Ordination Challenges: Out of the Seminary, Into the Fire (priests, America)

[Victor]

January 10, 2006 / NORTHBORO, Mass. — As waves of new ordinands make their transition from the seminary into parish life, the challenges are many. Some, who began their studies on fire for their vocation, find themselves being baptized by fire.


In a time of priest shortages, dioceses are facing the need to fill pastors’ and administrators’ positions with younger priests. New priests are also facing larger territories, and sometimes unfortunate personality clashes.


Ordained in 2002 for the Diocese of Worcester, Mass., Father Stephen Gemme, age 35, became pastor of St. Bernadette parish only 14 months after his ordination. He said he wasn’t entirely prepared for all of the challenges.


“As the chief administrator, not only for the parish, but also for the largest elementary school in the diocese, that’s a heavy responsibility,” said Father Gemme, who oversees a staff of 47. “Training in how to do a budget wasn’t part of the seminary curriculum.”


Gemme relied upon the resources of his finance committee to help him manage the multi-million dollar operation. He also hired a certified public accountant.


Some priests aren’t as fortunate. In fact, the challenges facing the newly ordained can drive some men out of the priesthood. The First Five Years of the Priesthood, a 2002 book by Catholic University of America professor of sociology Dean Hoge, found that 21% of diocesan priests and 7% of religious priests were pastors even though they had been ordained an average of only three years.


Hoge’s study also found that about one in seven newly ordained men resigns within the first five years, citing loneliness or under-appreciation as their primary reason. The challenges can be overwhelming. They include large deficits, responsibilities in multiple parishes, personality conflicts, and in some cases a lack of support.


How do newly ordained priests meet such challenges?


Father Christopher Beaudet said one of the major challenges facing newly ordained priests is working with pastors whose ecclesiology and sense of the priestly life is quite different from their own. Two years after his ordination for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 2000, the 34-year-old priest found himself working — and at times disagreeing — with the new pastor assigned to his suburban Minneapolis parish. At times, such differences led to conflicts and tension, especially since their style of communication also differed. While both men were honest with one another, Father Beaudet said it wasn’t always comfortable.


“The new pastor had a pastoral style and vision for the parish that differed from the previous pastor, in my estimation, and whose approach differed from mine,” said Father Beaudet, who was ordained in 2000. “We definitely had some head-to-head conversations.”
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