|
作者
|
內容
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2001/11/3 下午 03:29:28
|
|
|
For many years, lack of those with a religious vocation has presented increasing hardships to many dioceses and parishes. The recent passing away of Fr. B. Leong reminds us again of the big problem of losing our religious at a far swifter pace then replacing them with a younger generation.
For many faithful, nuns and priests are supermen and superwoemn - they work round the clock, they are tireless. With the aging of most of them, however, the faithful is now facing squarely the harsh reality that they are losing their religious - at a very quick pace.
It is high time the faithful reflect on their attitudes and relationship with the religious - are they there to 'serve' us, so much so that we can "use" them any how we like? Priests administer sacraments; nuns teach at schools. How often are you, as a faithful, 'using' their services on a personal level? Have your organisation or group recognise this reality - that you are likely to lose your spiritual director/directress/chaplain sooner than you'd have thought? What can you do to alleviate this situation?
If you are a keen pilgrim, have you been calling on the aged, the sick, the extremely busy religious to lead your 'pilrgrimage', thereby speeding up their earthly pilgrimage to end sooner?
Let us all face the music - long distance flight passages are outright 'killers'to those with hypertension and cardiac problems.
If you care at all, next time before joining your prilgirmage to the Holy Land or Europe, think who should be accompanying you - the younger religious, of course!
|
|
靚仔
|
Posted -
2001/11/5 下午 07:07:04
|
|
|
Still the same question again, why you need a religious to lead a pilgrimage? why you need a religious to be your spiritual director/ess? why not let a lay person to do that? If the normal catholics still think the religious is more "holy" than laity, so that these types of job have to be done by religious or clergymen, then poor "(religious)brothers and sisters", I thought you are dying pretty soon. Hope you will rest in peace.
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2001/11/6 上午 09:46:54
|
|
|
That is right - many 'pious' faithful do NOT think that the laity has the 'ability' to lead in spiritual formation. According to a most recent 'sharing' from a fellow Legion, that is because the laity do NOT have the same degree of (1) dedication, (2) requisite training.
Any more ideas on this are most welcome.
|
|
靚仔
|
Posted -
2001/11/6 下午 02:14:58
|
|
|
The long tradition of the Easten Church may help, every "pious" person should have a "spiritual father," he can be a monk, a priest, a bishop or even a layperson, as long as he is a "spiritual" person and can give a good and sound "spiritual advice."
why a lay person can't be dedicate in his/her ministry, or is it logical that clergy is more dedicated than laymen? I don't think so, and I don't believe so.
Training? go to get the proper training then, why not to do so? so busy? then you are of couse not dedicated at all.
question of egg and chick. period.
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2001/11/6 下午 02:41:07
|
|
|
Hnadsome guy, you are quite right in pointing this out. However, I do think that it may still be quite some time before the faithful in general can come to grips with what the whole thing is about - many 'passive' faithfuls just couldn't imagine how a layman could 'dedicate' his/her life to a religious vocation, simply because THEY COULDN'T DO IT THEMSELVES!
There is a long long way to go in terms of spiritual formation of the faithful before they could 'stand on their own two feet', so to speak.
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2001/11/6 下午 02:47:37
|
|
|
靚仔兄弟的話,更使我想起'主業會'opus dei這類型的教友組織。如果'一般'信友均有動力推動此等理念的組織,靈性的培育會獲益不淺.這是一個先培育信友,後來才亦進一步培育神職們的組織;好口野呀.
|
|
