Burke's efforts lead to biggest Catholic ordination class in decades
A nice story on Archbishop Burke and the Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.
"The walks," as the seminarians call them, are opportunities for young men to have heart-to-hearts with a man who regularly meets with the pope, a heady prospect for a young priest-in-training. The conversations are usually casual, and the seminarians get to see a more personal, human side of Burke - like when he gets a little skittish around off-leash dogs.
Kenrick officials organize the walks using time sheets. When the sheets are posted, there's a rush to sign on.
"It's like when you throw pellets at the Japanese fish at the Botanical Gardens," said seminarian Edward Nemeth, 26. "Guys falling over each other to get their names on the list."
On Saturday, Nemeth and eight of his colleagues at Kenrick will be ordained as priests in the St. Louis Archdiocese - the largest St. Louis ordination class in 25 years and one of the largest in the U.S. It's also the same number of ordinations in St. Louis as the last three years combined.
Since the 1980s, declining interest in the priesthood has been a growing crisis for the Roman Catholic church in the U.S., a situation that was compounded by the clergy sex-abuse scandal earlier this decade. One church study suggested that 80 percent of parents whose sons are considering the priesthood try to dissuade them, fearing their child is entering a life of loneliness and unhappiness.
Burke is credited for helping to address such concerns at Kenrick. He is active in recruiting priests and knows the seminarians, their names, their life stories, their joys and their fears. He's also a frequent visitor to the seminary, sometimes dropping by unannounced for lunch with the students.
"He's the center and the core of this whole thing," said the Rev. Michael Butler, the vocations director for the archdiocese.
The student body at Kenrick-Glennon, which includes the undergraduate Cardinal Glennon College and graduate-level Kenrick Theological Seminary, is 112 students, the largest enrollment in two decades and a 50 percent increase over last year.
Known as 
Deacon Nemeth in this story can also wield a pretty mean light saber.
"It's like when you throw pellets at the Japanese fish at the Botanical Gardens..."
Uh...OK.:)
""It's like when you throw pellets at the Japanese fish at the Botanical Gardens..."
Uh...OK.:)"
That would be a little confusing to someone not from the area, wouldn't it?
I assure you, any native St. Louisian reading this article knows exactly what he's talking about.
http://www.mobot.org/hort/gardens/japanese/flatbrig/index.shtml
As with everything, it would have been better in Cassocks.
"One church study suggested that 80 percent of parents whose sons are considering the priesthood try to dissuade them, fearing their child is entering a life of loneliness and unhappiness."
Loneliness and unhappiness for whom? For the parents who wouldn't have grandchildren?
Persuading sons not to become priests is nothing new, I know. But 80% shocked me - I didn't think it would have been that high. So not only do we need to pray for vocations, we also need to pray for the parents to be open to God's call.
Great find, Jeff. It's the kind of story that gives hope that fidelity will lead to a healthy Church.
I enjoy reading about bishops who are involved like this. I think a lack of good contact between Bishop and seminarian is a big part of why we had such a long period of few vocations.
I my son were called--I'd be elated!
I think this is a hopeful sign and a real indicator of what it takes to foster vocations. God willing more Bishops and Provincial Superiors will do the same thing in the future! God bless! Padre Steve
He was bishop for almost all of my years in the seminary with the La Crosse diocese. If you're ever had a conversation with the man, the amazing thing is that when you see him again a few months later, he remembers EVERYTHING you said.
I know couples who have met him once at a random event, and then saw him a month later at a totally different venue, and he came up to them and greeted them by name.
Truly Amazing.
This week Archb. Burke's neighbors just across the river (that's our Rockford, Illinois diocese) will have 7 new priests ordained on Saturday. We're very blessed and happy to have these fine young men. Looks like the midwest is getting back to a healthy number of ordinations, at least in these two dioceses.
This holy and true shepherd is drawing holy vocations. May God grant us more such leaders!
Yay for Rockford - that's my diocese! Also a friend of mine is going to Kenrick in the fall. I hope he gets a chance for one of those walks, I'll be a little jealous :)
Yay for Rockford - that's my diocese! Also a friend of mine is going to Kenrick in the fall. I hope he gets a chance for one of those walks, I'll be a little jealous :)
Yay for Rockford - that's my diocese! Also a friend of mine is going to Kenrick in the fall. I hope he gets a chance for one of those walks, I'll be a little jealous :)
Peoria diocese is ordaining six priests this year for a diocese with only 240,000 Catholics in it spread over 22 counties in Central Illinois.