Homily 4

 

Serra International Convention

 

Denver, Colorado

 

Elden Francis Curtiss

 

Archbishop of Omaha

 

Episcopal Advisor of Serra International

 

June 27, 1998

 

MARY AND TRADITION AND THE CHURCH

This morning we celebrate the liturgy in honor of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of the Church. We are reminded once again of the importance of Tradition in the life of our Church. Our devotion to Mary is rooted in the reality of her continuing role in salvation history. This is also a key to mounting a successful vocation ministry in our dioceses today.

 

Father Albert DiIanni is a former vicar general of the Marist Fathers and now serves as vocation director for their Boston province. He published an article in the February 28th edition of America titled "A View of Religious Vocations". He analyzes vocation trends in third world developing countries and in industrialized first world countries. He underscores statistical trends since the Second Vatican Council.

 

While third world countries are teaming with vocations - Africa, Indonesia, India, the Philippines and parts of Latin America -- and religious congregations, irrespective of theological leanings, have been able to attract numerous candidates -- this has not been so in industrialized nations.

 

Trends after the Council

During the 25 years immediately following the Second VaticanCouncil two distinct trends were apparent from the statistics. First, the more "progressive" or change-oriented a congregation was, the less it was able to attract first-world vocations. In the United States, well known groups of Sisters that introduced marked changes after the Council now have an average age of 75 which means these congregations are dying.

 

Second, the congregations which attracted large numbers of first world vocations were newly-founded and tended to be arch-conservative. The Legionnaires of Christ with 400 seminarians in one Roman seminary are a prime example.

 

However, Father DiIanni points out that worldwide statistics indicate a new development has been taking place in the Church since 1990. The ability to attract new vocations is no longer restricted to new conservative foundations. At the present time, long standing, mainline congregations are beginning to gain a solid number of recruits, as long as they exhibit a willingness to return in some measure to a more classical form of religious life.

 

The French Dominicans

Father DiIanni points to the French Dominicans as an example of this new trend. Until recently, France had three Dominican provinces, Paris, Toulouse and Lyon. Around 1990, a group of young men interested in a more traditional religious life entered the Toulouse and Paris provinces. Soon others were attracted. By 1992 each province had 10 novices. By 1997 it was clear that new candidates wanted a disciplined prayer life; they were loyal to the magisterium of the Church and wanted to be exposed to the full richness of Catholic theology; they wanted to become contemplative men of prayer, focused on the Eucharist; and they desired to embrace the classical mission of caring for souls.

 

In contrast, the Lyon province of Dominicans whose members remained skeptical of classical religious life and were locked into more progressive ideas did not receive one novice during these years, and in 1997 the Lyon province was merged with the Paris province.

 

Statistically, the new Dominican recruits were somewhat older than previous decades (in their middle 30's). Many had entered religious life upon retrieval of an abandoned faith. They wanted to be identified with the Dominican Order by wearing the habit, and they wanted to sing the Liturgy of the Hours together in choir. One novice was quoted as saying "we want a consecration that is visible".

 

When the Dominican provincials were asked about these new candidates, whether they were reactionary arch-conservatives, whether they had a need for false security and protection from the world, whether they were nostalgic restorationists or soft wimps, their answers were clear and decisive: these candidates are conservative and intelligent; they are manly and self-sacrficing; the wearing of the traditional habit for them is a way to profess their faith and to give quiet witness to the transcendent. They have rediscovered faith at an adult age and have made a mature commitment to it. They have found a treasure and want to share it with others. They love the Church as it is. They are loyal to the successor of Peter. They accept the Tradition of the Church. They are committed disciples of Jesus and committed sons of the Church. These young men want to be part of a visible and confessing Church.

 

Surfacing the candidates

The dioceses and religious communities in the United States which are beginning to receive greater numbers of candidates are those which have left behind a more progressive and change-oriented stance and have embraced a more classical and traditional faith and prayer life. This does not mean, however, a retrenchment from the reforms of Vatican II. In fact, candidates to priesthood and religious life today have a great interest in delving into conciliar and post-conciliar documents of the Council. They want to be able to distinguish the desires and teaching of Vatican II from the interpretations and theologies of those individuals who have gone their own directions since the Council, those who have gone beyond the Council in their speculations. Rather than betraying or rejecting Vatican II, this new generation of young priests and religious are totally committed to understanding the Council in light of the previous Councilsl of the Church.

 

I think Father DiIanni gives us some important insights into the motives which prompt young people in the United States and elsewhere to think about priesthood and religious life today: they do not want a religion which is merely a baptized psychology or sociology; they want a religion which purports, as it traditionally has, to place them in touch with the supernatural. They want a Church filled with the mystery of Christ, a Church of sacraments, of grace, which has a message of salvation beyond the obtaining of human rights and peace in the world, important as they are for the human family. They want to be challenged to live their faith publicly in the midst of modern secularity and agnosticism -- this is the reason they respond with such enthusiasm to Pope John Paul. They want to be invited personally to embrace the mission of Jesus, to consider seriously a vocation to priesthood and religious life. A significant number of them will respond positively to this invitation if it is made in good faith and with sensitivity to their aspirations. They require much positive reenforcement for their values and sense of tradition. They move away from dissent which would separate them from unity with the Church.

 

Present candidates

Many of the young men entering our seminaries today have a sense of the difference between ordained and lay ministries, but this does not constitute the superiority of one state over the other, but only a difference in vocation and calling and role. The ordained priesthood stands in service to the people of God, and they know it. The ordained priesthood, while it is essentially different from the priesthood of the people, is meant to support the priestly life of all the baptized and confirmed in the Church.

 

These young men are quite willing to wear the Roman collar today, not out of any desire to stand out or be different from other people, but as a sign that they desire to be of service to others, that they are committed to the ministry of Jesus. This is an important sign of their dedication to the transcendent, a way of quietly preaching the word of God and witnessing to that Word without uttering one word. In the midst of a secular world which eschews religious symbols, our seminarians recognize the need to be living symbols of the presence of the Lord in the midst of his people. This is, in my opinion, a healthy sign of the willingness of our seminarians and young priests to resist the modern temptation to anonymity in a secular environment.

 

Unless we bishops and priests and religious and lay leaders -- unless we Serrans -- understand and give personal support to young people today, we will not be able to attract them to priesthood and religious life. It is a new age in the Church -- a new renaissance of traditional values and ecclesial unity. We are no longer living in the 60's and 70's and 80's. There is a hunger for God's revelation, a hunger for holiness, a hunger for the Eucharist. Young people want unity with the Church. They need structures and discipline in a society which is bereft of all restraints. They recognize in Mary the model of quiet service and love. They have a growing awareness of her intercessory role in their lives. They sense her close connection with her Son Jesus. They want to know what she knows about him and his ministry, about his plan and his call to them. If we support young people in this process of discovery and this process of experiencing the Tradition of the Church, we will have increasing numbers of candidates for priesthood and religious life in all our dioceses.

 

Mary Queen of Vocations, pray for us and pray for all the young people in our countries who are being called to leadership roles in our Church.