Posted on 10/12/2005 5:05:05 PM PDT by NYer
Here's the first affirmation of the Catholic Church's stance on priestly celibacy. Expect others to follow.
Here's the first affirmation of the Catholic Church's stance on priestly celibacy. Expect others to follow.
Cardinal Pell is brilliant. Wish he were here and in charge of say, LA?
Unfortunately, the unavailability of priests is becoming more common.
"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.
"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.
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.
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?
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.
She had hundreds of heretics burned at the stake.
The Guinness will never wash it out ... but keep on trying! ;'}
Then they should have called her "crispy" Mary.
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.
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)
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.
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