illusionofjoy | The Catholic church: we've made a few...changes...

Military recruitment levels are at an all-time low, which can likely be attributed to that whole desire most people have to not get killed (Iraq: not so much a vacation destination as a deathtrap). Meanwhile, the Catholic church has it's own recruitment problems. It seems that fewer and fewer young men want to become priests. Perhaps in this case, it could be the whole shadow of the pedophilia scandal, or the simple lack of sex altogether. It's very difficult to find the "virtue" to overcome those pesky biological instincts.

The argument that people are trading dogma for logic doesn't hold water, seeing as how Bush was re-elected and the Republican party holds a majority in Congress.

In any case, there's no better way to combat a lag in sales than a spiffy ad campaign. The army dropped the ball with their "Army of one" spots (who really wants to be all alone on a battlefield), but Father Jonathan Meyer of Indianapolis has come up with a Matrix-themed ad to try and convince young men to join the priesthood. You have to admit, the poster does make being a priest seem kind of sexy...which can be good or bad, depending on your point of view.

I have to give credit to Father Meyer for being innovative, an adjective one rarely sees in connection with anything Catholic. However, I suspect that more conservative Catholics will balk at the idea.