Quote:

The diocese had previously planned to build a seminary at the site, said Walton, but over the decades the number of men entering the priesthood has decreased and with it the need for a new seminary.

"But there is a need for a cemetery in that area," Walton added.

Click here for the article from the Gloucester County Times.

The choice for a cemetery over a seminary is emblematic of this entire situation, isn't it? Burying our diocese should not be on the top of the "to do list" of any bishop. Building up holy religious vocations should be. Thank God, THANK GOD that we have been promised, as we heard in the Gospel this Sunday, that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church (Matthew 16:18).

Here is a challenge. Let's assume that God, in His Divine Providence, provides us with our needs, as He has indeed promised. Let's assume that God will provide us with men to serve Him, just as he always has. Let's build that seminary, staff it with good, solid, orthodox instructors and priests. Instead of tolling the death knell of the priesthood in our diocese, let's encourage all Catholics and parishes to pray weekly and daily for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Instead of having one measly "vocations" talk in an entire childhood of Catholic education, like I had my Freshman year of high school (and never was the topic spoken of again), why not talk about the possibility of the religious vocations with our children from the time they are babies? I do with my own children who are only 2 and 4! Why not assume that God does in fact call men to the priesthood and that we only need to nurture those vocations, help embolden young people to search themselves and follow where God leads?

How many times does our Lord need to tell us in the Gospels that "all things are possible to him that believeth?" (Matthew 9:22) In this particular part of Matthew, Our Lord is casting out an unclean spirit, and the father of the boy with the unclean spirit says, "I do believe, Lord, help my unbelief." How many of us pray this prayer ourselves? Indeed, not trusting in God is a difficulty I myself have had over the years, but I witness to you all now that not trusting in God is like a disease. It is like having an unclean spirit that needs to be cast out. Not trusting that God Himself, through his Most Holy Mother, plants priestly vocations in the hearts of His Children is a despair of the deepest kind. Have no doubt of that. Let us pray for vocations and, perhaps even more than that, pray that Bishop Galante, Andrew Walton, Marilyn Vollmer, Roger McGrath, and all those heading up the experiment in our diocese come at last to Faith that what the Lord Himself has promised, he will indeed provide!

(Bishop Galante,
He is who He says He is.
He does what He says He'll do.
Do not despair.