In a recent Bible study of St. Paul's writings on the seven sacraments, a few questions came up that I would love your input in answering:
What in our modern world hinders the ability of young men to hear & respond to the call to the ministerial priesthood?
What can we do in our domestic & parish families to encourage all people to find their proper vocation wherever & whatever it may be?
. . .
In other news: Horray! The new Mass translations were approved! I discovered through the Traditional Mass that the Church's prayers in Latin are a kind of prosaic hymn, with a rhyme & a rhythm in a language that expresses volumes in just a few words. Many of these prayers, esp. the "opening" prayer & the post-communion, have been carried over into the new form of Mass, but the English language translations have, up to this point, been simplified so much that many of these prayers no longer ask God for the same thing. Now, while not perfect, these new translations will be much more "what the Church intends."
The objection from many well-meaning bishops was that "Joe & Mary Catholic" would not understand the prayers & don't have the attention span & mental wherewithall to hang with a sentence that's too long. Well, we are called to lift our minds & hearts to God, & like sacred art or music, the language used in the liturgy should never be the same as outside profane talk. It is language set aside for the worship of God. I guess we can put that ineffable gibbet behind us now.
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3 comments:
OK, I'll start:
I propose that the parish have one day a month established as the Prayer Day for Vocations.
It should be made public & promoted, so that young people would at least know that this is important to the Church & hopefully carry that a step further to inquire of themselves what their own vocation may be, whether to ministerial priesthood, religious life, married life, etc.
Let's hear some other ideas!
Did you know that all the celebrating priest, extraordinary ministers, deacon,and lectors gather in the sacristy at St. Thomas prior to Mass and pray together a prayer for vocations? I believe this has been happening for the past several years.
While that is certainly necessary & wonderful, I believe that the liturgy celebrated in the full glory of the Roman Rite - with beautiful chants & hymns, vestments, altar furnishings, sacred art, incense, etc. (all the smells & bells) - with fierce & faithful preaching of the Gospel followed by solemn, reverent, & prayerful celebration of the Eucharist would do the absolute most to encourage vocations of all kinds, as the Mass is the greatest prayer & channel of grace available to us.
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