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In
Search of the Spirit
A
monthly letter from the Glenmary Vocation Office
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August
2002
Help
Me Answer THE Vocation Question!
By
Father Steve Pawelk
This
last Sunday a parishioner in Stanton, Ky., where I live
when I’m not on the road doing Glenmary vocation
ministry, asked me, “Did you get us more priests?”
After I explained my recent recruitment efforts in Mexico,
her second question was, “Why are other nations
having a boom in vocations and we are not?”
This
is the vocation question today.
I
have heard many answers: Family size is smaller. Our
society is too materialistic. No one wants to sacrifice.
Celibacy is outdated. Women and married folks should
be allowed to be ordained. The scandals in the church.
None of these responses, however, address the question
adequately.
According
to one national study done in 2001-2002, one-fifth of
the men in U.S. seminaries are from foreign countries—over
69 different countries! In Glenmary, we receive requests
in abundance from Nigeria as well as from India, Kenya,
Mozambique and even Russia. Recently, I was in Mexico
where five young men have dreams of becoming priests
in Glenmary. Though I have been working now in vocation
ministry for over a year, the requests from native-born
Americans are slim.
I
do not have an answer. Many of the native-born men I
am in contact with are good men. This year, two entered
diocesan seminaries and another decided to look at a
different religious community. Others have given volunteer
time to Glenmary as part of their discernment process.
Yet most inquire once, and little is heard from them
after that.
So
what are we to make of this? I am curious about your
opinions.
The
readers of this newsletter are here in the USA as well
as in other countries. How do you answer my parishioner’s
question: “Why are other nations having a boom
in vocations and we (the USA) are not?” Send responses
to spawelk@glenmary.org.
