From The Archives

   From the CC Journal November '89
Curia document on training for modern priests

   "Useless" "It's uninspired. It lacks vison." said Bishop Fred Henry, auxilliary for the London Diocese.
Bishop John O'Mara of Thunder Bay pronounced the Vatican document for the next synod of bishops in Rome "Dead." Many bishops at their fall meeting in Ottawa agreed the main problems with the document are
•The ministry of priests is centred more on power than on sensitive service in the midst of the people;
•It is not the model of church communion as described by Vatican ll, but rather it emphasizes the role of seminaries in training priests, ignoring the people among whom priests must work;
•It shows a harsh attitude toward contemporary society and emphasizes only negative aspects of Western society;
•It wants to protect the priest from the hard realities of the modern world;
•It leaves little place for contemporary questions such as limited terms for priests, celibacy, the ordination of married men or the ordination of women;
•It does not encourage that theology and philosophy be supplemented by training in the social and natural sciences and modern media.
As Bishop Henry said: "The best thing about the curia outline is that it provoked a strong negative reaction among the bishops."

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   From the Anglican Journal, November, '02 Bishop Fred Hiltz of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island writes the following:

   Non-stipendary clergy are trained differently than stipendary priests in his diocese. Training includes a mix of the education for ministry program as well as certificate programs of the Atlantic School of Theology. After taking courses, candidates for non-stipendary clergy status have to follow a reading and 'formation' program. Difficulties can arise when a priest is moved and the new rector must work with a non-stipendary priest who is already in place and had developed a strong working relationship with his or her predecessor.
Non-stipendaries are locally raised; rectors come and go while the non-stipendary stays. The new person must be prepared to work as a team with the non-stipendary. Generally, they understand, support, and uphold one another. That's not to say that we have not had some challenges.