OREGON
Catholic Sentinel
Oregon’s Catholic bishops are intent on fostering more local vocations to priesthood. High among the hopes of a bishop is providing priests so that Catholics can readily participate in the sacraments.
Among other vocations projects, Portland Archbishop John Vlazny hosts an annual retreat the weekend of Jan. 20–22 to speak to men who have shown interest in the life. ...
Archbishop Vlazny acknowledges that the child sexual abuse scandal has “worsened matters” when it comes to vocations. But most candidates are aware that the crimes of a few should not be assigned to all priests, says Father Kelly Vandehey, the archdiocese’s director of vocations.
“They don’t usually bring up the scandal, but I do,” Father Vandehey says. “I say, ‘We have a very ugly face before the media and the people now, but here you say you want to be a priest. How do you reconcile that?’ They always seem to understand it is a few people.”
Posted by kshaw at January 12, 2006 09:46 PM