The Collar: A Year of Striving and Faith Inside a Catholic Seminary

by Jonathan Englert

The journalist Jonathan Englert goes inside a seminary to follow five men who have left their careers and lives behind in pursuit of the priesthood.

There are now a record sixty-four million Catholics in the United States, yet the number of priests is plummeting so fast that hundreds of parishes nationwide are closing down. Against this turbulent backdrop, Englert charts the journey of five men toward the priesthood at a seminary that specializes in "second-career" priests -- men who come to their vocation later than their college years. We meet a divorced father and avid hunter from Wyoming, an ex-salesman and Marine with ADHD, a recently widowed father of four, a blind musician, and others. With wit and sometimes heartbreaking candor, they face the challenges of priestly life -- from the traditional hurdles of obedience and chastity to more modern travails, like the bad press let loose by recent sexual abuse scandals and the skepticism of their friends and families. For each man, these challenges are intensified by their past experiences as they sacrifice familiar comforts to answer their calling.

Englert is ideally qualified to write The Collar, both professionally, as a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism, and spiritually, as a convert to Catholicism who has walked the tortuous path of faith. His empathy with the spiritual journeys of the men he portrays recalls The Cloister Walk. His deft, evenhanded unveiling of a compelling, little-observed culture will resonate with both the faithful and the merely curious.

Genres: Nonfiction, Catholic, Memoir, Theology, Religion

301 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2006

Reviews

[Ed Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book that would have been great had it been edited better for organization of content. The text is three hundred pages separated into four chapters, none of which have any subheadings throughout. For a book that spans a few years and jumps back and forth erratically across characters, more visual cues and logical chunking of narrative is needed.

One does come away with a decent sense of what Catholic seminary must be like—at least for nontraditional candidates, who come to the vocation much later in life.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting peek inside a seminary and the formation and discernment process of potential future Catholic priests who study there. While it only briefly touched on certain major topics like celibacy and the sex abuse scandal, following several men along on their journey helped to humanize them, especially in the soul-searching process of discerning if this is truly a vocation they are called to and what they want to do in life. The author said he struggled to find a seminary that would give him the full access he wanted, and he finally landed at a seminary that specializes in "second career" vocations - men who were divorced, widowers, older, retired. The book explores how their age and life experience can actually help them to be more effective priests.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A JOURNALIST SPENDS A YEAR WITH A CLASS OF "SECOND-CAREER" SEMINARIANS

Jonathan Englert is a journalist and a convert to Catholicism. He wrote in the Introduction to this 2006 book, "'The Collar' is an attempt to tell a story about a seminary and several different men at different points in their priestly formation. The story is both specific to a particular time and place and universal. Sacred Heart is the largest seminary in the United States for second-career, or delayed, vocations. Many of its men have had other careers and families; all of them have lived radically different lives than the one they have currently chosen. Some of them are young, and others are old.

"'The Collar' follows them through a single year in which two men will leave the seminary, one by choice and the other not; two men will continue on to the next year; and one man will be ordained a priest. It tells the story of a supportive community that fosters the making of priests but also of the limits of this community in a very individual quest. It brings the reader into the classroom with the seminarians; wrestles with questions of theology, Scripture, and celibacy; and delves into the internal world of each man as he judges the meaning of his own calling against the external reality of daily life and what is being required of him in this new life. 'The Collar' is a story of redemption and spiritual discovery in the context of both the exigencies of the Catholic Church and the often conflicting values of contemporary society." (Pg. 5)

He points out that when construction began on the seminary, "American men were flocking to both diocesan and religious seminaries in great numbers to answer the Church's call... but vocations had plunged. Religious orders were closing the buildings they had so recently and optimistically erected and selling off their property. At Sacred Heart, only forty faculty members and students took up occupancy in a building that could house and employ several hundred people... Then they came up with the idea to open the seminary to older men with delayed, or second-career, vocations... Historically, the Church had shunned such men in part because of an abundance of younger candidates... Despite objections, open them they did, and the program thrived." (Pg. 7-8)

