This is an easy thing to say, providing there are priests who engender such love, admiration and respect so that this becomes a natural expression for Catholic Faithful to say. Before Vatican II and the NOvus Ordo, it was natural. It came as second nature. Catholics loved the priests, the Holy Mass, and the priesthood. Popes such as Blessed Pius IX,Leo XIII, St. Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI, Venerable Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII were magnificent Popes who were genuinely saintly and priestly. And of course, there was Saint Padre Pio of Pietralcina, perhaps the 20th centuries most perfect example of a priest! We don't (and won't) have that holiness with the Novus Ordo priest. And the recent scandals of Vatican II era priesthood has done nothing to engender this simple expression. With the return of a holy Pope, and the traditional Holy Mass, a holy priesthood will follow and this time honored sentiment will once again become natural for Catholics.
Absolutely! Well said J.P.S. And let anyone you know, or who crosses your path, hear you sayihg them. Could produce opportunities for some catechesis and apologetics.
I love this blog, however, I will have to dissagree with what Anonymous said about the pre-vatican Church and how much people loved thier priest. Why do we believe that that love has stopped and everything was soo perfect for the Church before Vatican II. Nostalgia is one thing but ignorance is another.I have talked to too many people that say things were not soo great with the pre-vatican Church. We are in a new century now, lets start living in it. I love our priest and I support the priesthood of today. It is great to remember the past, however, some of us dont want to relive it.
I disagree with the first "anonymous" poster. What John has asked everyone to say is "I love the PriestHOOD", not "I love Fr.N.". There is a big difference. It is important for faithful Catholics to love the priesthood even if the individual priests in it are less than sterling all the time. It is the OFFICE not the MAN that should be loved and respected. Before Vatican II and the Novus Ordo it was no more natural than it is now. When I was a boy my pastor was a jerk. He smoked too much, coughed his way through Mass, was rude to people, never practiced what he preached and always bothered the parishioners about money. But, in our house my late father would never allow an untoward word about this priest. This was because my father respected the Priesthood even though this priest was not all that worthy of respect based on his own merits.
My father understood that for reasons he didn't know and may never know God had called this man to be a priest. My father remembered that God doesn't owe any of us an explanation and even when we can't understand what He does we need to remember that we answer to God not the other way around.
The biggest difference between the "old days" and now isn't what's in the Mass. It's that lay people have forgotten that they aren't the customer; or the constituent; or the bosses. They are the flock. It isn't up to them to sit in judgement. In a democratic republic sovereignty rests with the people and all the officials of the government are ultimately answerable to them. That isn't the case in the Church. Sovereignty rests with God. His chosen servants are chosen for His reasons.
Even when a priest is lost in sin and unworthy of the mysteries he celebrates he still holds an office given to him by God; not conferred upon him by the people. We have all to love and respect the PriestHOOD even when we don't love and respect the priest.
Anonymous, are you saying Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II were not holy Popes??? They were pius men, not sinful ones. It is devastating that many priests, who served during the papacy of these two gentle souls, betrayed their God, their Church and their Pope by abusing children, but it is unfair to imply that Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II were anything but holy men. Let us all remember that it was Blessed Pope John XXIII who called for the Second Vatican Council and got the ball rolling on so many of the changes we suffer through today.
This is an easy thing to say, providing there are priests who engender such love, admiration and respect so that this becomes a natural expression for Catholic Faithful to say.
ReplyDeleteBefore Vatican II and the NOvus Ordo, it was natural. It came as second nature. Catholics loved the priests, the Holy Mass, and the priesthood. Popes such as Blessed Pius IX,Leo XIII, St. Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI, Venerable Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII were magnificent Popes who were genuinely saintly and priestly. And of course, there was Saint Padre Pio of Pietralcina, perhaps the 20th centuries most perfect example of a priest!
We don't (and won't) have that holiness with the Novus Ordo priest. And the recent scandals of Vatican II era priesthood has done nothing to engender this simple expression.
With the return of a holy Pope, and the traditional Holy Mass, a holy priesthood will follow and this time honored sentiment will once again become natural for Catholics.
JP,
ReplyDeleteCan't you just hear "The Boss" saying something similar?
It does my heart good to think of him....
Absolutely! Well said J.P.S. And let anyone you know, or who crosses your path, hear you sayihg them. Could produce opportunities for some catechesis and apologetics.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your blog.
I love this blog, however, I will have to dissagree with what Anonymous said about the pre-vatican Church and how much people loved thier priest. Why do we believe that that love has stopped and everything was soo perfect for the Church before Vatican II. Nostalgia is one thing but ignorance is another.I have talked to too many people that say things were not soo great with the pre-vatican Church.
ReplyDeleteWe are in a new century now, lets start living in it.
I love our priest and I support the priesthood of today.
It is great to remember the past, however, some of us dont want to relive it.
RS
I disagree with the first "anonymous" poster. What John has asked everyone to say is "I love the PriestHOOD", not "I love Fr.N.". There is a big difference. It is important for faithful Catholics to love the priesthood even if the individual priests in it are less than sterling all the time. It is the OFFICE not the MAN that should be loved and respected. Before Vatican II and the Novus Ordo it was no more natural than it is now. When I was a boy my pastor was a jerk. He smoked too much, coughed his way through Mass, was rude to people, never practiced what he preached and always bothered the parishioners about money. But, in our house my late father would never allow an untoward word about this priest. This was because my father respected the Priesthood even though this priest was not all that worthy of respect based on his own merits.
ReplyDeleteMy father understood that for reasons he didn't know and may never know God had called this man to be a priest. My father remembered that God doesn't owe any of us an explanation and even when we can't understand what He does we need to remember that we answer to God not the other way around.
The biggest difference between the "old days" and now isn't what's in the Mass. It's that lay people have forgotten that they aren't the customer; or the constituent; or the bosses. They are the flock. It isn't up to them to sit in judgement. In a democratic republic sovereignty rests with the people and all the officials of the government are ultimately answerable to them. That isn't the case in the Church. Sovereignty rests with God. His chosen servants are chosen for His reasons.
Even when a priest is lost in sin and unworthy of the mysteries he celebrates he still holds an office given to him by God; not conferred upon him by the people. We have all to love and respect the PriestHOOD even when we don't love and respect the priest.
Anonymous, are you saying Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II were not holy Popes??? They were pius men, not sinful ones. It is devastating that many priests, who served during the papacy of these two gentle souls, betrayed their God, their Church and their Pope by abusing children, but it is unfair to imply that Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II were anything but holy men. Let us all remember that it was Blessed Pope John XXIII who called for the Second Vatican Council and got the ball rolling on so many of the changes we suffer through today.
ReplyDeleteFrom an old lady..
ReplyDeleteNo one can forgive us our sins nor bring us the Body and Blood of Christ except a PRIEST.
from John's Mom