Obstacles to the consecrated or priestly life 

In Answer to Your Question (April 2000 Religious Life) 
by Fr. Burns Seeley 

Q Pope John Paul II has constantly referred to young people as the "future of the Church." He also encourages them to seriously consider a possible vocation to the priesthood or religious life. What do you think are the greatest obstacles to youth realizing a possible vocation to the consecrated or priestly life? How can we help them discern their calling? 

A It would seem that secularism is the greatest single factor contributing to the decline of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in our society today. Secularism, with its primary focus on this world, is part and parcel of our culture. This point of view is constantly bombarding us in the communications media and in educational circles. The impression we are given, day in and day out, is that real happiness and fulfillment are to be found solely in the physical world and in this life. Unfortunately, for whatever reason or reasons, the Catholic Church in the West has not effectively countered secularism. Thus, it is prevalent in the homes of a great number of Catholic families, perhaps in the majority. 

Should we be surprised if Catholic fathers and mothers, imbued with secularism, spend very little time in developing the spiritual lives of both themselves and their children? Or if they do not guide their children's faith and moral lives in complete conformity with the Magisterium, is it any wonder that these children take on secular values in matters such as marriage and divorce, sexuality, and lifetime job pursuits? Yet Pope John Paul II teaches us that the family is the seedbed of vocations.

The task of Christian parents is as important as it is sensitive, because they are called to prepare, cultivate and protect the vocations which God stirs up in their family. They must therefore, enrich themselves and their family with spiritual and moral values, such as a deep and convinced religious spirit, an apostolic and ecclesial consciousness, and a clear idea of what a vocation is.

In fact, for every family, the decisive step to be taken is that of accepting the Lord Jesus as the center and pattern of life, and in Him and with Him, becoming conscious of being the privileged place for authentic vocational growth. 

But what happens when the family lets itself become involved in consumerism, hedonism and secularism, which upset and block the fulfillment of God's plan? 

— Vocation Day Message for the 31st World Day of Prayer for Vocations, April 24, 1994.

"What can be done to help restore in families an awareness of and nurturing of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life?"

In order to accomplish this end, there must be an underlying and pervasive sense of the primacy and centrality of the sacred in reality which extends far beyond this world and into eternity.

There is no single means to accomplish this. But we can be certain that to the degree religious and diocesan clergy develop and deepen, with God's grace, their interior lives, and express it in their dress and in consecrated living, a positive impact will be made on the lives of the lay faithful. And please note that this does not require money, only a positive response to Our Lord's continuing call to follow Him. 

Another effective means of restoring the sense of the sacred in people's lives can take place in churches. The following may help accomplish this: 
1) A restoration of reverently celebrated Masses, where one is left in no doubt that worship and sacrificial love of God are central; 
2) The restoration of Gregorian chant and other sacred music which have no secular overtones whatsoever; 
3) Homilies which concentrate on the spiritual life and address frequently the Church's moral teaching in areas such as chastity and marital sexuality; 
4) The restoration of sacred art in churches, that is, art which fosters devotion in children and in adults. 
How could faithfully following these steps fail to increase vocations? If you are inclined towards skepticism, please first take the time to poll half a dozen novices or seminarians before making a final judgment.

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