I can`t remember the number of times we were told at Ushaw how the modern seminarian had to be open minded and ready for change. As we gathered for our next coffee table Mass or heard traditional devotions being ridiculed I heartily agreed with the need for change. I always denied I was a conservative as I believed radical change was necessary if the Church was to flourish. This was back in the 80`s. Well not much changed and Ushaw is no more.
The problem of so-called conservative seminarians continues. Personally I would have thought anyone showing an interest in Summorum Pontificum should be commended for keeping up with the most recent developments and for wishing to embrace all the options available in the Roman Rite but it seems there is still fear of what is new territory.
The Irish Catholic carries a story about trouble at Maynooth, the country`s only seminary. In short six out of ten seminarians returning from pastoral placements have been expelled for being too `conservative` but their bishops have refused to accept their removal and four are being kept on while two are considering their future. Well that is what seems to be happening. The seminary say there is nothing untoward. The Irish Catholic reports it thus:
A number
of Maynooth student priests who were reportedly asked to take time out of
seminary because they were ‘too conservative’ are to return to the college in
the autumn after interventions by a number of bishops, it has been claimed.
The Irish
Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to
Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were
recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources
have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given
to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were
considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However,
Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that
there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between
students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best
next step for a particular student”.
Msgr
Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question
of “getting the right experience”.
To help understand what the right experience is an incident in 2012 is of interest:
This
is not the first time the issue has provoked controversy. Some years ago,
seminarians were reportedly suspended for wanting to kneel during the
consecration at Mass. In 2012, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said “it is
not just that the number of candidates is low; it is also that many of those
who present are fragile and some are much more traditional than those who went
before them. While rejecting “priests or candidates who
simply go with the trends of the day”, the archbishop warned there is “a danger
that superficial attachment to the externals of tradition may well be a sign of
fearfulness and flight from changed realities: and that is not exactly what we
need”
If you don`t have many seminarians and the ones you have are rather `conservative` maybe the Holy Spirit is trying to say something.
P.S. For more background an article from Catholic Voice from 2011 can be read here
P.S. For more background an article from Catholic Voice from 2011 can be read here
A
number of Maynooth student priests who were reportedly asked to take
time out of seminary because they were ‘too conservative’ are to return
to the college in the autumn after interventions by a number of bishops,
it has been claimed.
The Irish Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However, Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
- See more at: http://irishcatholic.ie/article/bishops-rebel-over-maynooth-seminary-%E2%80%98heave%E2%80%99#sthash.85Tpmn7W.dpuf
The Irish Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However, Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
- See more at: http://irishcatholic.ie/article/bishops-rebel-over-maynooth-seminary-%E2%80%98heave%E2%80%99#sthash.85Tpmn7W.dpuf
A
number of Maynooth student priests who were reportedly asked to take
time out of seminary because they were ‘too conservative’ are to return
to the college in the autumn after interventions by a number of bishops,
it has been claimed.
The Irish Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However, Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
- See more at: http://irishcatholic.ie/article/bishops-rebel-over-maynooth-seminary-%E2%80%98heave%E2%80%99#sthash.85Tpmn7W.dpuf
The Irish Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However, Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
- See more at: http://irishcatholic.ie/article/bishops-rebel-over-maynooth-seminary-%E2%80%98heave%E2%80%99#sthash.85Tpmn7W.dpuf
A
number of Maynooth student priests who were reportedly asked to take
time out of seminary because they were ‘too conservative’ are to return
to the college in the autumn after interventions by a number of bishops,
it has been claimed.
The Irish Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However, Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
- See more at: http://irishcatholic.ie/article/bishops-rebel-over-maynooth-seminary-%E2%80%98heave%E2%80%99#sthash.85Tpmn7W.dpuf
The Irish Catholic understands that of 10 diocesan seminarians who were due to return to Maynooth in the autumn after completing their pastoral year, six were recommended to take time out to reconsider their vocation.
Sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic that the clear impression was given to the students that they were so advised because their theological views were considered at the conservative end of the spectrum.
However, Msgr Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth, rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
- See more at: http://irishcatholic.ie/article/bishops-rebel-over-maynooth-seminary-%E2%80%98heave%E2%80%99#sthash.85Tpmn7W.dpuf
