totus.tuus Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 Praised be Jesus Christ! I am seeking to become a priest, and study philosophy and theology, but i'm not content with the religious life in Europe, and i'm thinking of going in Middle East. I believe that the religious life in Europe is going downwards and needs to be renewed. Can someone enlighten me on this matter please? Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC1 Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 You should become an orthodox christian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totus.tuus Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 I want to remain catholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antigonos Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Why the Middle East, particularly? You do know, I hope, that the Latin [Roman Catholic] Church is a minority church in the region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totus.tuus Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 Yes, i know that. I believe that people in the east have more faith than in the west. But i don't have any idea how to do it, i don't anyone there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosamundi Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Moving to a new part of the world where you don't know anyone and (I assume) you don't speak the language is extremely isolating. You will have no support from a diocese, so I think you would struggle to get a place in a seminary in the Middle East (if there are any Catholic seminaries there, which I don't know). If you did get a place, you would need the correct visas to live and study there, you would have to pay for tuition and living expenses, flights, etc. I think you might be better off looking closer to home, perhaps at a religious order which has a mission in the Middle East, to see if you and they discern if you do have a vocation to ordination and the mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloriana35 Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 I know a few Orthodox priests (formerly Anglican), who are quite vocal about thinking Christianity is dead in England, and that the Orthodox alone are the hope. I don't agree, but you are not the only one who seems to think the western world is hopeless. (I obviously do not agree - mankind was rather sordid even in Genesis...) Rosamundi made some excellent points. I would caution you about thinking that faith and virtue vary with geography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antigonos Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 By "Middle East" I presume you mean Israel. To be a Christian, of whatever denomination, anywhere else in the region, ranges from difficult to downright dangerous. An example is the town of Bethlehem, a mere 4 km from where I live in Jerusalem. During the period before the Palestinian Authority gained control, the town was 80% Christian, mostly Greek Orthodox, with a small Catholic minority. Now, it's 80% Muslim; most of the Christians have left because of the harassment and moved into Israel, or left the region entirely. After 45 years living in Jerusalem, I think it's a mistake to believe that the intensity of faith of Christians in the Middle East is greater than that of Christians elsewhere. There are many deeply religious communities, of just about all the major Catholic spiritualities, in the US [and Europe, even if Europe seems to be increasingly secular]. It's a mistake to underestimate them, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totus.tuus Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 I made already a few experiences in Europe in various religious orders, and what i found is lack of prayer, lack of penance, too much eating, drinking, watching TV or movies (i don't want to watch at all), refusal of some of the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Some call it lukewarmness or watered down Catholicism. Where can i find those who still have love of God and of eternal life? Also, i believe that a lot of people misunderstand the love for neighbour. Yes, i was thinking of Israel. I received a light reading the lives of the fathers of the Church or of some other saints, and because of this, i want to dedicate myself totally to the service of God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC1 Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 (edited) Its wonderful that you aspire to live a God fearing life. Are you by chance interested in becoming a monk ? I am posting anonymously, but I am a nun in an orthodox monastery. I have been here for quite a few years. I too wanted to leave the secularism of society and I thought it best to dedicate my life to prayer in a particular community of like minded individuals. We pray for the world on so many levels. There is need of much healing. Would it be possible that you could focus on your education, possibly seminary to learn theology ? Are there any Latin mass celebrating seminaries where you are in Europe? During the time that you are studying , with the help of a spiritual guide, you could work on your interior prayer life. Also , read the lives of the Saints and lead a pious life. Pray for the Lord to guide you to where you are meant to be. Edited January 28, 2022 by SC1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antigonos Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 If you are in a position to afford it, I would suggest a trip to Israel, with a view to visiting religious communities, as well as visiting the holy places, and forming your own opinions. Many establishments here use French as their lingua franca. Do you speak any foreign languages? I would like to be mistaken, but I think you may find you have an idealized picture of religious life in my part of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totus.tuus Posted January 29, 2022 Author Share Posted January 29, 2022 (edited) Yes, i am thinking also to become a monk. I'm posting anonymously too Yes, i've been already in seminary for a few years, but i left it because of the bad things that happened and the formation that became worse every year. I was thinking about going to Israel, a ticket isn't the end of the world. I learned a few languages, including english. I'm not from England or USA. Maybe i have an idealized picture of religious life, but i want to avoid the spirit of the world and to live as the saints did. Edited January 29, 2022 by totus.tuus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloriana35 Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 I think you need a frank look at yourself - a spiritual inventory - if you are assuming other Religious lack love of God and eternal life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC1 Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Maybe a trip to Mount Athos would be spiritually beneficial to you. Assuming that you are male and are open to the idea. Plenty of non orthodox men visit Mount Athos and find it helpful, just to tune out the noise of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunsuch Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 10 hours ago, totus.tuus said: Maybe i have an idealized picture of religious life, but i want to avoid the spirit of the world and to live as the saints did. Even cloistered religious are meant to be knowledgeable about and engaged with the world so they can pray for its needs. Religious life is not solely for the one under vows, but in service of the church and the world (and, of course, God--who is anything *but* isolated from worldly things!). Religious life is not an escape from reality, but a deeper engagement with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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