Christ still calls men to risk everything to be with him

Some 50 years ago a Catholic family regarded a vocation in one of its children to be a priest or a nun to be not only usual, but desirable — a matter of pride. Today, at least in Europe and the United States, that no longer seems to be so: parents are happy enough if at least some of their children continue in the practice of their faith.
Are we old fashioned in continuing to believe that to be a priest is a wonderful and glorious thing? To be able to represent Christ in the Eucharist, to administer the other sacraments, to be a powerful minister to the spiritual, and often social, needs of their people seems to us a treasured privilege. And, going by the figures given in Fr John J Hughes's inspiring article last week, the priesthood is a happy vocation. He went on to quote Archbishop Quinn who pointed out that never has it been more clearly seen than today that the priest is a man who risks all to be with the real Christ, for he will get few secular rewards, and much rejection, in return for following the call.
We much approve of the approach of the National Office for Vocation, with its campaign to contrast the life of the priest with the life of a World Cup footballer. It is just the right touch. What we need in our priests is not someone who is afraid of the world, or who has some psychological quirk which he can hide behind his clerical mask. On the contrary we look for the mature and balanced person: a successful achiever in the secular world had he not made his choice for the priesthood. Such a person will not only be a holy priest, he will provide an example for others to follow. And when the World Cup is raised by a triumphant team captain he will reflect that it is he who raises the Cup of the world on the altar, and that he has chosen the better part.