The ironic result of clericalism: no encouragement of vocations to the priesthood

A description of clericalism:

The laity are worthless unless they take on responsibilities of a priest who, with no sense of priestly identity, turns his priesthood into a display of power, delegating priestly responsibilities which he doesn’t care to do himself to the sycophantic lay enablers he gathers around himself for his self-congratulation.

The immediate practical effect of clericalism:

The parish is turned into a fiasco of jockeying for power, into which vacuum of egoism all would-be-service is transformed into aloof standoffishness that disdains any the responsibilities which have been delegated.

The immediate spiritual effect of clericalism:

Instead of everyone, priest and people, being in reverence and humble thanksgiving before our Lord Jesus, Mary’s Divine Son, so that all are eager to know how to make progress in the spiritual life, how to make a good confession, how to participate at Holy Mass with active receptivity, how to serve Jesus in each other… instead of all that, the immediate spiritual effect of clericalism is rivalry and bitterness among those competing for the most “power” and backing by the mere shell of the priest who no longer serves our Lord and His parish, but is rather defined by the sycophants to whom he has sold his soul for their shallow praise.

How clericalism results in the non-encouragement of vocations:

The priest doesn’t want any seminarians since he is afraid of any competition from someone who has a true priestly identity, something he cannot tolerate as he will not admit this priestly identity into his own life.

The laity don’t want any seminarians and the last thing they would ever do is to encourage vocations for the reason that any others would threaten their corner on power in the parish. They have their wimpish priest under their control and don’t want to risk losing this. Since there is no other reason to have a parish other than their power mongering.

If a vocation does show up, if a seminarian does make an appearance, he is roundly mocked with subtle and incisive public jabs that let him know that he and his service of Jesus are most unwelcome among these narrow-minded self-congratulators.

The irony of it all:

Clericalism, the word, in itself, sounds like it would encourage priestliness, but instead it is a full-fledged attack on the priesthood and the laity, geared to having people ignore Jesus so as to promote themselves.

How to bring an end to clericalism:

Prayer to Jesus, the High Priest. Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Just make sure Father does the exposition and reposition, even if he’s “busy” doing other things, you know, being a clericalist. If he’s already pulled this on you, just start to insist that he has to get his priorities straight. It only takes a couple of minutes.

There is no lack of vocations to the priesthood:

Any parish that knows who Jesus is has even dozens of vocations. Jesus makes it happen. He also calls others in other parishes, but they browbeat vocations into the dirt. But they are there. They often go elsewhere, joining other dioceses or religious congregations.

In the end:

In the end, Jesus is the Lord of History, and He gets what he wants. It’s good to be part of what He wants in view of all eternity. Really it is.

What to do:

To start, follow the command of our Lord to pray to the Harvest Master, our Heavenly Father, for vocations. In doing this, you are also praying for the conversion of the clericalists, whether priestly or lay. Pray for vocations, right here, right now: Hail Mary…