Vocations
Priests: A history of making a difference
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T In 1950, according to “Our Faith-Filled Heritage,” the archdiocesan bicentennial history, there were 1,915 diocesan and religious order priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia serving 1,058,058 Catholics. That was a peak time, with one priest to every 552 people. Figures published in the 2009 archdiocesan Catholic Directory show 989 […]
A glimpse of life at the seminary
By Nadia Maria SmithCS&T Staff Writer WYNNEWOOD – Come and see. A retreat weekend at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the perfect way to experience a day in the life of a seminarian. “When the Apostles asked Jesus where he was staying, Jesus said, ‘Come and see.’ He never said, ‘Come, I’ll make you a […]
A priest, or two, in the family
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T As a young man ponders whether or not God wants him to be a priest, family support for his decision can be crucial. Some local parents are giving, or have given, just that. For example, James and Pat Welsh, along with Joseph and Lee Brandt, feel blessed to have […]
Four priests touched lives in profound ways
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T It is in the nature of ministry. Priests, through the performance of their daily work, can profoundly influence lives, sometimes without even realizing it. Take the case of Father Andrew Francis Klarmann. It was around 1928 in the Brooklyn Diocese. He visited an immigrant Italian Catholic couple struggling to […]
Offering answers to a young man’s questions
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Realizing a vocation to the priesthood begins with that first step. Think of it as something like going into the water at Ocean City in early June. You think you’ll probably enjoy it but dread the initial cold shock. It’s all a matter of getting one’s feet wet. Young […]