Comments on: THE FORGOTTEN VICE IN SEMINARY FORMATION http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/ The archived blog of a Catholic Priest, Fr. Todd Reitmeyer (1969-2006). Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:29:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: John Fitzsimmons http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5025 John Fitzsimmons Thu, 17 Aug 2006 11:18:56 +0000 http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5025 Where are the rugged young men? Where are the muscular Christians? These questions, for the most part, have been echoing without answer for decades now. Yet we know that Christ will never abandon His Church and we can still see the rugged remnant, however surprisingly young, in several missionary orders and in those dioceses and parishes where watered down Catholicism continues to be refused, AND where the next generation of priests, such as the two of you, wrestle with this issue with the boldness of saints. Still any man who spends much time before the Blessed Sacrament will be issued the instruction by the Son of Man, himself, as HE repairs what is lacking in our hearts – “Be a Man.” Your article has brought so many contemplations together. It is perhaps this great attack on manhood that led my wife, Lindy, and I to homeschool our children. (which is where we came across Fr. Mason) It is inspiring men like Fr. Mason and Fr Todd who remind us fathers-of-families, while we raise the next generation of this great responsibility; that is, parenting. We are not raising boys we are raising men. Thank you for reminding us just WHY it is that men of all ages need to be challenged with daunting tasks, holy quests and that we maintain purity of heart. A priest friend has recently instructed me - we have lost a generation and a half of Catholics – now what are you going to do about it. Another young hero for Catholicism, Fr. Don Calloway MIC, reminds us of the blue print, the 2000 year old answer to these questions – Mary. He explains, “The foundation of the Priesthood is manhood, and that, to be a priest after the heart of Christ, a man needs a beauty to love, to defend, and to die for, a man who has no relationship with Mary frankly has no vocation. The key to the renewal of the priesthood is to restore the Marian element, priests who are devoted to Our Lady become Warriors of God, Knights of the Queen, and Soldiers of Truth.” Thank you and God bless you Fr. Todd, Fr. Jim Mason and all the valiant young men who have answered the heroic call to bear the brightly-burning-torch-of-truth in these dark times. John P Fitzsimmons Where are the rugged young men? Where are the muscular Christians? These questions, for the most part, have been echoing without answer for decades now. Yet we know that Christ will never abandon His Church and we can still see the rugged remnant, however surprisingly young, in several missionary orders and in those dioceses and parishes where watered down Catholicism continues to be refused, AND where the next generation of priests, such as the two of you, wrestle with this issue with the boldness of saints.

Still any man who spends much time before the Blessed Sacrament will be issued the instruction by the Son of Man, himself, as HE repairs what is lacking in our hearts – “Be a Man.”

Your article has brought so many contemplations together. It is perhaps this great attack on manhood that led my wife, Lindy, and I to homeschool our children. (which is where we came across Fr. Mason) It is inspiring men like Fr. Mason and Fr Todd who remind us fathers-of-families, while we raise the next generation of this great responsibility; that is, parenting. We are not raising boys we are raising men. Thank you for reminding us just WHY it is that men of all ages need to be challenged with daunting tasks, holy quests and that we maintain purity of heart. A priest friend has recently instructed me – we have lost a generation and a half of Catholics – now what are you going to do about it. Another young hero for Catholicism, Fr. Don Calloway MIC, reminds us of the blue print, the 2000 year old answer to these questions – Mary. He explains, “The foundation of the Priesthood is manhood, and that, to be a priest after the heart of Christ, a man needs a beauty to love, to defend, and to die for, a man who has no relationship with Mary frankly has no vocation. The key to the renewal of the priesthood is to restore the Marian element, priests who are devoted to Our Lady become Warriors of God, Knights of the Queen, and Soldiers of Truth.”

Thank you and God bless you Fr. Todd, Fr. Jim Mason and all the valiant young men who have answered the heroic call to bear the brightly-burning-torch-of-truth in these dark times.