He points out, "Many Catholics are surprised when they learn that a divorced man ... can become a priest. This ignorance defies immediate explanation, given that for three decades, there has been no bar against such men entering the clergy, provided that their first marriage has been annulled." (Pg. 18)

He also observes, "There was a common misperception among Catholics, who generally believe that the Church takes care of retired priests... priests' salaries, though recently increased, had never permitted much saving... Unlike married military personnel... priests often find themselves in the highest tax bracket because they don't have any dependents. The effect of this... is to deprive a priest of planning for retirement, when many of the expenses that were covered during his active service suddenly become his own responsibility." (Pg. 34-35)

He quotes a "traditional Catholic" who said about the book 'Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption into the Catholic Church,' "rejected the findings of the book and said that a lot of the problems cited had already been cleaned up. He believed that such accusations did not help the situation in the Church and predicted that in the end, flexible Catholics, both liberals and conservatives, would carry the Church forward into the future." (Pg. 56)

One seminarian "was growing increasingly uncomfortable with what he was being taught. At every turn, Father McNally's Church History course seemed to be saying the Church was evil. [The seminarian] expected this kind of thing in deeply fundamentalist East Texas, but not in a Roman Catholic seminary. [He] wrote a paper for the class criticizing the historical Church as a secular power. He was not surprised when he received a favorable response from Father McNally." (Pg. 104)

He notes, "In the years directly following [Vatican II], many seminaries became places of tumult and were transformed---sometimes almost overnight---from the hothouses of scrutiny and micromanagement ... into freeform institutions where seminarians could come and go as they pleased and where everything from doctrine to formation seemed up for grabs... Many priests left the Church, and no one could say with certainty what had caused this mass exodus. Conservatives blamed a perceived liberalization of the Church, while liberals blamed things such as Pope Paul VI's reaffirmation of Church positions on human sexuality... They insisted that such proclamations showed that Catholicism was hopelessly stuck in the past while progressive culture leaped healthfully ahead." (Pg. 192-193)

He records, "As the number of priests declined, choices were being made---sometimes actively but more often by default---to turn power over to the laity in ways that many suspected would challenge the role of priests in the future... the pastoral assistant was quite happy because the priest's negligence gave her more authority. He also noted that she was preaching, even though only priests and deacons were technically permitted to deliver the homily. This practice had crept into some Catholic churches." (Pg. 229-230)

This is a very interesting book that will be of great value to anyone studying the modern training and formation of priests, as well as other issues in modern Catholicism.

[Olivia]

This was one of my first books in an attempt to read and learn more about the Catholic faith. It was a very interesting book and I did learn some things from it.

My complaints about this book were that a lot of it felt like a lot of observational details that really didn't add much to the book. It reminded me of my feature writing class in college where you noticed all the details but where it might seem appropriate in a short feature article it seemed overdone here. A lot of the time I was left feeling - so what? What was the importance of that?

Also, the seminarians or "characters" weren't well-defined enough. I couldn't keep them straight.

Notes From book:

The Catholic Church is a mystery to both Catholics and non-Catholics - this mystery is built into the core of the church - because no human limits can be put on God and his capacity for mercy.

Hate the sin but love the sinner.

Once a priest retires from active service usually there is no support beyond a modest pension.

Someone who commits suicide is thought to be in such an extreme state of despair that he or she couldn't think clearly and thus lacked the true intent to end his or her own life.

Be faithful to a pattern of prayer - be committed to establishing a pattern of prayer - It's in that stance of receptivity that you listen to the Holy Spirit.

Don't be so locked into a particular pattern or way of praying that you're going to close yourself off the other ways that God may be calling you to prayer. Be open to being surprised by God. God isn't finished with us until we move through the curtain of death to the eternal.

God has been intimately in love with you from the moment of your conception, from the moment he thrust you into created reality.

Sometimes we locate our relationship with God in our heart. Studying theology is a head experience, but let that experience also come into your heart.

Holy Spirit - "little voice" follow it's lead with greater awareness.

