This Information came from a Priest. I think you might find it interesting. Jeff
Year of the Priest:
June 2009, Pope Benedict began a year for all of us to reflect on and be grateful for the gift of the Priesthood of Christ. Christ is the only Priest. In Christ all of us through Baptism share priesthood. Some men are called through Ordination to share in the ministerial priesthood of Christ I was ordained on June 13, 1967, a transition time of the Church. Transition has happened many times in our history, e.g. , married priests during the first twelve hundred years of the church, women in various roles of leadership in the early church, celibate priests, and now in the USA one hundred married priests who were Ministers in other Christian faiths and now ordained as Latin Rite Catholic Priests
- A survey of US seminarians who will be ordained in 2010 has found that 31% were born outside the United States, with most coming from Mexico, Colombia, the Philippines, Poland and Vietnam Other findings of the survey: the average (mean) age of ordained is 37; the median age of diocesan ordained is 33
- 10% are converts
- 37% have a relative who is a priest or religious
- 55% have more than two siblings
- 49% attended a Catholic elementary school, and 39% attended a Catholic college
- 60% completed college before entering the seminary; 92% held full-time jobs
- 16% had a parent with career military service
- 78% were encouraged by a priest to enter the seminary; few were influenced by vocational advertising
- 50% were discouraged by parents or other family members from considering the seminary;
- 15% were discouraged by priests, while 4% were discouraged by religious
- 19% attended a World Youth Day, and 8% attended a Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference
- 67% regularly prayed the Rosary before entering seminary;
- 65% regularly took part in Eucharistic adoration
the seminarians typically began to consider a priestly vocation when they were 18
- Let’s pray for all priests and for vocations.
Please join with us now in reciting the Prayer for Vocations
Heavenly Father, call many holy young people to consecrated life for the sake of your Kingdom. Call an abundance of virtuous men to serve in ordained ministry, as laborers for your harvest. Call numerous others to faithful, chaste and fruitful love in the sacrament of marriage, as signs and witnesses of Christ’s love for his Church. Through baptism you have called all your children, in whatever state of life, to love and serve you. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and grant us each the grace to follow you in perfect obedience and charity. With Mary and Joseph as our models and intercessors, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pray this Prayer as often as you can. “The Harvest is great, but the laborers are few.” THANK YOU.
Thank you,
Frank Saporito, Vocations Chairman
Verde Council# 2493
Knights of Columbus
www.verdekc.org
