The Eastern Luminary (now a pleasant Chthulu, he says) returns--and has an observation:
In an earlier post, entitled The Sacrifice of Cain, I had made the thesis that perhaps the main reason why the real reforms of the Second Vatican Counsel never were implemented properly was because the clergy did not implement the reforms in priestly education mandated by Optatam Totius.
Those reforms included making sure that candidates to the priesthood knew Latin well, that they were encouraged to learn the languages of Scripture and Tradition (i.e., Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic), that they were first to obtain the educational prerequisites needed for those who were to go on to professional academic work, and that they were to get a thorough education in philosophy and theology, with particular emphasis on the fonts of the Holy Spirit: Scripture, Tradition, and Church Authority.
As anyone who has much acquaintance with many (but not all) priests who received their formation in the last two score years, it is obvious that most have not come anywhere near to gaining such an academic formation.
I would not argue with his summary, mutatis mutandis for some priests, of course.
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3 comments:
Did you put out a Roach Motel Dad29? All your trolls seem to have disappeared.
David
Nope. They'll be back.
Rat poison doesn't stop 'em...
”…it is obvious that most have not come anywhere near to gaining such an academic formation.”
Yes, but many were moved to pursue degrees in secular subjects like sociology, psychology, psychiatry, etc. and delight in listing assorted letters after their names - as if this conferred some sort of needed ‘credibility’. But a priest is supposed to be firstly a ‘man of God’ leading others to God, not a man of letters touting his secular accomplishments.
St. John Vianney barely made it through seminary, but his lack of academic ability didn’t hinder his ability to bring souls to salvation. Hmmm, I wonder why?
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