It’s easy to see why career opportunities are less than ideal for travel agents and tollbooth attendants.
Technology is literally wiping both off the face of the earth.
But, when it comes to ‘other worldly’ matters, who would have guessed that priests may become an endangered species? A new survey by Milan’s Catholic University revealed 60 percent of Italian Catholics no longer go to confession. Thirty percent see no need for an ‘intermediary’ and another 20 percent feel uncomfortable with the priests’ role as middleman between the sinner and God.
The Milan survey comes as no surprise. After decades of scandals involving the priesthood, why should anyone feel comfortable opening up in a confessional? In fact, ‘confession-avoidance’ is a classic cause-and-effect of the Church’s poor image and reputation.
But, with the confessional becoming less and less popular, I wonder how priests will spend their free time? Maybe the Garden State Parkway Authority is still accepting resumes for their few remaining tollbooth attendant openings?
Thanks to Greg Schmalz for the idea.
I agree ’bout them bad apples. They have tarnished the church in a major, lasting, damaging way. And it angers and hurts believers like me, especially when people look at me like I’m stupid and ask me “how can you continue to support/belong to such a church?” And credibility? Well, let’s just say it may take decades (or maybe a lifetime?) to get any credibility back.
We all know that total overhaul, while perhaps a good idea, is not going to happen. The Vatican II “tinkering” and minor overhauls begun in the 60s took years to think about, discuss, plan, and move along — and they are still being debated, attacked, and even slowed and reversed. The Church moves at an incredibly slow speed and “overhaul,” I’m afraid to tell my lapsed Catholic friends, is not a concept or process the hierarchy can even imagine or understand.
I guess I don’t the answer to this one!
Thanks for the note, Seaman Kasko. I don’t disagree that the entire priesthood is taking a pounding as the result of a few rotten apples. But, man, those rotten apples did some major damage. The Church has huge credibility issues and needs a total overhaul. Sadly, though, the Vatican is firmly rooted in the past.
Adm. Cody – You’re on a tear again against the Church and its priests! C’mon, most priests I know don’t have too much free time — there are so few of them these days that many of them are alone in serving their parish — saying mass, doing baptisms, weddings and funerals, etc. Most have lay people and deacons teaching in their schools and serving as parish administators. You do make a good point about confessions these days. It’s hard to go, even though most priests are not child-molesters. It’s a shame that a few “bad apples” have spoiled the “whole bunch.”