General Christian Discussions

would you be a priest? there are now far and few between mateys! – c h i e f y

c h i e f y

Member

Posts: 415
From: Surrey, United Kingdom
Registered: 03-07-2002
well? would YOU become a priest ?

Rebecca FISHER reports in the Surrey HERALD's March 14th issue (2002)
that Rome still insists upon priests being celibate and that this has caused a "Mass exodus of priests"

in fact the headline reads "Mass exodus of priests leads to severe shortage"

'Father Eric Darwell, priest at St Anne's Church, Chertsey, Surrey praised parishioners for taking over many jobs
which were duties of the departed priests, leaving him fre to carry out pastoral duties at St Anne's

'Father Darwell was responding to a warning from the Right Reverand Kieran Conry, Bishop of Arundel that the future of the church
in the region was "GRIM" (_1_2_3)

'Father Darwell said "It is the people's church and they should be running the parish, leaving the priest fre to to fulfill his pastoral and spiritual role."

'He warned that young men will not be attracted to the priesthood if they see priests rushed off their feet.'

Bishop Conry stated that the diocese could have as few as 27 priests in the year 2020 if DRASTIC action is not taken now

Father Darwell replied that he believed the vow of celibacy is another reason for the priest shortage and blamed increasing pressures on youngsters over the past 40 years.

He said "I have no problem with married clergy. It will happen inevitably, but NOT in my lifetime. The wheels of ROME run slow."

He said many people have not had God, faith or religion in their lives since the 1960s and that few young men were prepared to commit themselves to a life of celibacy."

Well the news article goes on even further but it is quite amazing reading, don't you think?

Have you read any news articles like this?
Did you know that the number of priests is EVAPORATING before our EYES?

What should be done?

------------------
from your old mate :
c h i e f y
(global chiefy to yer old seadog seafarin' mateys)

Imsold4christ

Member

Posts: 305
From: Gresham, OR, US
Registered: 01-20-2001
Have the priests become pastors, at least they get to be married. And pastors have better doctrine anyway.

†Caleb†

------------------
"True friendship is not characterized by the absence of conflict, but by the ability to resolve conflict."

[This message has been edited by imsold4christ (edited March 18, 2002).]

MadProf
Member

Posts: 181
From: Larnaka, Cyprus
Registered: 01-24-2001
hey caleb,

how do you mean "pastors have better doctrine
than priests"? A lot of pastors have very unsound
doctrine (well, a lot of priests do too actually).


MadProf

------------------
7 days without prayer makes one weak.

Gift
Member

Posts: 85
From: Palatine, IL, USA
Registered: 02-11-2001
I always get freeked out by celibacy. Because of 1Tim4:3 "They forbid people to marry...". The Eastern Orthodox Church it is an anchent church old as Roman Catholic and they allow married men to be Preists, provided they are married before they enter the preisthood.

My church believes strongly in the the preisthood of the believer. 1Pet2:5,9 We are a royal and holy preisthood. Those who are called and gifted by God should as a part of their local church. And some are called to be leaders, and some to be pastors which means shepherds and the guys that move the chairs around (thats me).

I am not disputing anything that you said I just think the main problems with the RCC are with its false gosple and not just celibacy. Marry can't stop the priest from touching the little boy she has no power. I was talking with this woman from India and she was not a christian I asked her what she knew about Christianity she very inocently replied "are they the ones who worship Marry?" Well I could rant about that for days.

Love in Christ
Gift

Imsold4christ

Member

Posts: 305
From: Gresham, OR, US
Registered: 01-20-2001
Yeah, that's true MadProf, there are a lot of pastors with unsound doctrine. When I said "priests" I was thinking "Roman Catholic." Anyway, this isn't really a subject I want to talk about.

------------------
"True friendship is not characterized by the absence of conflict, but by the ability to resolve conflict."

D-SIPL

Moderator

Posts: 1345
From: Maesteg, Wales
Registered: 07-21-2001
a life of celibacy, and living in a religious church 24/7, nah i'll just stick to being a happy clappy christian!!!

--D-SIPL

c h i e f y

Member

Posts: 415
From: Surrey, United Kingdom
Registered: 03-07-2002
the thing is....when you go to a church, you find the door wide open, you go in....

there are such a lot of things being taken for granted, the church is neat and tidy, heated, books in their place, it's sanctuary, a place of worship, guidance, reassurance, community

all of these things and more

Churches are often depicted in movies as great places of sanctuary

I will never forget a film I saw years ago, a just married young couple got lost in a "bronx" type area of a US city
: they run from close call to close call (all at night) and an hour into the film they come across a church in the middle of it all

it is quite obviously late into the night or even early morning but the church is open!

this is taken completely for granted, the couple go in and find sanctuary (for a while)

but my point is...contrast all this to going along to church, could be a church away from your parish

the doors are locked, no way in because there is only one priest and he can't be there "enough" to keep it open/maintain it enough

the sad thing is, that some people in a so called "civilised country" find an unattended church an easy target for vandalism
: this unfortunate evil leads to a requirement for more priests not less and LESS is what we're getting right now, I think

apart from that I think I do agree with D-SIPL's comments so - 'fraid I'm no help either!

------------------
from your old mate :
c h i e f y
(global chiefy to yer old seadog seafarin' mateys)

D-SIPL

Moderator

Posts: 1345
From: Maesteg, Wales
Registered: 07-21-2001
I'm not saying i wouldn't go into a religious church. I agree it is a place of sanctuary, but i wouldn't stay there 24/7, it would do my head in.

There cold (because there made of stone), and a lot them sing hymns all of the time, and everyone sounds really depressed, like they've been forced to go.

Actually most of them are there out of respect, have been forced a long etc.

I just find that a lot of preists in religious churches "talk the talk" but they don't "walk the walk", i mean what's all this about gay preists. And recently Robbie Williams got ordained over the Internet. I doubt if half these people are even christians.

The word christianity means to be "Christ Like". Being a gay preist, is that Christ Like.. err no i don't think it is. I'm sorry but i'm just sick of all the hypocrisy, gossiping and everything that goes on in the church... is that being christ like...

Sorry about that, but i had to get that off my chest!!

--D-SIPL