Fr. Simon Henry serves as a parish priest in a small town about 20 miles northeast of Liverpool, England. Here is his take on the Diocese of Lincoln, published on Friday …
The Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, has a Catholic population of about 95,000, 148 diocesan priests, of whom 123 are active in the diocese, 7 active outside the diocese, and 18 retired. Oh, and they have 41 seminarians.
The Diocese of Lincoln has been conducting an annual census of Mass attendance during the past few years. The diocesan average is 60% Sunday Mass attendance.
Bishop Bruskewitz fully expects that the priests of the Diocese of Lincoln faithfully follow the rubrics and words of the Roman Missal and does not tolerate liturgical ‘creativity’.
Bishop Bruskewitz conducted the ordinations last Saturday [i.e., May 21] at the FSSP Seminary in his diocese from whence the newly ordained Fr Matthew McCarthy will be coming to offer Solemn Mass here at St. Catherine’s this coming Friday 3rd June at 5.30pm. A Votive Mass of the Miraculous Medal in recognition of our parish patron.
[Bishop Bruskewitz ordained two men for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter on May 21 and three men for the Diocese of Lincoln on May 28.]
Interestingly, the small French Diocese of Frejus-Toulon with an encouraging bishop – Mgr Dominique Rey has re-opened its own diocesan seminary where they now have about 75 seminarians. The bishop intends that every parish church will once more have its own priest. Thanks to the number of seminarians, this is a realistic objective.
I couldn’t help but see the sad contrast here in England where my Alma Mater, Ushaw College is to close its doors after more than 200 years … There seems to be life in some seminaries but not in others. What are the factors that bring this new life, I wonder?
Bishop Rey & Bishop Bruskewitz encourage the celebration of the Extraordinary Form, insist on good seminary formation, vigorously defend the Holy Father, insist on orthodoxy from their clergy, have no truck with the secular agenda, and have a clear vision of the way forward for their dioceses – and the vocations keep coming!
Remind me again why Ushaw is closing? Oh, right.?
Tags: Orthodoxy at Work
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I’ve said it before – and the the empirical evidence is overwhelming: Why would anyone become a priest, give up sex, children, family, independence, etc., to join an organization they disagree with, are embarrassed by, disparage, distrust the leadership of, etc.? The answer is: they don’t! Non-orthodox bishops attract no priests because no one wants to give their life to something they don’t believe in. Orthodox Bishops attract priests because the Church is something those men are willing to sacrifice for. Only the obtuse can’t see that.