[american colleen]

A pretty balanced article.

The discussion on foreign visiting priests during this week's USCCB meeting was interesting. There was a short discussion about priestless parishes and a couple of the bishops explained that "as you all know" some parishes were built for 30 or 40 people and these parishes were never meant to have a priest in residence, they are for quiet prayer and community gatherings. The parishioners go elsewhere for Mass. There are quite a few of these parishes in this country.

[Salvation]

**Call to Action and FutureChurch**

Dissent groups that are dissing the Catholic Church.

They do not now nor will they ever speak for me!!!!!!

[Salvation]

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/

Organization

Comments

A Call to Action

The most visible dissenting group which is a movement of laity and religious seeking to reform the "sinful structure" of the "patriarchal" Church. CTA is infamous since its 1994 conference coverage on the CBS news program 60 Minutes. CTA promotes dissent against Church teachings on a broad front, including women's ordination, homosexuality, creation spirituality, married priesthood, and liturgical reforms, while incorporating new age and Wiccan spirituality. Bishop Bruskewitz excommunicated those that belong to this group in his Diocese. Many members belong to local  groups called "small faith communities." Renew 2000 also promotes small faith communities. Membership draws heavily from former clergy, feminist nuns, and homosexuals. Members staff COR. CTA serves on the national task force for the We Are Church referendum. Get a more complete understanding of their position from their own information.

[bobjam]

Priests are celibate because they are monks or friars. Clerical celibacy hasn't always been Catholic policy though. It was enjoined upon the clergy by the Lateran Councils (2nd or 4th) in the late Middle Ages. The Eastern Orthodox churces allow married men to become priests (they do not allow priests to get married), however they require that the bishop must be a monk. Unfortunately, these "Catholic" groups are attempting to hijack a pertinant issue and count it amongst their highly questionable agenda. By the way, 1st Timothy 3 requires bishops to have a wife and children.

[ninenot]

SOMEBODY finally got around to the fundamental question: "What's a Shortage?" and How Do We Define "Shortage."?

Now maybe we can get someplace on this question.

[LadyDoc]

Call to Action and FutureChurch

figures.

They have a bigger agenda, including womenpriests, allowing contraception, abortion, euthanasia, and gay marriage.

There used to be about 30 000 of these leftists, but I guess they are aging and could only get 7000 signitures this time.

About three years ago, they tried to get half a million signitures but only got 30 000 and many of them were paid for (they paid kids in catholic schools to get signitures for them, and a lot of people who signed weren't catholic or didn't know what they were signing, nevertheless, they got only a fraction of the number they bragged they would get)

[FormerLib]

If this is being seriously considered, I would call your attention to the fact that the Orthodox Church only allows celibate priests to rise to the rank of Bishop or higher. Married priests can serve a parish very well but care should be taken to insure that the tradition of celibacy is not carelessly discarded.