When I first came to the Catholic Church, I looked up to priests as if to some archmages or Tolkien’s elves – lo, sublime and spiritual beings, bearers of ancient wisdom.

But soon I noticed that too often priests are ordinary; no, even limited. They have no hobbies, they haven’t read or watched much, there is little to talk about with them. It is hard to form a personal connection even if you try.

You, dear reader, have probably encountered something similar yourself.

But the question is: should we really ask of a priest anything beyond knowing the doctrine and celebrating the Sacraments correctly? There aren’t that many of them to be so picky – let’s be grateful for those we have.

Why This is Problematic

First, because such priests are zero as missionaries. They make no effort to reach out. They don’t know what the world lives by; they cannot share a nostalgic chat about Jackson’s films with a millennial, nor discuss Genshin characters with a zoomer. As a result, the Church folds in on itself within its walls. This is plain to see.

I remember a seminarian once telling me, proudly at that, that he had never read C. S. Lewis, because “he never opens a book unless there is the name of Christ in it”.

Lewis was one of the greatest allies and apologists of the faith in the twentieth century. Even if Narnia did not mention Christ directly, Mere Christianity alone has likely converted millions. But the seminarian did not care.

Such an attitude, it seems to me, is not merely arrogance; it is a strategic error. You cannot afford to shun your allies. You must build bridges with them so that both sides grow stronger.

Another priest kept insisting to me that all rock music is “the devil’s seed”. This genre includes symphonic metal, which draws deeply from church music; it even has explicitly Christian metal. But the priest would not listen.

Again, this is not merely pharisaism; it is weakness. The Church has always baptized culture, not despised it or hidden from it.

Second, such priests overall tend to provide a rather lukewarm witness of faith.

I was disappointed, but I began to think.

Why is This So?

To find the answer, I visited several seminaries, lived in a few monasteries, and here are my thoughts on the matter.

1. Have you ever wondered where priests actually come from? This is not a popular calling. The ambitious youth today would rather go into IT, Google or something similar.

Many priests come from traditional, rural families which, despite urbanization, are still numerous in the corners of Europe and across the world. Their upbringing is simple, of course, but more importantly, it is sheltered. They grow up surrounded by prayers and holy images, they have been in church since they were two, serving at the altar since seven.

For them, faith is like water to a fish. They have never experienced life outside it. It is so deeply woven into their being that they cannot even reflect upon it: what is essential and what might be outdated. It simply comes to them as a package.

I once knew a priest who, due to circumstances, found himself living alone. He was fifty years old and he was absolutely, comically unable to cook anything for himself. It startled me, but I understood a lot from it.

As a child, he was fed by his parents; then he went straight to seminary, where there were cooks. From there he moved directly to the priory, where the sisters cooked. His entire life he had been carefully led by the hand within one and the same special environment.

2. The number of faithful is dwindling. The Church today feels weak and therefore tends toward isolation. It cannot find the strength to digest culture, so it focuses on maintaining existing parishes at the expense of mission.

3. In the 19th century, clericalism flourished. Priests then did indeed somewhat resemble “Tolkien’s elves”, but were cold and distant. In the 20th century, the Church tried to correct this, but swung too far to the other extreme: priests became too secular. This reflects the broader decline of the sense of sacred in modern times.

4. The Church deliberately structures formation so that the candidates that reach ordination are the most ordinary, pun intended. This is done for manageability. Even after the “liberal” Second Vatican Council, an average priest is not very welcome to hold opinions diverging from the general line of the Church.

To the same purpose serves the policy of rotation: a priest rarely stays at one place for more than 3-5 years. Pastors must be easily replaceable.

This is why the clergy today attracts fewer dreamers and mystics — and more bureaucrats and administrators.

This may seem authoritarian, but the Church has its reasons. History, including the 21st century, knows many cases where overly charismatic priests broke away from the Church along with their parishes. This is a genuine risk of a priest’s too vivid personality.

The paradox is that the safeguards against “charismatic rebellion” end up suffocating charisma itself. A more balanced approach is needed.

5. Lastly, let’s be honest: some people enter the priesthood just because they have nowhere else to go. They are usually quiet and obedient, which increases their chances of being ordained. Such “leftover priests” are not particularly happy with their choice, but they accept it knowing they cannot thrive elsewhere. They usually celebrate half-heartedly, and their sermons are clichéd. Such priests also tend to avoid parishioners and shy away from deep pastoral conversations.

What is to be Done?

1. Admit that there is a problem. If we want the Church to grow, we need priests who can at least understand a phrase like “The Holy Communion is the real red pill”.

We must learn to look with fresh eyes. According to St. Thomas, faith is not a blind habit but a reasoned assent of the intellect to the truth of revelation; without reflection it loses power. Doubts are not to be feared; they are a sign of growth.

The grain should be collected from wider fields; a broader range of people should be considered for ordination. Seminarians should not be sheltered from everything. Cultural isolation, in itself, is not a virtue.

But balance is crucial. There truly are harmful things in culture. It is neither possible nor necessary to embrace all of it. One should indeed “set one’s mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”, especially during the formation years.

Yet, at the same time, it is vital to know your allies in the world.

2. When the Church regains its strength, it should baptize culture again, as it always has. There will be further articles about this.

3. The habit of looking up to clergy should be abandoned. Wasn’t it they themselves who called for a “more leading role for the laity in the Church”? Then let them have it. It should be accepted that lay people can know much more about the spiritual life than priests.

It would not be the first time this has happened in the Church, actually. This is exactly how the spiritual orders were born: the first monks were simply laymen who gathered together to deepen their faith.

4. If you crave conversations with “high-quality priests”, try to connect with bishops, their assistants, or seminary professors. It’s harder, they have little time, and it is still no guarantee. But among them you are far more likely to encounter very intelligent and subtle minds.

5. If none of this works and everything about your clergy drives you mad, try looking at them as service staff. You are the royal priesthood; they are the ministerial one. Sit like a monarch and watch them bustle around the altar, preparing food for you.

But beware here of falling into a strange reversed pride. The Church remains hierarchical, and order is a good in itself. We must respect priests, for it is the Lord God himself who consecrated them.

Many priests, especially in poor countries, live a life so harsh and face evils so cruel that you cannot even imagine. A small humble pater might have been through more conflict zones than a veteran marine. I’ve known such men. Be wise, reverent, and support your pastors.

Most Important

What are the roots of this problem? I believe it is a symptom of the faith growing cold in general. Whoever is ablaze with faith and eager to share it, fervently seeks allies everywhere without needing any external encouragement.

Now, faith grows cold because we may have partly forgotten what we actually believe for. Charity and other earthly activities are good, but in the end, faith is about eternity. Our stakes are infinitely high.

We should clearly and vividly recall the Last Things: death, judgement, hell, and Heaven. Let us ask ourselves: what is our peril? What is our reward? Do we truly grasp what we are wagering for?

If we fully perceive the immense magnitude of our hope, we will strive with all our strength to attain it. May the merciful God help us in this. Amen.