{"id":15293,"date":"2010-01-06T12:21:05","date_gmt":"2010-01-06T16:21:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.firstthings.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/?p=15293"},"modified":"2017-03-10T22:54:27","modified_gmt":"2017-03-10T22:54:27","slug":"funk-priesthood-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs – UPDATED"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we\u2019re in a funk.<\/p>\n

But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore throat\/immune system thing, and shivers. So I am taking it easy today.
\n
\nWoke up with this on my mind, though:<\/strong> \u201csomeone\u2019s son has to be the priest; someone\u2019s child must be the soldier, and the cop.\u201d<\/em> I have no idea why that was with me. When my kids were growing up my husband and I always made it clear that whatever would make them happy -including the priesthood or the military or law enforcement- we\u2019d support them in their choice.<\/p>\n

The priesthood was tricky, of course. Neither of us wanted the kids to feel pressured<\/em> to become priests -that\u2019s a calling that parents can help their child hear, but cannot themselves make or demand- but we did let them know that when thinking \u201cwhat they wanted to be when they grew up\u201d they should think specifically in terms of vocation, not \u201cjobs\u201d or even \u201ccareer\u201d but \u201ccalling. Were they called to a married state or a single one or a religious one? Were they called to public service, or to academia? Had we had daughters, we would have said the same, letting them know that the religious life was certainly on the table of vocation choices they should consider.<\/p>\n

Neither of our sons feel especially \u201ccalled\u201d to standard 9 to 5 corporate work, although I suspect Elder Son might consider studying engineering, if he had it to do again. Both are inventive; Elder son, currently looking for any work, simply to be practical, has the heart of an inventor. Buster is still in school. The priesthood was an annoying attraction for him -a notion that kept popping up and he would wrestle back down to the ground<\/a>\u2013 because he has always wanted marriage and a family. Now, of course, he is wondering if Roman Catholic Anglicanism (or, Anglican-Rite Catholicism; what are<\/em> we going to call that?)<\/a> might not -eventually- become something that puts all of that before him.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m feeling too icky to get into all the controversy<\/strong> about married priests, women priests, celibacy, etc. All I know is Buddhists never have to put up with people sneering at them about a celibate all-male priesthood the way the Catholics do, which kind of de-legitimizes the \u201cconcerns\u201d of the sneerers, in my mind. It\u2019s quite amazing to me that the Dalai Lama and the Pope can hold nearly identical positions<\/a> but one is considered \u201cenlightened\u201d and the other is accused of leading us into \u201cthe dark ages.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyway, before I head back to the couch with a bit of tea, how about a poll?<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
If you are Catholic, have you encouraged or discouraged your child to consider the priesthood or religious life?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nEncouraged<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nDiscouraged<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nActually never thought about it at all<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIt never came up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pollcode.com free polls<\/a><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/form>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
How important is a Eucharistic Church, to you?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI\u2019m Catholic; Very Important<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI\u2019m Catholic; Unimportant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNon-Catholic; Very Important<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNon-Catholic; Unimportant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nUndecided<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNot sure what it means<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pollcode.com free polls<\/a><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/form>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Would you support your child\u2019s choice to serve in military?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nYes, anytime<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nOnly under certain presidents<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNo, never<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI\u2019d first try to dissuade<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nUnsure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pollcode.com free polls<\/a><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/form>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Did you ever consider ministry or military, yourself?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pollcode.com free polls<\/a><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/form>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
If NO, do you regret not considering it?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pollcode.com free polls<\/a><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/form>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Are you satisfied with your career choices?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nYes, very<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nYes, for the most part<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nSometimes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nRarely<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNo, but I had few choices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNo, but it\u2019s too late to change<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNo, I hate my job<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pollcode.com free polls<\/a><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/form>\n

Finally, knowing what you know now<\/em> would you do things very differently in your life, or would you mostly have done the same?<\/p>\n

For me, it took me a long time to figure out that what I thought I had wanted would have been a bad -even disasterous- choice, and that in the end, God blessed me and gifted me much more than I deserved (or even understood) by putting me where he did. That\u2019s not to say I don\u2019t regret certain days or actions -there are a some days, some rants, some selfish moves and more than a few sins I wish I could \u201ctake back\u201d and do over, this time making better choices- but all-in-all, I\u2019d rather have my life as it has unfolded. Thank you, Lord. Amen.<\/p>\n

UPDATE I:<\/strong>
\nKim Priestap\u2019s nephew takes his oath<\/a><\/p>\n

UPDATE II:<\/strong>
\nDeacon Greg notes a bit of serendipity:<\/strong> \u201cdid you know next week is Vocation Awareness Week?\u201d<\/em> Actually, I didn\u2019t know it. Perhaps that is why I woke up with that question being whispered in my ear? He has a nice piece up about the wives of deacons<\/a>, who embody another sort of vocation. And Webster sings the praises of his Ace<\/a><\/p>\n

UPDATE III:<\/strong>
\nThe vocation of parenthood \u2013 a very great mystery<\/a>. I don\u2019t know how I could get through a single day as a parent, without faith.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we\u2019re in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore throat\/immune system thing, and shivers. So I am taking it easy today. Woke up with this on my mind, though: \u201csomeone\u2019s son has to be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,18,26,41,43,44,61,77,92,96,113,264,277],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-remaking-ourselves","category-anglican-roman-reconciliation","category-benedict-xvi","category-buster","category-catholic-vocations","category-catholicism","category-crucible-of-faith","category-elder-son","category-eucharist","category-faith","category-freedom-of-worship","category-us-military","category-year-of-the-priest"],"yoast_head":"\nFunk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs - UPDATED<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we're in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs - UPDATED\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we're in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Anchoress\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-01-06T16:21:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-03-10T22:54:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elizabeth Scalia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elizabeth Scalia\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/\",\"name\":\"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs - UPDATED\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2010-01-06T16:21:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-03-10T22:54:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#\/schema\/person\/89fc1174c0d765bb372cf892e199b06b\"},\"description\":\"I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we're in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs – UPDATED\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/\",\"name\":\"The Anchoress\",\"description\":\"Elizabeth Scalia\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#\/schema\/person\/89fc1174c0d765bb372cf892e199b06b\",\"name\":\"Elizabeth Scalia\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f18a7adac49c37442f07444789de0e73?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f18a7adac49c37442f07444789de0e73?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Elizabeth Scalia\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/author\/elizabethscalia\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs - UPDATED","description":"I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we're in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs - UPDATED","og_description":"I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we're in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/","og_site_name":"The Anchoress","article_published_time":"2010-01-06T16:21:05+00:00","article_modified_time":"2017-03-10T22:54:27+00:00","author":"Elizabeth Scalia","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elizabeth Scalia","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/","name":"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs - UPDATED","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#website"},"datePublished":"2010-01-06T16:21:05+00:00","dateModified":"2017-03-10T22:54:27+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#\/schema\/person\/89fc1174c0d765bb372cf892e199b06b"},"description":"I know that header could describe the state of the whole nation, right now; we're in a funk. But really, I am simply down with a bit of a fever\/sore","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2010\/01\/06\/funk-priesthood-jobs\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Funk, Priesthood, Military & Jobs – UPDATED"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/","name":"The Anchoress","description":"Elizabeth Scalia","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#\/schema\/person\/89fc1174c0d765bb372cf892e199b06b","name":"Elizabeth Scalia","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f18a7adac49c37442f07444789de0e73?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f18a7adac49c37442f07444789de0e73?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Elizabeth Scalia"},"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/author\/elizabethscalia\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/112"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15293\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}