Gerald has the background information on the priest who posed for the latest vocation posters for the Diocese of Rochester. Not surprisingly since Bishop Matthew Clark who had participated in the militant pro-homosexual New Ways Ministry uses a priest who seems also to dissent from the magisterium with regards to homosexuality since he has written on the subject and was one of 30 Rochester priests who "deplored" the Vatican’s instruction on same-sex marriage.
Since Bishop Clark is heavily behind the wreckovation of the Cathedral for Rochester, it does make you wonder that there seems to be be more than just a small connection between dissent, especially on homosexuality, and the tendency to want to destroy traditional churches and recast them in a modernist image.
Previously many blogs had commented on how odd these vocation posters were with the slogan "I Love My Life" before the background of Father Joe Marcoux was known. Now you can understand the ad spin on calling someone to a life of sacrifice and service. But ad copy like "Something in my heart wanted more than a job … Priesthood." The Navy in the seventies also had the more than a Job line .. it’s an adventure. In this case an adventure in heterodoxy. This extreme individualistic "Something in my heart" doesn’t leave much room for the fact that Jesus calls priest unto himself and not that someone chooses to be a priest out of wanting something more than just a job. But than again having an ad that said:
‘If Jesus has called you to a life of sacrifice and prayer give us a call. "The servant is greater than the master and if they have persecuted me they will persecute you." If you are ready to pick up your cross daily in a life of sacrificial giving and true joy, than also pick up the phone to call our vocations office.’
Update: As you would expect the Pope said it much better on the World Day of vocations.
The priesthood is not a path to prestige, says Benedict XVI.
In his homily today during the ordination Mass of 15 new priests in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope said that the spirit of the priesthood is opposed to "making a career" of it, to get to the "top," or "to seek a position through the Church: to be served rather than to serve."
The Holy Father criticized the "image of the man who, through the priesthood, wants to be important, to become a personality."
"But the only legitimate ascent to the ministry of the pastor is the cross," said the Pope. "This is the door."
On World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Benedict XVI said that to be a priest is "not to desire to become personally someone, but to live for the other, for Christ and, in this way, through him and with him, to live for the men he seeks, whom he wishes to lead on the path of life."
The Pope continued: One "enters the priesthood through the sacrament, that is, through giving oneself to Christ, so that he can dispose of me, so that I serve him and follow his call, even if it is opposed to my desires for self-fulfillment and esteem.
"To enter through the door, which is Christ, means to know him and love him ever more, so that our will is united to his and our conduct is his."
The Holy Father gave this advice to the new priests: "May Christ grow in us, may our union with him be ever more profound."
5 comments
Yep, it’s that bad…I live in Rochester, and definitely used to hearing liberal smack during homilies and having to endure the torture of Haugen-Haas/liturgical dancing nonsense. Words of advice: if you have to live here, go to an Eastern Catholic church–there’s a Melkite and a really pretty Ukrainian Catholic parish in the area. I swear that half of the parishoners in those churches are refugees from Clark-land!
One very competent and informed observer has indicted Rembert Weakland, OSB, for the demise of Sacred Music in the USA.
The question of “tradition” v. homosexuality may have something to do with the dysfunctional family situation which seems to encourage homosexuality–the mother-bonding rather than father-bonding.
It is the case that fathers represent tradition moreso than mothers (lineage…)
Hmmmmm.
Oh no, Rochester is the worst! I have a friend who lives there and she was telling me about making HONEY BREAD to use for the Eucharist. I was stunned!
Sacrifice. Prayer. Persecution.
Answer the call.
Become a priest.
Btw, I read that book Parish Priest about Fr. McGivney, who founded the Knights of Columbus. The eye-opener was that there were so few priests in America in the early 1800’s, and they worked so hard, that most priests died of overwork and disease by the age of 40.
But the vocations kept pouring in.
It occurred to me that if we really were hurting for priests as bad as back then, there are an awful lot of priests who are working as profs who could be released to take on parish duties. Keep ’em on the run, and they wouldn’t have time to make trouble. Heck, they might even learn something.
I can hardly believe the unChristian comments I have just read. I don’t know where in the teachings of Christ he ever condemned homosexuality or commented on heterosexuality, except as it relates to adultry. I do know he preached love of humanity in all its forms.