Perusing my local paper’s website I came across a guest column in their Religion section. I didn’t know there was a Religion section – just sports, comics and a whole lot of filler I thought. Well, filler, and stuff I could use to start the charcoal. But I digress. A lady by the name of Jenny Swope wrote a fantastic article – I would term it a call to arms as it were – on the priest shortage. Her closing paragraphs are inspiring:
There is no excuse for us as lay Catholics to sit helplessly by as the number of priests declines each year. The priest shortage is not going away overnight, and it will mean hard times for the church in the foreseeable future. But the long-term solution is in our hands, and it will not be reached by depriving the priesthood of its treasure of celibacy.
Rather, we the laity must set our sights higher, becoming ourselves examples of love and service who will inspire young men around us to take up their cross and follow Christ in a life of whole-hearted dedication.
Just your friendly reminder that just as the bishops are not the cause of everything wrong with the Church, neither can they be the sole actors in making it all right again. Jenny says it well I believe – it is our duty to assist them in any, indeed every, way we can, always faithful to the Magisterium as we do so.
