I made the topic title comment in another thread, and received almost no response, which I attribute to the comment being lost inside another thread title. So, here I place it front and center.
The Priesthood Attracts Lazy MenLet me add a real example, that of say Fr. Hewko. Fr. Hewko could have stayed right where he was in the SSPX and lived a comfortable life like all of the other SSPX priests. However, he is a unique brave priest, not a priest seeking comfort and ease, Fr. Hewko chose to follow truth, and suffer the consequences. He is a rare priest. Practically all of the priests in history have been at the very least not brave heroes, and on average were just hirelings that wanted no troubles.
This was the opening comment which started the questions posed by Incredulous,
it is to be read in its entirety, for it is all tied together:
I think we are all under the false impression that priests in the past were brave heroes and that only in our times, they are pathetic milquetoasts. We see few heroes like the resistance priests who have given up an easy life to follow truth.
Priests in our times certainly are milquetoasts, however, if we look back in history, we will see also conclude that the brave saint heroes were always rare finds. There is one saint here and one saint there in a period of 100 years! The rest of the clergy went along with the flow. That means that 99.99% of the clergy were at the very least not brave heroes, and on average are just hirelings that want no troubles. Look how all of the clergy in England caved in to Henry VIII. When the faith was taught by the Church, they went along with the flow. When the faith is not taught by the Church, (the Arian Heresy, Henry VIII, Vatican II) they go along with the flow.
I believe the priesthood for the most part attracts lazy men. People like St. Ignatius and the great missionary martyrs of North America are the exception. Militaristic priests are rare.
Didn't the devil once say that if there were just three St. John Vianneys that the whole world would be converted?
Saint Jerome : "The whole world groaned and was amazed to find itself Arian".
I believe the priesthood for the most part attracts lazy men.
Bowler, I don't believe this one.
I think most priests are brave.
When one thinks of their "duty of state"... they are brave!
I could never have the courage do it, and most men I know couldn't become a priest either.
I knew that line would get a response. Your response as I read it says that priests are courageous because of their "duty of state", that you and most men do not have the courage to do this "duty of state". Please explain what this "duty of state" is and exactly what priest is carrying his duty out? Like I said, they are rare finds, today and all through Church history. Read my posting again, it is all tied together.