Regular readers know that one of my constant prayer intercessions are for increased vocations, specifically for priests.
While reading another cautiously optimistic article about increased enrollments in seminaries and a new tide of young people who are giving serious thoughts about becoming priests, I thought of another way to explain the joy of the calling to what many perceive to be a thankless (or even unnecessary) "job."
For a Christian, acknowledging Christ as both Lord and Savior is a lifelong endeavor. One does not "Savior insurance policy" one's way into making Christ truly the Lord of their life. So the analogy I thought of just now is that a priest provides continual soul maintenance and "preventative medicine."
We know in the field of medicine that "preventative medicine" is both essential and also neglected, perceived as being not glamorous or profitable. However, those of all religions who are called to their faith's vocations understand that they are like maintenance people/preventative medicine experts rather than glamorous surgeons who operate one time to save a life. Christians are, and should be, no different. Even if one has that moment of committing to Christ and thus, as many evangelicals call it, "being saved," to hold only that view is to believe that one surgery fixes all of a person's medical problems for life. We know that it obviously not true in real life. Likewise, as we read in the Bible the Old Testament priests were there for the ongoing health of each person's soul, which does stumble often during life, if one is honest. Sin, temptation, bad thoughts and bad behavior abound. Also, just as in a marriage, one's connection to God must be constantly demonstrated and renewed, or it is suspect as being hollow and taking the "marriage" partner for granted.
So I often think of priests as, yes, those who save souls for God, the way evangelicals think of the Great Commission, but day to day I think of priests as the preventative medicine guys, the ones who carry the burden of continual maintenance (which any corporate employee can tell you is the least glamorous but most essential job in a company). Many individuals witness and bring people to God, if Christian, through Christ. But the priests maintain the sacraments, the methods that Jesus provided through his example, in order to keep the relationship with God flowing and growing, helping their flock to avoid the dangers and pitfalls, and helping them in the stumbles that many take throughout life.
I hope that this reflection has been helpful and ask you to join me as I pray for and support growing vocations, and the young men who are called to be deacons and priests. Likewise too I never forget the women and men who are called to consecrated religious life in communities, and I pray too for their increase in both numbers and their fervor for God as he really is, ever present in all the people.
Showing posts with label serene priests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label serene priests. Show all posts
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Read about the life of this priest
What a wonderful life. It is easy to forget that this type of man is the true priest of God. Bless his soul. I love the tractor story.
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=18139§ion=Obituaries%20(free%20view
Father Roman Edward Ludwig
Father Roman Edward Ludwig, 92, Priest of the Diocese of Fargo passed away Tuesday, Oct. 7, in Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.
Born Sept. 30, 1916, in Cameron, Wis., Father Ludwig was the oldest of seven children of the Edward and Emma (Fassbender) Ludwig family. He grew up in Cameron and Rice Lake, Wis., and attended the Josephinum High School and Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He was ordained a priest on May 30, 1943, at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus.
His first assignment was at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Valley City, where he served for six months. He then served as parochial vicar under Father J.J. O’Donovan at St. John’s in New Rockford. In 1946, he was appointed to serve at St. Lawrence in Jessie, with the mission parish of Sts. Peter and Paul in McHenry. McHenry nearly ended his priestly career. While helping rebuild the church after it was demolished in a storm, he rolled a farm tractor into the unfinished basement. God tested him again as a scaffold gave way while he was helping re-shingle the roof in Jessie.
In 1956, he was assigned pastor at St. Martin’s in Geneseo, and, in 1961, became pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Hillsboro and Our Lady of Peace in Mayville. While in Hillsboro, he oversaw construction of the church’s catechetical center. A recent fall dinner gave him an opportunity to see his old parish and visit with some of the parishioners.
In 1969 Father Ludwig was assigned to the Basilica of St. James in Jamestown to be co-pastor with two other priests for three years.
In 1972, he returned to Mayville where he served as pastor, with the mission parish of St. Olaf’s in Finley. He made many friends and received many Air Force awards as Chaplain to the personnel stationed at the Finley Radar Site.
In 1984, Father Ludwig was assigned to St. Stephen’s in Larimore, where he spent 14 years. He also served Sacred Heart in Aneta for eight of those years, and served the Diocese of Fargo as Dean for five years. While in Larimore, he hosted the priest of a flood-ravished Grand Forks church. He retired on Nov. 30, 1997, to Grand Forks.
In his retirement, he was a member of St. Michael’s and later Holy Family church after moving to Valley 4000’s Wheatland Terrace. He continued to offer Mass in his apartment and pray for his many friends gained as he labored in the Vineyard of the Lord.
Father Ludwig is survived by two brothers, Gregory (Mary) Ludwig of Rice Lake, Wis., and Gus (Betty) Ludwig of Whitman, Ark.; one sister, Mary Ludwig of Rice Lake, and several nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Rev. Clarence Ludwig and Joe (Irene) Ludwig, and one sister, Theresa Parkhurst.
Mass of Christian Burial: 9:00 a.m. Monday, October 13, 2008 in Holy Family Catholic Church, 1018 18th Ave. So. Grand Forks, ND.
Visitation: 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday with a 5:00 p.m. vigil service in Holy Family Catholic Church. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the liturgy in the church on Monday.
Burial: At a later date in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Rice Lake, WI.
The online memorial registry may be signed at www.normanfuneral.com
(Gregory J. Norman-Norman Funeral Home, Grand Forks, ND).
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=18139§ion=Obituaries%20(free%20view
Father Roman Edward Ludwig
Father Roman Edward Ludwig, 92, Priest of the Diocese of Fargo passed away Tuesday, Oct. 7, in Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.
