The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-06-05

priest forever, according to the
order of Melchisedeck. y The
young men upon whom the conse-
crating oil is poured are set apart
from the world, raised to a super
natural plane and entrusted with
functions to which kings and con-
iquerors can lay no claim. They
are constituted the official repre-
sentatives Of the great High
Priest Who instituted the Chris
tlan Priesthood to perpetnate His
mission among the sons Of men.
"For Christ, therefore, we are am
bassadors, . says st. Paul, Good,
as it We're, exhorting through us. "
Notwithstanding the fact that
our seminaries send forth each
year no 'inconsiderable number of
lyoung priests, the demand is much
greater than the supply. There
is scarcely diocese in this coun-
try which is fully equipped with
priests to carry on the work of
the ministry. And if this be true
OF places IN which the Church is
well organized, how much more
urgent must be the needs Of mis-
sionary dioceses. When we con-
slider the number Of localities in
which Catholics are few, where a
priest is seen only at rare inter
walls, it is not surprising that there
have been defections from the
ranks Of the Church. The wonder
is that the leakage has not been
greater than it has been. Any one
who is at all familiar with the CON
ditions that obtain in missionary
dioceses knows that the crying
need is for more priests to pre-
serve the faith among the scatter
ed Catholics and to bring the
blessings of the gospel to those
who are deprived Of the ordinary
consolations Of religion because
there is no church or priest at
their service.
The countries Of the old world
have dealt generously with the
Church in America from the be-
ginning. They sent missionaries
to preach the gospel to the aborig-
Iinal inhabitants and to the early
colonists. Their priestly sons
helped to lay the foundation of
the Church in the New World and
made provision for the growth and
development with which it has
been blessed. Up to the present
time they have not ceased to send
ordained priests or candidates for
the ministry to our shores. The
thanks of American Catholics are
due to the Church in European
lands for the generous assistance
given them during all these years.
lowing to the deplorable condi-
lions that now prevail beyond the
Atlantic the number of voeations
to the priesthood will be lessened
and fewer priests will be allowed
to come to America. AS a. conse-
|quence, the Church in America
must endeavor to build up ma
tive priesthood even more ener-
getically than in the past. OF late
Eyears vOcations to the priesthood
have become more numerous in
the United States, for Catholics
realize that the Church cannot
flourish without a native clergy.
What is needed is more candidates
for the sanctuary, a larger num-
Der Of young men who desire to
consecrate themselves to God in
the work of the ministry, more IA
theirs and mothers who will i'm
press upon their sons the signal
grace implied in a call to the
priesthood, who will understand
the honor which attaches to a
family that. gives son to the
service of God, and, consequently,
who will make sacrifices, if neces-
sary, in order that the incipient
signs of vocation may be cult
waited and every opportunity af-
forded to young men who feel
drawn towards the work Of
preaching the Gospel.
The time has come for the Cath
|olic Church in America to supply
jail the priests she needs for the
carrying on. Of her work. The
pastors of parishes should fire.
quently recall to the minds of
their people the needs of the
IChurch in this regard and should
do all that lies in their power to
foster vocations among the young.
In this material age the question
Iof vocation to the priesthood
must be kept continually before
1.-THE eyes Of the rising generation
or the Church will suffer from the
want of candidates for the min
istry. Catholic schools and col
Ileges are the recruiting ground Of
1.-THE priesthood and if they fail to
foster vocations the Church will
inevitably be the loser thereby.
i Even Catholics who are not in
a position to directly foster voca-