Cardinal Levada: no “celibacy issue” in reception of Anglicans into Catholic Church

cna ^ | October 31, 2009

[NYer]

Vatican City, Oct 31, 2009 / 12:13 pm (CNA).- In an extensive clarification released on Saturday by the Vatican press office, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. made clear, on behalf of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Levada, that there is no “celibacy issue” delaying the publication of the Constitution that will establish the context in which Anglicans can be received into the Catholic Church.

In a statement released in English –breaking the common use of Italian- Fr. Lombardi explained that “there has been widespread speculation, based on supposedly knowledgeable remarks by an Italian correspondent Andrea Tornielli, that the delay in publication of the Apostolic Constitution regarding Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church, announced on October 20, 2009, by Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is due to more than ‘technical’ reasons.”

“According to this speculation, there is a serious substantial issue at the basis of the delay, namely, disagreement about whether celibacy will be the norm for the future clergy of the Provision,” Fr. Lombardi’s statement explains.

Responding to the speculations, which include suggestions that also celibacy in the Catholic Latin rite would be open to discussion, Fr. Lombardi offered the official comments of Cardinal Levada.

“Had I been asked I would happily have clarified any doubt about my remarks at the press conference. There is no substance to such speculation. No one at the Vatican has mentioned any such issue to me.”

According to Cardinal Levada, Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Constitution will be ready “by the end of the first week of November” and its delay “is purely technical in the sense of ensuring consistency in canonical language and references.”

The Prefect of the Congregation also explains that “the drafts prepared by the working group, and submitted for study and approval through the usual process followed by the Congregation, have all included the following statement, currently Article VI of the Constitution:

- 1. Those who ministered as Anglican deacons, priests, or bishops, and who fulfill the requisites established by canon law and are not impeded by irregularities or other impediments may be accepted by the Ordinary as candidates for Holy Orders in the Catholic Church. In the case of married ministers, the norms established in the Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI Sacerdotalis coelibatus, n. 42 and in the Statement "In June" are to be observed. Unmarried ministers must submit to the norm of clerical celibacy of Code of Canon Law  277, §1.

- 2. The Ordinary, in full observance of the discipline of celibate clergy in the Latin Church, as a rule (pro regula) will admit only celibate men to the order of presbyter. He may also petition the Roman Pontiff, as derogation from can. 277, §1, for the admission of married men to the order of presbyter on a case by case basis, according to objective criteria approved by the Holy See.”

Cardinal Levada further explains that “this article is to be understood as consistent with the current practice of the Church, in which married former Anglican ministers may be admitted to priestly ministry in the Catholic Church on a case by case basis.”

With regard to future seminarians, the Cardinal explains that “it was considered purely speculative whether there might be some cases in which a dispensation from the celibacy rule might be petitioned.”

“Objective criteria about any such possibilities (e.g. married seminarians already in preparation) are to be developed jointly by the Personal Ordinariate and the Episcopal Conference, and submitted for approval of the Holy See,” Cardinal Levada said.

[marshmallow]

I thought there'd be some "incoming". I was actually being somewhat tongue-in-cheek. I too, remember when Levada was Archbishop of San Francisco. I think we were all shocked when the Pope called him to the CDF.

Then again, Matthew was a tax collector, Mary Magdalen was a prostitute and Peter denied Jesus three times.

I'm hoping Levada does good and want to see him succeed! Hence the cheerleading.....

[kosta50]

The media have one-track minds, and they think everyone else is as obsessed with untrammelled sexual activity as they are

Again, every day there is a different story. That's all I meant.

[kosta50]

Soap operas are developing stories too, Vlad. :)

[NYer]

I didn’t see that as a scandal.

And your opinion represents the Magisterium?

[Mad Dawg]

THe downside of subsidiarity: If the higher ups won’t do it, then it’s up to us grunts. Let’s go kick some liberal butt! (Easy for me to say from 3k miles away.)

[vladimir998]

True. But they’re written out ahead of time. This is developing organically and effects so many people. That’s why so many of us find its new developments interesting.

