When I say “Mormon Elder,” an image pops into your head, right? Or if I say “Lutheran pastor” or “Orthodox rabbi” or “womynpriest of a Unitarian faith community fellowship co-op”—you know who we’re talking about. Fair or not, you can picture the type right away, down to the tone of their voice and the cut and color of their hair. There may be some exceptions, but there is definitely a type.
But what about when I say “Catholic priest?”
I recently had the opportunity to edit the short autobiographies of twenty seminarians. It was a strange job, and I felt a little monstrous as I cut the stories down drastically to fit the required word count: “Hm, best friend in a coma? Sorry, no room. Gave dad the news while he was serving in Iraq? Touching, but too long—that’s gotta go. ‘May the peace of Christ be with you’? Sonny, we don’t have time for that!” and so on.
But as I gave the edited bios a final once-over, something struck me: there was no pattern. Other than that all twenty seminarians were men, they had nothing else in common that I could see. Some were teenagers, one was a widowed Navy vet. Some had been pious children with make-believe altars in their bedrooms, others had been atheists. They had been high school jocks, or engineers, or had considered a career in politics, or just drifted aimlessly until God came and smacked them with a vocation. Some of their mothers had pushed them into considering the priesthood; other mothers (quite a few, actually) laughed when their sons first mentioned the idea.
Nothing in common that I could see, other than some mention that they had each reached a point where they could no longer deny where God was leading them. They all—even the ones who had dreamed of the priesthood since childhood—had to turn their backs on something, in order to say “yes” to God.
I thought back over all the priests I’ve known, and this no-pattern pattern was evident there, too: I have known priests who play the drums, and priests who look bizarre without a cassock on; preists who bubble over with mirth, and priests who struggle with depression. Athletes, intellectuals, bon vivants, wet blankets, firebrands, gourmands, shysters, flirts, gentlemen, ascetics, exorcists, prophets, jokers, and weirdos.
In short, men.
The media has, of course, tried hard to make you think “pedophile” when you hear “Catholic priest,” despite what the actual numbers tell us. And I suppose if you grew up in a heavily Irish or Polish or Italian neighborhood, a certain type of guy might typify priesthood for you. But in most cases, the “salad bowl” model of American integration is very evident in the priesthood. A rectory is likely to house a little bit of everyone.
Doesn’t that tell you something? Priests who look like everyone mediate between everyone on Earth and a Heaven that is for everyone. Why look to any other church?
And this is why you shouldn’t worry when you hear non-Catholics sneer, “If your religion is so wonderful, how come Catholics don’t behave any better than anyone else?” Well, they certainly ought to. But just as the priesthood calls men of all types, there is a vocation to Catholicism for all sorts of laity—including people in all stages of the path to holiness.
The only thing that we Catholics really have to have in common is a willingness to hear that call to turn our backs on something, in order to follow God. And that leaves room for an awful lot of variety! Here comes everyone.
Comments
Post a Comment
Our priest mentioned recently that he’s heard a criticism that goes something like, “The Catholics? Oh, well, here comes EVERYONE.” I guess it suggests that Catholicism is a bandwagon, or a family tradition, or a habit for many people. Particularly at Christmas and Easter. But, he pointed out, he actually likes that image. “Here comes EVERYONE.” Because the Catholic Church is universal. It is for everyone. God bless.
But when I think “homeschooler” I have an image of girls with long hair and dresses, lean boys who play outdoors a lot, and white Econoline vans with prolife bumper stickers. How come we have a stereotype?
One is born into a culture but initiated into a religion.
For many years if I heard talk of a Catholic priest, fairly or not, I thought “effeminate”. I still tend to lean that way, but after living in Philadelphia for the last two decades that image no longer immediately springs to my mind.
Working as the Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for six years now, I totally agree: there are no ‘universal’ traits and each call is unique. But they are all seeking holiness and a desire to give of themselves to the People of God. The men who are in seminary now will set the Church on fire.
An excellent piece and so true. That’s part of what “universal Church” really means.
ANOTHER excellent article… I have been meditating on the whole concept of priesthood lately, and this was very enlightening. I had never thought of priests through this perpective, that they are part of the ‘universal’, too… Thank you!!!
I like how you mention that all of us must turn our backs on something to follow God. No one can have everything! At least everything worldly…just everything in God, which doesn’t always feel like everything. Funny (and helpful), too, to think that priests would have to work just as hard to be nice to each other in the rectory as I do to be nice to the husband and children at home. Simcha, you rock. I’m amazed at your postpartum writing skills. :)
Um, Amy, *all* of Simcha’s writing is post partum. *tee hee*
I have a feeling that if you knew as many clergy of other traditions as you do catholic, you wouldn’t be so quick to say there’s only one type.
