Writing in The International Herald Tribune of September 28, John Allen, the Vatican correspondent of the National Catholic Reporter (USA), says that the Holy See will very soon publish a document to give the much-needed direction to local bishops and rectors of seminaries on the right choice in the discernment of vocations in today's world.
In the same page of The International Herald Tribune, Amy Wellborn, author of Here! Now. A Catholic Guide to the Good Life, says that these days teams of examiners, led by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, are beginning a visitation of all 229 seminaries in the United States. Judging by press accounts, this effort is all about uncovering and expelling, if and where necessary, candidates who show no signs of being able to live their priestly vocation meaningfully.
These press reports take us back to a very important declaration of Pope Benedict XVI when he was addressing the diocesan clergy of Aosta, Italy, on July 25, during his holiday in that Alpine region.
On this particular topic L'Osservatore Romano (August 3) reports: "In these past few weeks I have received visits from the bishops of Sri Lanka and the southern part of Africa. Vocations there are increasing; indeed they are so numerous that it is proving impossible to build enough seminaries to accommodate all these young men who want to be priests.
"Of course, this joy also carries with it a certain sadness, since at least a part of them comes in the hope of social advancement. By becoming priests, they become like the tribal chiefs, they are naturally privileged, they have a different lifestyle, etc.
Therefore, weeds and wheat grow together in this beautiful crop of vocations and the bishops must be very careful in their discernment: they must not be content merely with having many future priests but must see which really are the true vocations, discerning between the weeds and the good wheat."
No doubt, the Holy Father is a man of God with deep insight of the problems that the Church has to face in our times. We all have to reflect in deep silence what the "grain of wheat" teaches priests, seminaries, and the laity today.
Pope Benedict needs the help of us all in his determination to give new life to all seminaries. Indeed, a seminary has a dual responsibility. It owes the future priests preparation for life of sacrifice, unique witness and engagement with other human beings at moments of joy and pain in a new society that seems to have no respect for his vocation.
But a seminary also owes us, the people of God, psychologically mature priests who are not engaged in an eternal and ego-driven struggle with their own problems, who are prepared to serve, to teach and to preach - with integrity and honesty.