Monday, October 15, 2012

Ask a Seminarian Open Forum





Despite being on a Catholic college campus, it is surprising to find out how few people actually know what a seminarian is, let alone a seminary. Of course many who do not know are not Catholic, but even more shocking are Catholics on campus not knowing what we are all about. We receive a lot of questions about seminary life, God, marriage, and even what the differences are between us and the Jesuit seminarians.  (At St. Joseph’s College Seminary we’re not Jesuits but are studying for diocesan priesthood). 

With all of this being said, I want to start an “Ask a Seminarian Open Forum”. By opening this forum, I am inviting everyone and anyone to ask me any questions you have about seminary life, how it feels to be a seminarian, and what are some obstacles and advantages to living in the seminary.  But of course any questions you have Catholicism in general and Catholic stances on world issues would be great, too. You do not have to be Catholic to ask me a question. I will post each question on my blog, along with my response to it in a blog post. I will try to answer each question to the best of my ability as a young man discerning priesthood. So, if you like this idea and have questions for me about anything at all please send me an email atjohnpaulbender23@yahoo.com . I look forward to hearing from you and trying to bring others to a greater understanding of our wonderful Catholic faith and teachings.
God Bless.

3 comments:

  1. Great idea about the Open Forum. Here's a question, perhaps unfairly aimed at you.

    The Year of Faith aims to teach Catholics about Vatican II (50 years on). But in reality, many Catholics and Christians go to church to pray and worship God as best they can. They are not high-minded intellectuals like the priests and bishops who inhabit the Church. To them, Vatican II and gatherings of bishops in synods in Rome are light years away from their daily lives, lived as best they can according to God's Word.

    Is the Church risking to confuse/alienate its congregations with a whole year of teachings which may well be above people's heads?

    Best wishes and thank you for your vocation.

    God bless.

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  2. Thanks for the question! I responded on my newest post.

    -John

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  3. John, in your best judgment, what is the relationship between how a seminarian or priest acts in the sacristy and how he acts during Mass? (Is there one? It seems to me that there is.)

    CatholicNight

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