Vocations

Such has been the decrease in the number of priestly ordinations over the last twenty years or so that most people no longer speak of a blip as was common in the nineties but rather of a definite trend or indeed a crisis. The prospects of significant numbers of younger priests being ordained any time soon are remote. Do we become despondent because of this? No, not unless we want to. But we are most certainly challenged by the fact of fewer vocations to the priesthood.

Is the Lord telling us that ministry in the Church must be more diversified, that the manner of serving His people does not have to remain the same forever? The church certainly needs priests but it needs other forms of ministry as well. And all ministries must work in unison, helping and supporting one another, attending to the needs of God´s people.

Of course we already have other ministries – by way of example one could point to ministers of the word, ministers of the Eucharist, music ministry, youth ministry, work with children, altar servers, Martha ministers and ministering to the elderly. And it is surely necessary to nurture and develop other forms of ministry – one could think by way of example of ministry to the family, to immigrants, to those who suffer from some form of addiction, to those who struggle with the faith.

The church is often referred to as the people of God and we know that all baptized persons are gifted by the Holy Spirit, ´for the good of all´ as St. Paul says. This is the basis for saying that a greater variety of ministries is possible. And if it is possible because of the gifts of the Holy Spirit then it is incumbent on us to make it happen more concretely, more consistently and more effectively.

This does not in any way diminish the vocation to the priesthood. On the contrary it enhances ordained ministry because it is seen as a service with the community, for the community and in tandem with other ministries required for the service of God´s people. To think of priestly ministry in isolation from other ministries is to run the risk of misunderstanding it and diminishing its effectiveness.

Let us pray for vocations to the priesthood. Let us do that consistently and fervently, and in the same breath let us pray for vocations to all the ministries that the Church needs to carry out its mission of proclaiming the Good News of God´s love.