John P Fitzsimmons

]]> By: Kevin J Jones http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5024 Kevin J Jones Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:00:51 +0000 http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5024 <a>Elsewhere</a> Thomas Aquinas says that self-abuse, which he calls uncleanness, is also known as the sin of effeminacy. Perhaps this indicates a deeper link behind the pornoculture's exaltation of homosexual acts. Hugh Hefner, it is reported, is now a consumer of homosexual pornography, and playboys in general are more than a bit delicate. Elsewhere Thomas Aquinas says that self-abuse, which he calls uncleanness, is also known as the sin of effeminacy. Perhaps this indicates a deeper link behind the pornoculture’s exaltation of homosexual acts. Hugh Hefner, it is reported, is now a consumer of homosexual pornography, and playboys in general are more than a bit delicate.

]]> By: Eric E http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5023 Eric E Wed, 29 Jun 2005 04:49:55 +0000 http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5023 This was a great article about something that everyone else seems afraid to address. I am a graduate of St. John's University in Minnesota and both my son and daughter (St. Benedict's) are currently attending there. There are currently 14 priests/monks on some sort of house arrest for varying acts of molestation. Those are just the ones that were caught, I would be willing to bet there are others. This wonderful university is cultivating this type of behavior in the name of tollerance. The head of the theology department, who is a priest, gave a talk to the campus homosexual group (PRISM)about how the Bible has been misinterpreted on homosexual behavior and it does not indeed condemn it. The president of the university when I attended in the early 80's died of AIDS some years later. He was also a priest. At least the seminary their is not putting out any more priests. I heard from a priest friend of mine that there are no candidates there because no one will take graduates from the seminary. My brother, who also attended in the mid 80's, was was the victim of an attempted molestation by a lay man who was involved with campus ministry at the time. Yes, in my oppionion it is molestation even when it involves adults if one is not a willing party. This man also died of AIDS a few years later. It is great to hear that there are more and more faithful priests such as Fr. Todd and Fr. James to help bring us back to the truth of the Catholic Church. This was a great article about something that everyone else seems afraid to address. I am a graduate of St. John’s University in Minnesota and both my son and daughter (St. Benedict’s) are currently attending there. There are currently 14 priests/monks on some sort of house arrest for varying acts of molestation. Those are just the ones that were caught, I would be willing to bet there are others. This wonderful university is cultivating this type of behavior in the name of tollerance. The head of the theology department, who is a priest, gave a talk to the campus homosexual group (PRISM)about how the Bible has been misinterpreted on homosexual behavior and it does not indeed condemn it. The president of the university when I attended in the early 80’s died of AIDS some years later. He was also a priest. At least the seminary their is not putting out any more priests. I heard from a priest friend of mine that there are no candidates there because no one will take graduates from the seminary. My brother, who also attended in the mid 80’s, was was the victim of an attempted molestation by a lay man who was involved with campus ministry at the time. Yes, in my oppionion it is molestation even when it involves adults if one is not a willing party. This man also died of AIDS a few years later.
It is great to hear that there are more and more faithful priests such as Fr. Todd and Fr. James to help bring us back to the truth of the Catholic Church.

]]> By: Lee Podles http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5022 Lee Podles Tue, 28 Jun 2005 07:30:18 +0000 http://fathertodd.wordpress.com/2005/06/21/the-forgotten-vice-in-seminary-formation/#comment-5022 Thanks for quoting me. For those looking for my book, the proper spelling of my last name is Podles (rhymes with toddles). I envy my wife her maiden name of Mary Smith. I think that effeminate heterosexual priests keep more men away from the Church than celibate priests who may have Same Sex Attraction but otherwise have ordinary masuline behavior. Effeminate priests also give the laity the impression that the clergy is much more gay than I think it really is. Thanks for quoting me.

For those looking for my book, the proper spelling of my last name is Podles (rhymes with toddles). I envy my wife her maiden name of Mary Smith.

I think that effeminate heterosexual priests keep more men away from the Church than celibate priests who may have Same Sex Attraction but otherwise have ordinary masuline behavior.

Effeminate priests also give the laity the impression that the clergy is much more gay than I think it really is.

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