Born Sept. 30, 1916, in Cameron, Wis., Father Ludwig was the oldest of seven children of the Edward and Emma (Fassbender) Ludwig family. He grew up in Cameron and Rice Lake, Wis., and attended the Josephinum High School and Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He was ordained a priest on May 30, 1943, at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus.
His first assignment was at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Valley City, where he served for six months. He then served as parochial vicar under Father J.J. O’Donovan at St. John’s in New Rockford. In 1946, he was appointed to serve at St. Lawrence in Jessie, with the mission parish of Sts. Peter and Paul in McHenry. McHenry nearly ended his priestly career. While helping rebuild the church after it was demolished in a storm, he rolled a farm tractor into the unfinished basement. God tested him again as a scaffold gave way while he was helping re-shingle the roof in Jessie.
In 1956, he was assigned pastor at St. Martin’s in Geneseo, and, in 1961, became pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Hillsboro and Our Lady of Peace in Mayville. While in Hillsboro, he oversaw construction of the church’s catechetical center. A recent fall dinner gave him an opportunity to see his old parish and visit with some of the parishioners.
In 1969 Father Ludwig was assigned to the Basilica of St. James in Jamestown to be co-pastor with two other priests for three years.
In 1972, he returned to Mayville where he served as pastor, with the mission parish of St. Olaf’s in Finley. He made many friends and received many Air Force awards as Chaplain to the personnel stationed at the Finley Radar Site.
In 1984, Father Ludwig was assigned to St. Stephen’s in Larimore, where he spent 14 years. He also served Sacred Heart in Aneta for eight of those years, and served the Diocese of Fargo as Dean for five years. While in Larimore, he hosted the priest of a flood-ravished Grand Forks church. He retired on Nov. 30, 1997, to Grand Forks.
In his retirement, he was a member of St. Michael’s and later Holy Family church after moving to Valley 4000’s Wheatland Terrace. He continued to offer Mass in his apartment and pray for his many friends gained as he labored in the Vineyard of the Lord.
Father Ludwig is survived by two brothers, Gregory (Mary) Ludwig of Rice Lake, Wis., and Gus (Betty) Ludwig of Whitman, Ark.; one sister, Mary Ludwig of Rice Lake, and several nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Rev. Clarence Ludwig and Joe (Irene) Ludwig, and one sister, Theresa Parkhurst.
Mass of Christian Burial: 9:00 a.m. Monday, October 13, 2008 in Holy Family Catholic Church, 1018 18th Ave. So. Grand Forks, ND.
Visitation: 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday with a 5:00 p.m. vigil service in Holy Family Catholic Church. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the liturgy in the church on Monday.
Burial: At a later date in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Rice Lake, WI.
The online memorial registry may be signed at www.normanfuneral.com
(Gregory J. Norman-Norman Funeral Home, Grand Forks, ND).
Friday, July 18, 2008
Porn star thinks priests should watch porn
And she offers to send some of her best of porn films to the Pope to give to priests to watch to "educate them" and "relieve" their sexual tension.
I think films that depict hell ought to be sent to her, in return, just to clue her in and "educate" her.
Another publicity seeker, obviously. But I mention it because she says what a lot of secular libertine society insinuates, that priests have "natural" sexual drives that need to be exerted.
While priests are normal, those who struggle with chastity should not be priests in the first place. So the opposite is true than what she suggests. Rather than inciting more contemplation of sexuality, the priesthood must shed from its ranks those priests who cannot be "serene in their vocation," as we call it.
Some priests practice physical discomfort as a way to curb natural body desires, and that is true of holy people of many faiths throughout thousands of years.
However, most priests do not focus on sexual gratification and thus do not reinforce the impulses the way the public now does in this restraint free society. It is difficult to those who wallow in horn dog and "ho" mentality to understand that most priests just are not wired that way and not focused on that mentality, and are truly serene in their callings. The abuser priests should never have become or remained priests in the first place, once they found their urges to be obtrusive in their minds, to say nothing of once they actually acted upon them.
So even though this tart was just trying to get her big mouth in the news (in a way other than her porn) it was worth commenting on to point out what I have continually explained about the vast majority of serene priests throughout faith history. Even in medieval times when there were rowdy and fornicating groups among the monks and priesthood, one never heard about the majority of priests and monks who were serene in their chastity (and they did not have to fend off the constant barrage of suggestive images as we all have to do nowadays, including our youngest children who see T&A constantly in advertising, for example).
I think films that depict hell ought to be sent to her, in return, just to clue her in and "educate" her.
Another publicity seeker, obviously. But I mention it because she says what a lot of secular libertine society insinuates, that priests have "natural" sexual drives that need to be exerted.
While priests are normal, those who struggle with chastity should not be priests in the first place. So the opposite is true than what she suggests. Rather than inciting more contemplation of sexuality, the priesthood must shed from its ranks those priests who cannot be "serene in their vocation," as we call it.
Some priests practice physical discomfort as a way to curb natural body desires, and that is true of holy people of many faiths throughout thousands of years.
However, most priests do not focus on sexual gratification and thus do not reinforce the impulses the way the public now does in this restraint free society. It is difficult to those who wallow in horn dog and "ho" mentality to understand that most priests just are not wired that way and not focused on that mentality, and are truly serene in their callings. The abuser priests should never have become or remained priests in the first place, once they found their urges to be obtrusive in their minds, to say nothing of once they actually acted upon them.
So even though this tart was just trying to get her big mouth in the news (in a way other than her porn) it was worth commenting on to point out what I have continually explained about the vast majority of serene priests throughout faith history. Even in medieval times when there were rowdy and fornicating groups among the monks and priesthood, one never heard about the majority of priests and monks who were serene in their chastity (and they did not have to fend off the constant barrage of suggestive images as we all have to do nowadays, including our youngest children who see T&A constantly in advertising, for example).
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