Need a job? Become a priest…
The latest from the Catholic bastion of Europe:
MADRID—Amid soaring unemployment in Spain the country’s Roman Catholic Church has launched a campaign offering steady jobs as priests.
In an advertisement video posted on social networks such as YouTube, a series of priests announce the benefits of priesthood with the first saying he “can’t promise a great salary but I can promise a fixed job.”
The number of people entering the priesthood has dwindled drastically in recent years leaving many parishes without priests.
The average monthly wage for priests is around 800 euros ($1,045).
Spain has a eurozone high unemployment rate of nearly 23 percent. The figure is expected to rise even further this year.
The Bishops Conference said on it website Thursday the video was made to coincide with Seminary Day on March 19.
Okay, I’ll say good for them. First, it’s not like the church didn’t benefit from such pragmatic strategies for centuries — all those “leftover” sons who wouldn’t inherit anything opting for the priesthood. And this approach expresses a kind of faith in the church, and in the practice of the faith, to allow the Spirit to develop men into good priests. Yes, a vocation must be present in the first instance — more than just a desire for a paycheck. But I have known a number of fine priests who went into the priesthood with the rushing of a great wind, or even strayed in with only the vaguest notion of what they were doing, and over time became the pastor they never thought they would be. Seems to me that happens in marriage too, like a lot of vocations. (I seem to recall that arranged marriages are as successful as “love matches.” Not that I’m arguing for the former.)
I know that Pope Benedict, like many church leaders, argues against viewing the priesthood in terms of a “profession” and certainly not a “career.” But I also think that can lead to a kind of “hyper-spiritualization” and elevation of the priesthood into an unattainable ideal that no one can hope to match — and thus won’t try.
Then again, I’ve tended to like Bernanos’ Curé de Torcy more than the country priest. Heresy complete.
Too bad J.F. Powers is gone to his eternal reward. I think he would have liked this advertisement too.
David G – I pretty much agree with your point of view.
The country priest would have burned out psychologically if his body hadn’t got there ahead of his psyche. The monsignor could go on and on dispensing the sacraments and good advice, even if he never floated while saying Mass nor bilocated. A church probably needs both kinds, but I am for the Cure de Torcy, too. Lower maintenance and less strain on the faithful.
Agree that there are many reasons for marrying or going to a seminary.
Sociologists of religion who studied American seminaries in the 1990s noticed many men who were older than in previous generations and who had failed at their wordly careers before seeking a safe berth in the priesthood.
If parishioners could hire and fire their priests, and priests had to appear before them with detailed resumes, the scofflaws could be avoided.
And everyone would be as happy as the parishioners at St. Stan’s in St. Louis. Drinking champagne and celebrating their latest victory:
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/court-sides-with-st-stanislaus-in-dispute-with-archdiocese/article_a29b9b29-ef5f-5167-ba42-ca017ba8f366.html
There’s such a dichotomy in how the priesthood is viewed – on the one hand priests are seen as the represebtation of Jesus (why some say women can’t be priests), the only people worthy to consecrate wafers and hear confessions and marry others, you know … “after God, the priest is everything”. On the other hand, they’re beyond nay real criticism because after all, they’re only human, and there shouldn’t be any scandal if they’re alcoholics or sex abusers. I don’t think it’s a good thing that the church is willing to lower standards of hiring priests rahter than instead deciding to allow women and married men to be priests, which would probably significantly raise the bar for applicants.
Women might take comfort in the fact that it is really questionable whether Jesus created priests in the first place. Reports in the first three centuries are skimpy and dubious. While there are overseers (bishops) priests are not obvious. Vatican II brought out the notion of “presiders” which means someone to lead the service which can be done on a rotating basis. Baptism is the basis of our discipleship in which we witness to our faith in Jesus Christ, his life death and resurrection.
So the lack of priests may be a good thing. Already lay people are more of a presence in the church because of the shortage. So everyone has the calling to witness to the gospel by virtue of baptism. There is no need for all the alter christus magic and silly sacralizing many who take to the pomposity.
There is a faith without priests. And it is high time we ceased denying the Eucharist to many because a magical formula was not said over certain people. So the kicker is not that women cannot be ordained because Jesus only “ordained men.” Rather wo/men (both)cannot be priests because he did not ordain anyone.
A job is a job.
That’s what this ad is essentially saying.
A job but, not too long ago in Spain, a rather hazardous job. During the civil war in the ’30s, the Republicans (Span.) were anti-clerical. One archbishop claimed those killed included 13 bishops, 4,184 priests, 2,365 monks and friars, and 283 nuns. Eventually, Franco prevailed and peace returned.
http://www.answers.com/topic/spanish-civil-war
Jack,
There was a reason for anti-clericism during the Spanish Civil War – the church was part of the power structure that kept down those less fortunate – and there were also a number of priests killed by Franco’s forces too … http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=14603
A job is a job – and here’s the job description:
http://www.career-descriptions.co.uk/clergyman-career-description.htm
Clergyman Career Description
Clergymen are responsible for the spiritual well-being of people. This includes congregational work as well as individual care, such as the writing of testimonials for members of the congregation, visits to old age homes, hospitals and children’s homes, and giving moral guidance in general. This career can be chosen by males and females.
http://dot-job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/CLERGY-MEMBER.cfm
“CLERGY MEMBER”
Job Description
Conducts religious worship and performs other spiritual functions associated with beliefs and practices of religious faith or denomination as authorized, and provides spiritual and moral guidance and assistance to members: Leads congregation in worship services.
Prepares and delivers sermons and other talks. Interprets doctrine of religion. Instructs people who seek conversion to faith. Conducts wedding and funeral services. Administers religious rites or ordinances. Visits sick and shut-ins, and helps poor. Counsels those in spiritual need and comforts bereaved. Oversees religious education programs. May write articles for publication and engage in interfaith, community, civic, educational, and recreational activities sponsored by or related to interest of denomination. May teach in seminaries and universities. May serve in armed forces, institutions, or industry and be designated Chaplain (profess. & kin.). When in charge of Christian church, congregation, or parish, may be designated Pastor (profess. & kin.) or Rector (profess. & kin.). May carry religious message and medical or educational aid to nonchristian lands and people to obtain converts and establish native church and be designated Missionary (profess. & kin.).
I just thought the ad qas an act of quiet desperation.
BM_ “And it is high time we ceased denying the Eucharist to many because a magical formula was not said over certain people.” I take personal offense at this. Magical formula? That is how you describe the rite of ordination? I guess then we have hocus pocus at Mass too. BM, you might the Unitarian church to be far more congenial to your theological tastes.
As in many discussions here, its easy tp get offended about the role of clergy, perhaps enhanced by al lthe discsussion today about the problems of clericalism and issues surrounding clergy training.
Back beyond that also, though, is a shift in a broader view of sacraments and a call to looka at sacramental theology including orders and its graces.
Finally, with liturgical changes reinforcing the different roles of clergy and laity in worship and the recent (failed?) “year of the priest”, how the parish leader (and always “decider” as we’ve recently discussed) is virwed wil also stir some passion.
IMO the so called NE could use a good dollop of humility comingled with a broad sense of Church.
Then maybe we could find a way forward instead of ads like the begining of this thread.
Just want to add that speaking of ads:
Msgr. Harry Byrne has started to post again at his Archangel blog – his new entry begins a series on his sixty six years as a priest and his memories of the journey up the mountain.
Now there;s an ad – but his voice in recent tomes has hardly been heard by the policy makers of today.
Did someone say something about the importance of the pastoral mission????
Thanks, Bob N. I checked it out. What a wise and kindly man. And he’s not afraid to say what needs saying.