2012-09-14                    John W              Previous articles

    56 too old to be a deacon...but 86 ok to be pope

Last Wednesday a man recognised me on a ferry as I was coming back from Hei Ling Chau Island detention centre. Some years ago I had baptised his elderly father, in the father's home

The man was with four other men. All aged around the 60 mark.
Very active guys. They had just been to the Trappist Monastery on Lantau Island....a long walk uphill...on a steaming hot day

Five special men having a special reunion: long ago they had been seminarians at Hong Kong's Holy Spirit Seminary.  Still in love with the Church whose style of priesthood excluded them. Decades of strong faith
in their blood. Would make ideal priests

All professionals. Four of them recently retired. Mature men, good family men, of whom St Paul said "that's the sort of person to appoint as community leaders of the Eucharist" (I Timothy 3)

They would love to be of service to the Church. Would love to be deacons. But rule says "must not be older than 55"

Rule also says they must do 4 or 5 years study, including a semester of Latin.  Long years of study ruled them out long ago...not practical for most professional people

Not practical also for St Paul in his selection of leaders

These five men are fit and experienced and mature and want to serve the Church

The same Church which in many places is being kept afloat by a Dad's Army of pensioner priests

The same Church which is merging and closing down Mass centres for lack of priests

The same Church whose top leader is not 56, but 86

May God do to that leader and his Curia what was done to St Paul on the way to Damascus ...knock them off their high horses....and give them the gift of sight as to the real situation of the Church in today's world 

Background photos of man's father

See also: The embattled "deacon" words (John N Collins)