He also believed that the importance of the Holy Spirit is often downplayed in the modern world. The Holy Spirit can be very powerful. Healing is indeed possible, but each man must confront his secrets. Father Charlie saw a parallel in the American bishops' failure address the sexual abuse scandal. The truth may hurt us. It may be painful. But you cannot start healing until you have spoken the truth. As long as there are lies, healing is not possible. Jesus always spoke the truth about a condition before he healed it. For instance, he didn't deny that the woman at the well had been caught in adultery. He acknowledged the fact, forgave her, and told her to go on with her life.

[Trailhoundz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fabulous documentary follows a handful of men in the midwest pursuing their second career as priests. You get to experience all their ups-and-downs as they enter seminary, struggle through classes, and go through the rigorous formation challenges. I especially loved the theology thrown in there via "listening in" to the men discuss what they learned--as well as their highs & lows as men quit the process and new candidates filter through the doors. Published just after the break of the Catholic Church's sex scandal, it's interesting to read how the men handled the information coming in. Even if you aren't Catholic or Christian, this is a human-interest piece that's really hard to put down!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must confess: I had trouble putting this book down (sorry--couldn't resist). Englert follows a small group of men with late vocations to the priesthood through a year at Sacred Heart Seminary in Hales Corners, WI, just a few miles from where I grew up. The familiar setting was a fun bonus for me--there's even a scene at the infamous Genesis Restaurant on Hwy 100--but the real draw is the collection of characters. Despite some repetition in the narrative (one of my seven deadly writing sins), Englert succeeds in humanizing the members of a group whose struggles are not as different from those of the laity as most people think.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, but it could have been so much better. Good points: I learned more about the formation process, and I don't think the author was driven by an agenda. Not so good: I think the author didn't dig deep enough. He could have told much richer stories about the main characters. It might have been better to chronicle three people in more depth rather than 5 superficially. His characterization of Reiser between semesters was good--I felt like I really got to know Reiser then. But there wasn't enough of that. And then there were other students we learned a little bit about, but not enough. Like Bob Brooks and his over concern for his appearance. How did that turn out?

[Awallens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really debated giving this five stars but couldn't do it for some reason. However, I reserve the right to change my mind at any time. this book follows men as they attend a Catholic seminary. Some will make it through and others will leave due to many reasons. It addresses the sexual abuse crisis in the church and the men's reactions to it. It also addresses homosexuality, celibacy, and other prominent issues these men must wrestle with. I had always wondered why priests would want to be priests and this book really answered that question for me. I would highly recommend it.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual book, examining the choices and dilemmas of a group of men in a Catholic seminary in Wisconsin that specializes in serving the vocations of late-career priests. Some have been divorced or widowed. One is blind. Others are wranging with girlfriends and other commitments at home. The book follows them through their seminary training as they study not only the theology and pastoral training they will need as priests but examine their own motivations and the issues surrounding the larger church. Very thoughtful and engaging.

[Margot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book tracing several men as they spent a year at a Catholic Seminary preparing to be priest.
It had theology and spiritual formation and the struggle with celibacy. It also had interesting information about the ways in which priests are educated and trained for priesthood. There is a shortage of priests in this country, but there is a difficult process that is necessary. It was a fascinating book.

[Louis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father is featured in a few vignettes. Overall the book is valuable for presenting these priest candidates as full human beings, with recognizable strengths and weakness. Most of these men are well into their lives, with past spouses and careers, making them more subject to empathy.

[Louis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not necessarily eye-opening. But it is interesting; refreshing prospective from the discerning men hearing the Call.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about a group of men who decided to become priests after exploring other careers and even family life. It's interesting and gives a well rounded account of what seminary is like.

[Shawn Reidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about seminary life, particularly for a group of older men, who come from different backgrounds to follow the call of the priesthood.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

True accounts of students preparing for priesthood. A lot goes into becoming a preist--seems most new priests are older men, some have even been married and are widowers. Very informative, too.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at a year's life in a Catholic seminary in the US, following a handful of priests-in-training.

[CJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting for the first 200 pages, but I never bonded with the characters and struggled through the last 100 pages.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follows 5 seminarians who entered the seminary at a late age through their first year of seminary.