[sinkspur]

On the point of the Diaconate: Those in the Diaconate cannot say Mass or hear confessions. One could have 8 million members in the Diaconate, but it wouldnt change the fact that they cannot say Mass or hear confessions.

True. But deacons can do everything else. EVERYTHING ELSE!!

In terms of hours spent during the course of a week, celebrating nine Masses and two hours of confession amount to ten percent of a priest's waking hours. I thought we were also talking about workload.

Have you noticed how many activities formerly done by priests are now done by laymen? Counseling, business administration, liturgy planning, sacramental preparation, RCIA, marriage cases, hospital and nursing home visitation...all these are done by laymen and deacons in our parish.

We had a married Episcopalian priest convert here for three years, and he certainly wasn't breaking his back in terms of his workload.

[Dominick]

True. But deacons can do everything else. EVERYTHING ELSE!!

We have two Deacons at my parish, but they have different roles. For them they seem to be mostly liturgical, and show up at CCD classes. I can count a number of men who teach more classes during the week.

The Greek system is the way it would be, so men who are Priests now would not be afforded Marriage, nor dispensations to do so. It is also not clear who would handle this influx of vocations, since formation is the top issue for a neophyte Priest. I would not want Married Priests who are not afforded every aspect of modern vocations.

I do agree with Kolokotronis that this will not end our problems, it will not be a panacea.