When Jesus chose the Apostles, he told them to leave all things you have and come and follow me. I love the idea that this is what our priests are doing. I live in a part of the country where just “minister” conjures up the immediate image of Southern Baptist preachers in suits and ties. I feel incredibly blessed to have had priests in my life from such varied backgrounds. One was a boat person who fled Vietnam and speaks four languages, one was a Naval Chaplain who served in Iraq, my current priest is a former registered nurse who worked for years in a psychiatric hospital, one was a prominent immunologist who converted and later baptized and confirmed his own father, my daughter’s Godfather left the world of corporate America to be a priest and learned Spanish to minister to the growing Hispanic population in our area and to lead missions to El Salvador and even a married one who left the Episcopalian church among others. They have all been a gift to me in different ways at different times in my life and continue to be so. I thank God for the diversity that is the Church and the shepherds of it on Earth.
Beautiful post. If I recall correctly, Msgr. Charles Pope at the Archdiocese of Washington blog wrote something similar, which gets at exactly the essence of what you have written here. One of his posts recalled a nun who addressed a group of priests with the words: “hundreds of people could do a better job than you. But that’s beside the point; God chose YOU!”
God rest his soul, there was a priest in our Archdiocese (died last year) who quipped “there’s just no characters in the priesthood anymore!” But if you knew him… and I counted him a dear friend. Yeah, we are all characters. But we wouldn’t want to be stamped out like cookie dough either. I mean, why did God make all that dough in the first place, right? We gotta be characters!
I’ve read in vocations publications of the Diocese of Lansing that the one thing all the vocations (priests and religious) have is that their family ate their meals together.
Good priests are like good mothers and fathers. As the mother of a bunch of needy kids, I sometimes throw up my hands in the air, and say “I could be a pile of bones in the corner, and nobody would think to take my pulse, until dinner wasn’t on the table!
We take them for granted.
Once, I asked a priest friend, “How can you stand to get in that little box, and be steeped in the darkest secrets and sins of so many people?” I braced myself for his answer, but there was joy in his voice when he told me, how honored he felt in helping people to be reconciled with God.
**God Bless them**. They have helped me and my family in so many ways. and so selflessly.
As a cradle Catholic. I’ve seen and met many, and yes—NONE of them cookie cutter!
The really holy ones have been like jewels. I have so much gratitude for the formation they have given me. They have challenged me in ways that I never could have predicted, and in this have proven to me that God never intended for us to “fly solo” in our spiritual life. I pray for them every day.
I live in Playa del Carmen, near Cancun, Mexico. I know of a priest who is in a higher ranking management position in a convenience store chain (OXXO, their equivalent to 7-11.) He is the boss of one of my friends who is the human resources manager for this city for the same company - a natural leader and stern businessman.
Another priest in this same city is an older Irishman who has designed and overseen the building of all of the state’s (Quintana Roo) most beautiful church buildings, usually in the poorest communities. He’s also very active as the principal of a couple of schools he opened.
The priest in my parish back in Canada is a poet an photographer.
In my very brief experience (I’ve been part of the Catholic Church for less than a year), I’ve seen this variety you’re talking about. There is no “type” for a Catholic priest. It surprised me at first, but it’s a fact that I’m really coming to appreciate and see very high value in.
For the record, Lutheran pastors are as diverse a bunch of people as you can get from former atheists to former doctors to metalheads.
Nah. When my friends and I think “catholic priest,” we think pervert pedophile. Just a week or so ago, another priest was busted for sex crimes against children in our area. Don’t forget the auxiliary in San Diego fessin’ up to his TWO love children.
“Mormon Elder,” “Lutheran pastor, ” “Orthodox rabbi,” or “womynpriest of a Unitarian faith community fellowship co-op”: all conjure up an idea of someone who has a day job and does the religious stuff on the side. A normal Joe or Jane. NOT a pervert.
It’s going to take generations, if ever, before the catholics shake this image.
This article should include an overt nod to the great James Joyce.
Love this insight Simcha! Thanks
I like how you connected the universality of the priesthood to the laity. I think the same is true in all consecrated life. I’ve visited several communities and monasteries and the sisters are all as different as can be. Quiet, out-going, reserved, opinionated, cranky, sweet, intellectual, simple, strong, independent, reliable, forgetful, humble, gentle, taciturn, you name it. But, they all seek the same thing, to serve God in the way they were called.
Nadster:
It’s a stereotype because my family is a homeschooling family. My wife has long hair and wears only dresses. My boys are lean and play outdoors. A lot.
And wouldn’t you know it? We drive a white Econoline van. E-350 to be precise, since it seats 12.
The only thing missing is the pro-life bumper sticker. And we’re militantly pro-life; we’re just not the bumper stick type.
You are a mensch. Your appreciation of the fact that we are all on the path to holiness, that there is no archetypal priest, is both compassionate and discerning. Good, good stuff.
The description: “Here comes everybody!” is attributed to Flannery O’Connor; but if not, some other writer no later than the 1940s.
