Bishop Julian Porteous, an auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Sydney, has written an essay about the daily life of a parish Priest. In it, he compares life in a "presbytery" (what Americans call the "rectory") in the past with the present day rectory living conditions.
Young Fogey Priests, take a read: he makes some valid points about the need for a home life and community, even in the secular Priesthood. Many rectories today are not so much residences for a parish's clergy as much as boarding houses for bachelors who lead totally separate lives from each other. Some make the argument, "If I wanted community life, I'd have joined a religious community." To which I respond, "Yes, but if you wanted a solitary life, you should have remained a layman or become a canonical hermit."
Check out the article.
No comments:
Post a Comment