural nature of the Church in New Zealand. But although there might be seven different ethnicities represented, most of them are young, aged in their twenties. Continue reading
New Rector for Holy Cross Seminary
Friday, February 21st, 2014Fr Brendan Ward of the Diocese of Dunedin, has been appointed the new Rector of Holy Cross Seminary by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. His appointment takes effect this time next year. The lead in time will allow him to prepare and visit other seminaries to observe formation processes. Source Archbishop John Dew’s Read more
Record number of ordinations at PRS in 2013
Tuesday, February 4th, 2014
Last year Pacific Regional Seminary (PRS) in Suva, Fiji celebrating the 40th anniversary its foundation. The jubilee time ran together with the celebration of the Year of Faith and the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. The Rector of PRS Fr. Michael O’Connor said 2013 was a year of special blessings. He said one Read more
A second seminary to open on Guam
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013
Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron. has. announced that second seminary is to be established on Guam. The new seminary will be called the “Saint John Paul II Archdiocesan Seminary” and will be initially hosted on the grounds of the Carmel on the Hill Retreat Center in Malojloj. There are plans on the drawing board to construct Read more