[vladimir998]

You wrote:

“And your opinion represents the Magisterium?”

Well, the universal Church didn’t suffer much with that last divorced priest. I have a friend, who was divorced, and his bishop wants to ordain him - even though he’s remarried. It’s already been approved by Rome. And no, I do not know all the circumstances of his first marriage, but the bishop seems to see no scandal there. I ain’t losing sleep over this. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_n31_v31/ai_17005915/

[kosta50]

How can a decision be made before the canonical legalities have been worked out? And if all the legalities have been worked out, why all the speculations and drama?

[vladimir998]

You wrote:

“How can a decision be made before the canonical legalities have been worked out?”

It is the soap operas that are written out ahead of time. You apparently misunderstood what I was saying.

“And if all the legalities have been worked out, why all the speculations and drama?”

Again, you apparently misunderstood what I was saying.

[kosta50]

Again, you apparently misunderstood what I was saying

My apologies.

[Mad Dawg]

Wouldn’t it only be an “official” scandal if he “remarried”? If your wife leaves you, it’s going to cause a stir, but it doesn’t rise, IMHO, to the level of scandal.

[vladimir998]

No problem!

[NYer]

Wouldn’t it only be an “official” scandal if he “remarried”?

Official scandal? Lol! A priest confects the Eucharist. He changes the matter of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. His hands were consecrated at the time of his ordination. Think about that, rather than measuring it against the contemporary trends of society.

[Mad Dawg]

Don't yell at me. I'll cry!

I know all that. If somebody;s wife ups and leaves him, well, it might bear looking into, but it MIGHT be nothing to do with him, qua him. Even if one exercises great judgment at the time of marriage, people change and not everyone thinks what we think about matrimony - especially if they're Episcopalians.

I mean, I certainly that priest is out of the marriage market, and I always said in the old days if I were in charge the priest would be relieved of pastoral responsibility for some time, and the causes would have to be examined.

IS it your thought a priest ought to have an unimpeachable in any respect whatsoever marriage? Bot all of that is under his control, but it IS a great argument for celibacy.

[PatriotGirl827]

An interesting thing in my diocese: we have a priest who was married, then divorced and annulled, and then became a priest (a late vocation). I had no idea that was allowed and had never heard of it before.

[miele man]

In my former diocese, the bishop (who was the #3 ranking bishop in the church in terms of date of consecration) divorced his wife of three decades, annulled his own marriage, then remarried a divorced woman on Palm Sunday and honeymooned out of the US on Easter Sunday. So much for his “headship” of the diocese and for his flock and for the teraching of Holy Scripture. I left the Episcopal Church shortly thereafter.

[Mad Dawg]

, annulled his own marriage,

It's great being Bishop!

And Senator and Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor were married by the then Bishop of the Pepsicola Diocese of Virginia. I believe that was marriage number Seven for Ms. Violet Eyes to Die For.

Sacrament, schmacrament!

The River Tiber is deep and cold
The Green Gather Hymnal chills the soul.
But Sacraments burn with sacred fire,
Giving us each our heart's desire.
Alleluia.
(To the Tune of "Michael Row the Boat Ashore.)

[Revenge of Sith]

I’m familiar with Father William Shields. However, he’s not the only divorced Catholic priest. Also, there are divorced men who were ordained priests after getting annulments. Just like widowers can be ordained priests, the church under certain conditions allows men who are divorced to be ordained if the marriage was annulled. However, he can not be ordained if the annulment was granted due to his immaturity.

[miele man]

I forgot to mention the bishop also had five children. What does the annulment make them?

[Mad Dawg]

I'm pretty sure the Episcopal canons specifically state that the status of children of an annulled marriage is not in any way affected by the annulment. It's been a while in the world since the civil status of a marriage was determined by the sacramental status thereof.

It's the same among us RCs. An annulment does not make the children bastards. It does make the parents fornicators, though clearly not usually with, uh, malice aforethought.