Cardinal Pell: Ending Celibacy Rule Would Be a Blunder

Zenit News Agency ^ | October 12, 2005

[NYer]

Dropping Priestly Requirement Might Stir Confusion, He Says

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 12, 2005 (Zenit.org).- It would be a "serious error" for the Latin-rite Catholic Church to lose the tradition of priestly celibacy, Cardinal George Pell warned the Synod of Bishops.

The archbishop of Sydney, Australia, said that in his country, as well as in New Zealand, there is a decline in the number of priestly vocations, and confusion is evident in the proliferation of Communion services.

"My recommendations to the synod on how to deal with these 'shadows' presuppose the maintenance in the Latin Church of the ancient tradition and life-giving discipline of mandatory celibacy for the diocesan clergy as well as the religious orders," affirmed the cardinal.

"Losing this tradition now would be a serious error, which would provoke confusion in the mission areas and would not strengthen spiritual vitality in the First World," he stressed.

"It would be a departure from the practice of the Lord himself, bring significant practical disadvantages to the work of the Church, and weaken the sign value of the priesthood," the Australian cardinal continued. "It would weaken, too, the witness to loving sacrifice, and to the reality of the Last Things, and the rewards of heaven.

"We should remember the situation of the Church 500 years ago, just before the Reformation, a small weak community separated from the East. The enormous expansion since then and the purification of Church leadership, imperfect but substantial, were achieved primarily under grace, through the lives of celibate sisters, brothers and priests."

"The recent sexual scandals have not invalidated these gains," he continued.

Unnecessary substitutions

Regarding the proliferation of extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, the cardinal asked the synod "to draw up a further list of suggestions and criteria to regulate the celebration of Communion services, especially on Sundays."

"'Liturgies awaiting a priest' is a better title than 'priestless liturgies,'" he said. "There is no such thing as 'lay-led liturgy,' because lay people can only lead devotional prayers and para-liturgies."

Cardinal Pell, 64, applauded the suggestion of Coadjutor Bishop Pierre-Antoine Paulo, of Port-de-Paix, Haiti, who suggested to the synod that the title "special ministers of holy Communion" be used instead of "ministers of the Eucharist."

"Communion services or Liturgies of the Word should not be substituted for Mass, when priests are available," Cardinal Pell said.

"Such unnecessary substitutions are often not motivated by a hunger for the Bread of Life, but by ignorance and confusion or even by hostility to the ministerial priesthood and the sacraments," he contended.

"To what extent are regular celebrations of Communion services, Sunday after Sunday, a genuine development or distortion, a Protestantization, which risks confusing even regular churchgoers?" the cardinal asked.

Isidro Catela, a synod spokesman, explained that none of the Latin-rite bishops who have addressed the synod have proposed changes in the discipline of clerical celibacy.

Catela clarified that the only ones who have spoken about the ordination of married priests as a richness have been bishops and patriarchs of the Eastern Churches united to Rome, where there are married priests. In these Churches, however, the bishops must be celibate.

[NYer]

Catela clarified that the only ones who have spoken about the ordination of married priests as a richness have been bishops and patriarchs of the Eastern Churches united to Rome, where there are married priests. In these Churches, however, the bishops must be celibate.

Here's the first affirmation of the Catholic Church's stance on priestly celibacy. Expect others to follow.

[NYer]

Catela clarified that the only ones who have spoken about the ordination of married priests as a richness have been bishops and patriarchs of the Eastern Churches united to Rome, where there are married priests. In these Churches, however, the bishops must be celibate.

Here's the first affirmation of the Catholic Church's stance on priestly celibacy. Expect others to follow.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Cardinal Pell is brilliant. Wish he were here and in charge of say, LA?

[ThomasMore]

when priests are available

Unfortunately, the unavailability of priests is becoming more common.

[SaltyJoe]

"Unfortunately, the unavailability of priests is becoming more common."

What I learned from Exodus is that we must walk through a desert to get to the Promise Land. This is God's way to for us to become unshackled from a former dead life of slavery.

[RKBA Democrat]

"Here's the first affirmation of the Catholic Church's stance on priestly celibacy. Expect others to follow."

The discussion of celibacy versus non-celibacy as a way of growing the number of priests is a red-herring in my view.

Dynamic, orthodox diocese that take vocations seriously will continue to have priests whether they're celibate or married. Heterodox diocese (and parishes) that are more interested in bringing a particular social agenda into the church will continue to wither.

I think discussing married priests as a way of increasing vocations is simply an oft relied upon excuse for poorly managed diocese. "Oh, but we'd have more vocations if we only allowed married priests." No, you'd have more priests if you actually inspired young people to dedicate their lives to Christ.

As for the eastern churches, I do believe that they should ordain married priests, particularly in the U.S. But that's based on the organic tradition of the eastern churches. Eastern Catholic churches simply have married priests, and it's been that way for hundreds of years. It works for the eastern Catholic churches. One size doesn't need to fit all.

[Kolokotronis]

You, of course, mean the stance of the Roman Catholic Church. We wouldn't want any confusion on this point, NYer.

[Dominick]

Roman Catholic Church

No the Catholic Church, Latin Rite.

[Cheverus]

I must agree with brother Dominick on the wording in this instance the term "Roman Catholic" is a derogatory term coined by the serial wife killer Henry VIII. The Latin Church or the Latin Rite Catholics is more appropriate or perhaps Latin Patriarch would be a more Ecumenical phrase if you wanted to have some fun with it.

