Posted on 03/08/2017 12:27:14 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Crux has the scoop:
https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2017/03/08/pope-francis-signals-openness-ordaining-married-men/
Pope Francis has expressed openness to a renewed consideration of married priests in the Catholic Church, especially the possibility of ordaining the so-called viri probati, meaning tested married men, who could be called into clerical service.
“Then we have to consider what tasks they could perform, for instance in isolated communities,” the pontiff said.
While the question put to Francis specifically referred to ordaining viri probati as deacons, many theologians and some bishops have also suggested they could be considered for priestly service.
The pope’s comments came in a new interview with the German newspaperDie Zeit, excerpts from which were published on Wednesday, with the full version set to appear on Thursday.
At the same time, Francis appeared to rule out simply making priestly celibacy optional, saying that approach “is not a solution.”
Calling diminishing vocations to the priesthood an “enormous problem,” Francis said the first response must be prayer, coupled with a more intense focus on “working with young people who are seeking orientation.”
A lack of priests, Francis said, weakens the Church “because a Church without the Eucharist doesn’t have strength – the Church makes the Eucharist, but the Eucharist also makes the Church.”
Francis called for the question to be faced in the Church “fearlessly.”
“Fears close doors, freedom opens them, and even when [the space for] liberty is small, it opens a window,” he said.
At present, most Catholic are expected to remain celibate, although Catholicism does include 23 Eastern churches in full communion with Rome whose clergy are allowed to marry. In the United States, there are also a few hundred former Protestant ministers who’ve entered the Catholic Church as married men and permitted to remain married after being ordained as Catholic priests.
In April 2014, a Brazilian bishop said he and Pope Francis had discussed the idea of ordaining the viri probati in a private conversation and the pontiff appeared open to the idea, suggesting it’s up to bishops’ conferences to make proposals along those lines.
Last November, Francis crossed Rome to meet with a community of seven families, all led by men who had left the priesthood to become married. There had been speculation that Francis might choose to devote the next Synod of Bishops in 2018 to the topic of married priests, but instead the focus of that gathering will be on youth, faith and vocational discernment. In another portion of the interview, Francis, as he has on other occasions, sounded an alarm about the rise of political populism in the West today. “Populism is evil and ends badly, as the past century has shown,” he said, arguing that it means “using the people” by offering them a messiah.
Francis also rejected the suggestion that he’s something special, saying, “I am a sinner and I am fallible.”
As he has many times in the past, he suggested that exaggerated celebration of a pope is actually dangerous.
“We must not forget that the idealization of a person is always a subliminal kind of aggression,” he said. “When I am idealized, I feel attacked.”
You want vocations to increase? Run the false prophet devil’s out of the Church, starting with him.
Problem solved.
i guess that means men married to each other, too
a little more specifics...married to who (whom ?)
They might not have the shortage, in priests or congregations, if they get back to right and wrong and forget all the socialist, p.c. crap.
Why not?
Most MARRIED men I know have more religious beliefs than unmarred
This has to be the first pronouncement (my word) that I’ve heard from this Pope that makes sense.There are already some married priests...Roman Catholic priests who have pledged fidelity to Rome...in most Western countries (Britain,Ireland,US,Canada,etc).
Same sex marriage too, or else it’s discrimination!
Clerical celibacy was imposed by human beings over 1,000 years after the Birth of Christ. It is not part of the Ten Commandments, nor part of Christ’s teachings, and should have ABSOLUTELY no indictment on whether Christ is our Savior or who gets into Heaven.
The Eastern Catholic churches already have married priests and there are also the former Anglicans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_ordinariate
BTTT!
What, no polygamists? I guess this Pope is holding the line after all.
Soon Catholicism will not have ANY standards of behavior
Jesuit Historian, George T. Dennis SJ of Catholic University of America says: “There is simply no clear evidence of a general tradition or practice, much less of an obligation, of priestly celibacy-continence before the beginning of the fourth century.” (SEE HIS WORK: The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy, Theological Studies, 52:4 (1991:Dec.) p.738 )
Another Jesuit Priest Peter Fink SJ agrees, saying that underlying premises used in the book, Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy, “would not stand up so comfortably to historical scrutiny”. Dennis says this book provides no evidence that celibacy had apostolic origins.
Of course one can always argue that they, like Francis are all liberal Jesuits...
But then, another catholic theologian, Monsignor Philippe Delhaye wrote:
“During the first three or four centuries, no law was promulgated prohibiting clerical marriage. Celibacy was a matter of choice for bishops, priests, and deacons. ... The apostolic constitutions (c. 400) excommunicated a priest or bishop who left his wife ‘under pretense of piety’ (Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio 1:51) — SEE “Celibacy, Clerical, History of” in New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol 3, Catholic University of America: Washington, D.C. 1967 p.370
Are you saying that you do not believe in Christ?
And the choices he made for apostles?
Most of them single and celibate!!
Have one in the diocese I belong to. He is a Very good priest, married with 4 kids. He is currently president of the local Catholic High School.
Always found it interesting where unmarried men give marital advice to a couple (man and woman) planning on marriage and marriage counseling after.
I wonder if that's what the German bishops mean by "irregular unions"?
How many times does this myth have to be repudiated? Clerical celibacy (or more properly clerical continence) was the discipline in the West from the earliest times. Those reference to the so-called 10th century innovation were just the Western church restating and enforcing what was already the discipline for centuries.
Married priests is good. The Greek orthodox priests can marry. They do not have the problems of molestation we have in the church of Rome.
Even if Fr. Dennis’ premise is accepted, the beginning of the 4th century is hardly 1000 years after Christ. The truth is that what is missing from those early years is prove of formal legislation. But it would be absurd to think that such latter legislation could have imposed such a drastic change without causing a major controversy and resistance, of which there is no evidence. The latter legislation could only have been peacefully received if it had reflected what was already the accepted practice.
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