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Pope, Curia Aides Reaffirm Value of Priestly Celibacy (detailed Vatican response)
Zenit News Agency ^ | November 16, 2006

Posted on 11/16/2006 4:43:13 PM PST by NYer

Special Meeting Stresses Need for Formation

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI and his collaborators in the Roman Curia reaffirmed the importance of priestly celibacy, and stressed the need for a "human and Christian formation" for priests and seminarians.

The decision was confirmed in a communiqué issued by the Vatican press office, after a special meeting today held in the Apostolic Palace.

The Pope presided at the gathering, which was attended by cardinals and archbishops who head dicasteries of the Curia.

The press office note revealed that "the participants in the meeting received detailed information on the petitions for dispensation from the obligation of celibacy presented in recent years and on the possibility of readmission, to the exercise of the ministry, of priests who at present meet the conditions established by the Church."

"Reaffirmed was the value of the option for priestly celibacy, according to the Catholic tradition, and the need was confirmed of a solid human and Christian formation both for seminarians as well as for already ordained priests," the communiqué said.

This was the third meeting of heads of dicasteries of the Holy See convoked by Benedict XVI.

A communiqué issued Tuesday by the Vatican press office explained that the meeting sought "to examine the situation that has been created after the disobedience of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo."

Milingo, 76, the retired archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, ordained four bishops on Sept. 24 without papal approval, incurring automatic excommunication. Previously he had entered a civil marriage and was recently pushing for a married priesthood.

According to data from the Vatican Congregation for Clergy, every year about 1,000 priests leave the priestly ministry.

The congregation also published data on priests who have returned to priestly ministry between 1970 and 1995. They undergo a rigorous procedure, carried out case by case. Their number varies greatly from one year to another. In those years, a total of 9,551 returned.

* * *

Here is a translation of the communiqué issued by the Holy See today:

"This morning, November 16, in the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father presided over one of the periodic meetings with heads of dicasteries of the Roman Curia to engage in a joint reflection. Participants in the meeting received detailed information on petitions for dispensation from the obligation of celibacy presented in recent years and on the possibility of readmission, to the exercise of the ministry, of priests who at present meet the conditions established by the Church. The value was reaffirmed of the option for priestly celibacy, according to the Catholic tradition, and the need was confirmed for a solid human and Christian formation for seminarians as well as for already ordained priests."

[Translation by ZENIT]


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; celibacy; priesthood

1 posted on 11/16/2006 4:43:15 PM PST by NYer
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To: Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...

AFP/OR-HO - Thu Nov 16, 12:54 PM ET Pope Benedict XVI(C) meets with the Vatican hiearchy to discuss growing calls for the Roman Catholic Church to allow priests to marry. The Vatican rejected calls for the Roman Catholic Church to allow priests to marry, reaffirming the "importance" of celibacy despite fears of a schism over the issue.(AFP/OR-HO)

2 posted on 11/16/2006 4:44:49 PM PST by NYer (Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to Heaven. St. Rose of Lima)
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To: NYer
Could it be, as some have asserted, that celibacy was decided as a practical matter (kind of like fish on Friday) by the Church because having to support entire families instead of single Priest was too much of a financial burden?

I don't mean to be disrespectful, I think it's a legitimate question and I'm genuinely curious in your opinions.

I'm not Catholic, but I know that they have a lot of things right, such as not allowing women to serve as Priest - that's Biblical. But the Catholic Church is constantly attacked on a variety of fronts, including celibacy, and this is one front in which I wonder if the attackers might not have a point.
3 posted on 11/16/2006 4:58:11 PM PST by Jaysun (Let's not ruin this moment with words.)
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To: Jaysun
Speaking as a former Protestant who converted to Catholicism, I note that Catholics don't have the gossip about what the minister's wife is doing or wearing, nor the concern about children of ministers who are misbehaving at school, etc. etc. The priest is only responsible for his own behavior.

This is a plus, and while it sounds rather practical and not theological, the priest, as one through whose hands Christ's presence comes to us in the Eucharist, seems to me to be looked at more as God's representative merely than someone who gives a sermon every Sunday.

4 posted on 11/16/2006 5:56:19 PM PST by Miss Marple (Lord, thank you for Mozart Lover's son's safe return, and look after Jemian's son, please!)
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To: Miss Marple
Interesting points. Thank you, Miss Marple.
5 posted on 11/16/2006 5:59:21 PM PST by Jaysun (Let's not ruin this moment with words.)
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To: Jaysun; Miss Marple

Miss Marple gives some practical considerations. She is quite correct in saying that this is a matter of "discipline" and not dogma. In other words, it is conceivable that it could be changed in particular circumstances.

However, from a theological perspective, Jaysun, there is only ONE HIGH PRIEST, and that is Jesus the Christ. The men we call priests confect the Eucharist "in persona Christi"--in the person of Christ--and are therefore called "alter Christi" or other Christs as they represent Him who is the High Priest. Since Christ was unmarried and fully involved in only one work, the salvation of mankind, priests are called to do likewise.

This then explains those parts of Scripture that indicate that anyone who leaves mother, father, wife, family to follow Christ will have 100 fold greater families. This is one of the many reasons for the discipline of celibacy and why it is unlikely to ever be overturned in the Roman Church. Priests follow Christ in every way including His style of Life. Christ, in the Catholic view, has the Church as His Mystical Body. The Church is also His bride. So does the priest and it explains our viewpoint: he is married to the Church of Christ.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p2.htm
See #796

F


6 posted on 11/16/2006 7:12:38 PM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: Jaysun

http://cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=186


7 posted on 11/16/2006 7:14:23 PM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: Frank Sheed

Thank you too, Frank. I need to chew on your point for a bit.


8 posted on 11/16/2006 7:21:23 PM PST by Jaysun (Let's not ruin this moment with words.)
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BTTT!


9 posted on 11/16/2006 7:56:37 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Jaysun
The Old Testament priests, even though married, had to be continent during the one a year time they served in the Temple offering Sacrifice. That is, they had to live apart from their wives and abstain from sexual congress.

> As Priests offer the Sacrifice Daily, perpetual continence/celibacy is demanded as a discipline.

In his Decretals, Pope Siricuis cited The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy and referenced waht I just noted. The Decretals were issued in 385 AD.

THe Decretals of Pope Siricius made it clear he was not instituing a new policy but referencing an ancient discipline that came from the Apostles themselves and he demanded all return to the Apostolic Practice

10 posted on 11/17/2006 4:53:19 AM PST by bornacatholic
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To: bornacatholic

Fascinating! Another of the million reasons why I love FR.

AMDG+
F


11 posted on 11/17/2006 7:00:27 AM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: NYer

Celibacy stays? Uh-oh.....we're doomed...........so sez Milingo............


12 posted on 11/17/2006 7:13:10 AM PST by marshmallow
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Catholic bump.


13 posted on 11/17/2006 7:21:28 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Miss Marple
Celibacy is a Charism for the building up of the body of the Church. Why should those who are able to accept this gift be encouraged to through it back in God's face?
14 posted on 11/24/2006 9:15:51 AM PST by frogjerk (REUTERS: We give smoke and mirrors a bad name)
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