[Cheverus]

Our good Orthodox brother does raise an interesting question in my mind.

What is the discipline of Celibacy in the Maronite Rite? There are bunches of Maronites here in Mass and they are Universally Celibate (the Clergy that is), however I have heard that the rules regarding a Celibate Presbyterate are more in line with the Eastern Rite Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Has it fallen out of favor in the U.S. (as it did with the Melkites for a number of years) or throughout the Rite, or was I misinformed?

[x5452]

The practice of requiring clergy to do something Christ didn't even demand of the apostles, and the first popes didn't even demand of themselves is in my view a red herring.

[Dominick]

serial wife killer Henry VIII

OT:
I often wonder why Mary I was called "bloody Mary"; when it was Elizabeth I who executed more than 1,000 Catholics? I also blame her for setting up the climate to allow a monster like Oliver Cromwell to flourish.

Pardon the bitter taste of persecution. I need a Guinness to wash it out.

[MSSC6644]

I often wonder why Mary I was called "bloody Mary";

She had hundreds of heretics burned at the stake.

[ArrogantBustard]

Pardon the bitter taste of persecution. I need a Guinness to wash it out.

The Guinness will never wash it out ... but keep on trying! ;'}

[conservonator]

She had hundreds of heretics burned at the stake.

Then they should have called her "crispy" Mary.

[NYer]

What is the discipline of Celibacy in the Maronite Rite?

Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of the Maronite Church, addressed the Synod on this topic last Friday. Here is the media coverage ......

"Cardinal Nasrallah Butros Sfeir warned the Synod of Bishops in Rome on Friday that allowing Roman Catholic priests to marry might resolve the priest shortage but would create new and "equally serious" problems. Married priests have to divert their attention away from their parishes to their wives and children, Sfeir explained, adding that a priest with a family is more difficult to move to a different parish.

Sfeir called celibacy "the precious jewel in the treasure of the Catholic Church" and asked for prayers so the Church can find an "adequate solution" to the priest shortage.

Eastern rite churches follow many Orthodox Christian rituals but are loyal to the Pope. Unlike Roman Catholics, their priests do not have to be celibate, and Sfeir said half of the priests in his diocese are married. In fact, he recounted, "Many Western priests write to us to ask to be incardinated (attached) in a diocese of the Eastern Church with the aim of marrying."

Essentially, the Maronite Church accepts married men to the priesthood but will not transfer them outside of Lebanon. ALL of the Maronite priests serving in the eparchies around the world, are celibate.

[Dominick]

She had hundreds of heretics burned at the stake.

Many were for political treason. THe CAtholics she executed were for refusing the heretical Oath.

[Cheverus]

So, there is no prohibition it is just not the custom in the U.S. It also references "transferring them out of Lebanon." What about native born Americans, as the Maronite rite continues to grow (which it is showing every evidence of doing) there will naturally come more native Vocations.

Here is an old article talking about the Melkite situation.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=3326

I don't believe either of the Eparchies in the U.S. have there own Seminary at present, please correct me if I am wrong.

What is the Vocation rate for the Eparchies (I saw an article in CWR on Latin Rite Diocese)? And is there a "shortage"? The local Parish has Msgr. Lahoud and a Bi-Ritual Jesuit serving it.

Further, has the Maronite Rite ever accepted a married Clergyman through the Pastoral Provision?

I am a firm supporter of the discipline of Celibacy, but have on occasion wondering if a married Priest couldn't fill some of the Diocesan office jobs and peripheral Chaplaincies (i.e. Prison, Hospital etc) that it would be preferable to have a Priest in or so it could free up a Celibate Priest for Parish work.

- Heck the Archdiocese of Boston bought a $687,000 house in a ritzy neighborhood for it's one married Priest, maybe some of the smaller Diocese can't afford them. (Sarcasm intentional)

[NYer]

What about native born Americans, as the Maronite rite continues to grow (which it is showing every evidence of doing) there will naturally come more native Vocations.

They follow the rules of the Latin Church. Bishop Mansour, who is native born American, wrote a beautiful article on celibacy.

My experience of priestly celibacy in the Maronite Church in America

I don't believe either of the Eparchies in the U.S. have there own Seminary at present, please correct me if I am wrong.

Indeed they do - OUR LADY OF LEBANON MARONITE SEMINARY , in Washington DC.

What is the Vocation rate for the Eparchies

Don't know but the Maronite parishes are growing (except for mine, but I'm working on it).

Further, has the Maronite Rite ever accepted a married Clergyman through the Pastoral Provision?

Not sure but it's doubtful. As married clergy, they would not be able to serve outside of Lebanon, under the current structure. They would also have to learn Aramaic, Syriac and Arabic.

I am a firm supporter of the discipline of Celibacy, but have on occasion wondering if a married Priest couldn't fill some of the Diocesan office jobs and peripheral Chaplaincies (i.e. Prison, Hospital etc) that it would be preferable to have a Priest in or so it could free up a Celibate Priest for Parish work.

Amazingly, our pastor (bi-ritual Maronite, Latin Rite) also serves the Diocese of Albany. He attends to the Maronite parish first, then serves as Chaplain at a local hospital, also says the Latin Mass during the week at priestless parishes in order to consecrate a sufficient number of hosts for their weekend liturgies.