Posted on 04/29/2026 6:04:20 PM PDT by ebb tide
Pope Leo XIV has a Church agitated by strong centrifugal forces throughout the world.
In Flanders, Bishop Johann Bonny included these words on the implementation of the synodal process (published exactly one month ago) in the diocese of Antwerp wherein he explicitly states that he intends to ordain married men:
"When I visit parishes or pastoral unities, I regularly meet people whom the community would consider to be a good priest. Just as I myself know several co-workers who would be well suited as candidates for ordination. For these reasons, I will make every effort to ordain married men as priests for our diocese by 2028. I will approach them personally and ensure that by then they have the necessary theological training and pastoral experience, comparable to that of other priest candidates. This preparation will be transparent but discreet, away from the media spotlight. The next two years will also serve to ensure the necessary communication and arrangements, both with the Belgian Bishops' Conference and with the Vatican, as we can learn from each other's experiences and insights." (p.7)
In an interview for the official Flemish Catholic news outlet Otheo, he claims that he is doing this "out of pastoral necessity.”
Johan Bonny: ‘Not at all. In football terms, I consider myself a midfielder. I want to bring the ball forward so that a striker can kick it into the goal. We have been in extra time for too long. There are regions where there are no priests left. We are entering a situation of pastoral emergency. For many bishops, ordaining married men has become a matter of conscience. The way things are going now, we really won’t make it anymore.’
Other 'usual suspects' in Bonny’s arguments include the ordination of women, where he writes:
"For our diocese, I will take further steps in the development of an ecclesial ministry that is equally accessible to men and women, and that gives them an equal share in both the pastoral and administrative service of the Church. Terminologically, we can best speak of the ministry of‘pastor’, as is customary in Dutch language. The Final Document provides for the possibility that bishops may work on new ‘formally established ministries." (p.5)
(Sources: Synodal Plan, in Dutch; interview, in Dutch)
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But all Leo and Tucho are concerned about is the "excommunication" of traditional bishops who just wish to be Catholic and practice the preconciliar Catholic faith, not the synodal "faith".
Ping
There’s a tradition of married priests even if it is not the common practice of the Catholic church. And should not be included with all the evil craziness that is being proposed by various Bishops.
Well this bishop is including women’s ordination; it’s called incrementalism. And it’s been going on since 1965.
Do you presume to know the mind and/or heart of Pope Leo XIV?
Not a good look, frankly speaking.
Nope, I just keep with the news, mac.
Lifesite is not exactly news, but you do you.
Maybe you should try crawling out from under that rock.
Report: Vatican Preparing for Aftermath of SSPX Consecrations
Wouldn’t this be a good thing? I’m just a stupid Christian and I don’t know (or care) about the constant drama within the Catholic Church. How is it that a married man spreading Gods word is an abomination? Is satan so entrenched within the Catholic organization that he is able to generate the constant “SCHISMS ?” I will never understand The Catholic Church as it has strayed far from its core mission IMHO.
mythenjoseph regarding married men becoming priests:
1. There ARE married men who are priests in the Catholic Church
2. the celibate priests is a DISCIPLINE, not a dogma. So a married priest is not an abomination
3. The Catholic church has 24 rites (i.e. distinct cultural traditions of worship that keep the same core dogma/doctrine - but vary in ceremonies, language and discipline)
4. Most of the non-Latin (the big one you know of) allow married men to become priests
5. The Latin-rite also allowed married men to become priests until 1139 when a discipline (NOT a dogma) came into force to ensure undivided dedication to spiritual duties - this was because people looked at the monks (unmarried) vs their parish priests and said “The vicar’s wife... hmmmm...”
6. I think it would be good to allow married men to become priests in the Latin rite - but also have orders (groups of priests like the Jesuits, Augustinians, Franciscans) who are more “friar” types to have celibacy as the rule, so potential priests can choose
mythenjoseph, Satan has never been entrenched in the Church, despite the best efforts of bad priests, bishops and popes - why? Not due to anything man has done, but because the Holy Spirit guards the body of Christ.
There aren’t “constant Schisms” - Jesus didn’t just leave a book; He left a visible, united community.
When people talk about schism over married priests or other changes, it’s usually because of Tradition vs. Modernity: One side fears that changing a 1,000-year-old rule is “caving to the world.”
mythenjoseph, as to the CORE Mission which is to spread the word of Christ - the Catholic Church is doing that heavily - Africa now hosts 780 million Christians. Catholic growth is steady at +3.3% annually, while Evangelical/Pentecostal growth is slightly faster at ~3.5%–4%.
The Church remains true to its Core model as Jesus told Peter in John 21: 15 “He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.”
John 21:16 “He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
John 21:17 “Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
This is not just getting people to say “Lord, Lord” but to join into the community founded by Christ, in a sacramental way building the faith through the Holy Spirit’s outpouring of grace
Jesus did open the pathway to God.
We should and do pray directly to God for forgiveness. And note that Jesus specifically set up a "safety net" for when we need to hear God's voice out loud:
- On the evening of the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Apostles, breathed on them, and said:
"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."St. Paul explains that God uses humans as his mouthpieces. In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, he says God "gave us the ministry of reconciliation" and that they are "ambassadors for Christ," as if God were making his appeal through them. The Bible explicitly says, "Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." (James 5:16)
(John 20:23)
The priest is purely the tool used by the Holy Spirit.
As to the morality of the priest itself -- as I said, he is a tool (of the Holy spirit) - pardon the pun. Jesus warned that the Church would be a mix of "wheat and weeds" until the very end (Matthew 13:24-30). Catholics stay because they believe the office is holy, even if the person holding it is a scoundrel.
The biggest reason people stay is the logic of John 6 --> we are receiving the actual presence of Jesus.
Agree 100%. The Roman church is an anomaly among the Holy Apostolic churches with regard to priests being married. While bishops are not allowed to be married in any apostolic tradition that I am aware of, most other Apostolic churches allow priests to marry, and the Roman church did at one time. This is purely a matter of discipline and tradition, and is in no way comparable to something like women’s “ordination” which is, as a point of fact, impossible.
Sorry ebb...rumors and gossip are not news, even when they’re presented an alt-media format.
Rather than jumping to conclusions, why not wait two months and see what happens?
We already know that Leo has twice refused to grant an audience with SSPX Superior Davide Pagliarani.
We also know he has granted private audiences to David Axelrod; the homosexualist, James Martin S.J.; and a pro-abort female fake “bishop”.
You can tell a man by the company he keeps.
But keep the rose-colored glasses on, mac, if makes you feel better.
This is true for the Orthodox, for Eastern Rite Catholics, for the few married priests (ordained by special dispensation) in the Latin Catholic Church, etc.
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