TeaPot562
Priests are wonderful, but you fall into the worst sort of us v. them thinking in your very first paragraph when you reveal your prejudices against those of other denominations and faiths. Every single person on this planet, whether Christian, Muslim, Jew, or whatever, has their own unique story. To assume that because you think everyone “looks” alike so their stories must be equally alike is ridiculous. Non-Catholics could make the very same mistake when seeing priests in black cloth and collar, or when seeing nuns in habits. But I pray to God that they don’t allow prejudices against the Catholic Church to limit their thinking about individual human beings. It’s a shame you started this article the way you did. Your homage to priests is delightful. Your need to place every other kind of clerical person in a box reveals a certain insulation from the rest of the world. Human beings are human beings, the world over. Both JPII and BXVI have stated that we must understand those of other faiths. You might want to look into that.
I hope that non-Catholics reading this don’t fall into the same trap you do, believing that every man in a collar are alike because they dress alike. You know, like they are all closeted effeminate men or something like that. I hope they are more generous to us than you are to them.
@Lizzie, I absolutely agree with you. The non-Catholics mentioned above share a love for God just as any priest. God Bless all of them.
“but you fall into the worst sort of us v. them thinking in your very first paragraph when you reveal your prejudices against those of other denominations and faiths. Every single person on this planet, whether Christian, Muslim, Jew, or whatever, has their own unique story.”
I agree with Lizzie too. If you traveled in circles outside of the Catholic Church it is easy to see the uniqueness of all callings. If you don’t see life outside of a very small circle of being then you probably have never met all of these other unique individuals. In general, I find NCR promotes alot of us versus them thinking.
Dear TeaPot562:
The phrase “Here comes everybody” was indeed coined by “some other writer”, one James Augustine Aloysious Joyce of Dublin, Ireland, and ithis was not in the 1940s but much earlier, in 1923.
Whether Miss O’Connor had read “Finnegans Wake” I do not know, but she most certainly did read and admire “Dubliners” for which she expressed the deepest admiration (particular for the short story “The Dead”).
I “heart” our priest. It’s like having an Irish big brother with a very dry sense of humor.
One of the most off-the-wall I know of: We had a parochial vicar who was a former nuclear engineer at the Depatment of Energy lab just outside Augusta. And now he’s the diocesean Director of Vocations!
Sherrif Andy, you better picture all protestant ministers, football coaches, boy scout leaders, boys youth group leaders and other male roles as pedophiles then or you are a hypocrite!
Since Simcha is writing int the National CATHOLIC Register,it’s probably safe to assume that most of her readers also travel in the “limited” circle of Catholicism. Her opening paragraph, I would daresay, was not intended to offend or be uncharitable toward clergy of other faiths (except, perhaps, womynpriests who are only clergy in their own minds); to make those accusations is an act of uncharity.
(And, just for the record, *I* don’t care if my comment is considered uncharitable; often the truth is.)
In other words, priests are people too.
We have two sons now in the seminary—which is extraordinary in itself, because, though, of course they were raised in the same crazy family, the two of them are about as opposite as two people could possibly be. One is a bonehead jock (and I can say that because I love him and I’m his mother) and the other is the most refined of lazy artists (which I can also say because I’m his mother and I love him)... But what is most extraordinary is the truth of what you have said here in this article. God chooses from all temperaments, experience, nationalities, and levels of wackiness. There seems to the naked eye to be no rhyme or reason to who ends up striving to serve God in the priesthood. Since the boys have been in Seminary, we’ve had the pleasure to meet fine young men from South Africa, Germany, Mexico, Australia, and South Florida—to name just a few home countries, and they have run the most outlandish gamut of personalities and interests. But every single one is awesome; every one has some special spark that you can just guess God knew about the moment He placed them in their mothers’ wombs; and every one of them is special because he is *chosen* or is, at the very least, seeking to see if he’s chosen. The world’s going to be OK. I know that now that I know so many of these exceptional young men. Everything may seem like it’s going to pot, but our Heavenly Father has it all under control. It’s all going to be fine.
I want to echo those who point out that the other groups mentioned (Lutheran ministers, etc) only seem monolithic to us because we don’t have as much personal experience with them. As Catholics we’ve encountered dozens of priests, at least, in a lifetime, so we see their full diversity. We may not personally encounter the diversity in other denominations, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.
I’d love to read the autobiographies of the 20 seminarians. I know in our diocese the men in the seminaries are a diverse group. It is a pleasure to read about these men. It seems that we are blessed to have so many talented men who want to be priest. Where can I read the bios she edited?
Thanks for the article.
Simcha, I was just introduced to you through an article my granddaughter posted on Facebook, “To the mother of one child”. it was so beautifully written and thoughts so wonderfully expressed, that I wanted to read more of your work. Just read Father Everyone and loved it. I will subscribe to the Register just so I can read more of you!!!
Linda Ireland
I go to a University run by a missionary order of priests, mostly from Ireland, Scotland, or various African nations, so the non-Catholic students here often are startled to find that a white guy who speaks English without an accent is REALLY a priest.
Post a Comment
By submitting this form, you give The National Catholic Register permission to publish this comment. Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.