Vatican Says Celibacy Rule Nonnegotiable

Fox News ^ | June 28, 2003

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican reaffirmed celibacy for priests Saturday, rejecting arguments that the Roman Catholic Church (search) could resolve the "crisis" of decreasing numbers of clergy by opening the priesthood to married men.

Instead, the Vatican (search) said, current priests should dedicate themselves to attracting more candidates by better explaining the priesthood to lay Catholics and encouraging families and children to consider religious vocations.

The reaffirmation was contained in a wide-ranging document issued Saturday as the final conclusions to a meeting, or synod, of European bishops held in 1999. Pope John Paul (search) II held back on issuing the final document until now, because he wanted the timing to be right in Europe, Vatican officials said Saturday.

In fact, one of the major thrusts of the document is a reiteration of Christianity's heritage in Europe, and an exhortation by the pope that European leaders drafting the first EU constitution make reference to the role Christianity has played in shaping the continent.

Earlier this month, EU negotiators finalized a draft of the constitution that made no reference to God or Christianity, despite lobbying from the Vatican. Opponents argued such a reference could undermine the secular nature of the bloc.

Italy, which takes over the EU presidency starting Tuesday, has said it plans to reopen the debate over including the reference when governments begin a final review of the text in October.

"This is a constitution that does not yet exist," Cardinal Jan Schotte, head of the synod, told a press conference launching the document. "For me, nothing is definite."

Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham, England, a secretary of the synod, said omitting a mention of Christianity was "unworthy" of the constitution's authors because "no presentation of Europe can be honest if it fails to recognize the part already played, and still played, by Christianity in the shaping of Europe."

The document touched on a host of other issues, including a call for Europe to be more welcoming to immigrants, for the Catholic Church in Europe to engage in a "profound and perceptive" dialogue with Islam and Judaism, and for the "full participation" of women in the life of the church.

Schotte said that didn't mean women could at present be heads of Vatican congregations, since that would require they be ordained. The Vatican reserves the priesthood for men.

The document acknowledged there were fewer and fewer men signing up for the priesthood, but said removing the celibacy requirement wasn't the answer.

"A revision of the present discipline in this regard would not help to resolve the crisis of vocations to the priesthood being felt in many parts of Europe," the document said. "A commitment to the service of the Gospel of hope also demands that the Church make every effort to propose celibacy in its full biblical, theological and spiritual richness."

There has been a steep decline in the ratio of Catholics to priests worldwide over the past 20 years. In 1978, there were 1,797 Catholics for every priest. In 2001, the number was 2,619, according to Vatican statistics cited by Catholic News Service.

[B Knotts]

What about the idea that an unmarried man can more completely serve the Church and the people in his parish? There's something to be said for the fact that an unmarried priest can more completely dedicate himself.

[sitetest]

Dear sinkspur,

I'm not quibbling.

You seem to criticize Catholics for being cheap:

"Catholics are cheapskates; we're used to people who live in poverty serving us."

Since you use the first person plural, "we", I assume you're not talking about bishops, but rather us regular old Catholic folks, layfolks (if you mention that you are a deacon, I will accuse you of quibbling - I think I assume correctly when I assume that you identify more with us folks in the pews than the folks in the chanceries).

So, you seem critical of us ordinary Catholics for preferring that those who serve us live in poverty, or near to it (I don't know of anyone on the payroll of any church, or of any diocesan entity in the Archdiocese of Washington who lives in poverty - though many make very modest incomes).

But you seem to wish that priests and bishops live ascetically.

And, if married men could be ordained, is it your position that they AND their families be required to live ascetically? If not in actual poverty, only a step or two above it?

There appears to be a contradiction between two parts of your own vision of what the Church should be. I'm not quibbling about it. I'm trying to show you the contradiction, and ask you to address it, to reconcile it.


sitetest

[sinkspur]

What about the idea that an unmarried man can more completely serve the Church and the people in his parish? There's something to be said for the fact that an unmarried priest can more completely dedicate himself.

No question they can.

I'd ask the Catholic parishes served by the married Protestant converts, and Eastern Rite parishes served by married priests in Europe, what they think of the dedication of their priests as well.

I know I keep harping on this Anglican dispensation, but I think one of the reasons it was originally allowed was as an experiment to see how married priests will work in a Catholic parish, and the guise of Protestant converts gave the Vatican the loophole.

Now that it's working so well, there's no logical argument that can be mustered as to why the Vatican doesn't allow married Catholic men into the priesthood as well. That's why the Vatican feels it necessary to pound the table every year, reminding Catholics that there will be mandatory celibacy (even if we can't really explain why).

This last proclamation, celibacy was an afterthought, tacked on to a larger discussion of the mention of Christianity's heritage in the EU constitution.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Not many parents encourage their sons to enter the priesthood because: 1. They probably only have one son ...

I was just at a cookout with five other Catholic families. Four of us have two kids each and one has one kid.

In other words, contraception is the major problem. Catholic Moral Theology demands that parents should strive to have at least four children (gosh, how hard is it for most who marry before age 34?). This is one reason for that.

[sitetest]

Dear Hermann,

"(gosh, how hard is it for most who marry before age 34?)."

For some, it can be very difficult, indeed.


sitetest

[Hermann the Cherusker]

My sister is like stinky and thinks married priests and priestesses would be in step with the times.

Our friendly neighborhood Deacon does not, as far as I know, advocate for priestesses, which is formal doctrinal heresy since the 1994 definition. Your sister is NOT a Catholic, though she may like to think she is.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

I think of Padre Pio and wonder if he could have lived the life he did while married and raising a family.

From what I have read of the lives of some of the Russian mystic priest saints, I think he probably could have. Although Padre Pio was pure, a little earthly purgatory can help anyone on their way to sanctity ;-)

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Yes and Humane Vitae is reformable, too

No it isn't. Humane Vitae is an enshrining of unchangeable principles of the moral law, and is based upon Casti Connubii, in which Pope Pius XI defined infallibly against birth control. Please stop defaming Sinky and misrepresenting the teaching of the Church in this magnificent Encyclical:

56. Since, therefore, openly departing from the uninterrupted Christian tradition some recently have judged it possible solemnly to declare another doctrine regarding this question, the Catholic Church, to whom God has entrusted the defense of the integrity and purity of morals, standing erect in the midst of the moral ruin which surrounds her, in order that she may preserve the chastity of the nuptial union from being defiled by this foul stain, raises her voice in token of her divine ambassadorship and through Our mouth proclaims anew: any use whatsoever of matrimony exercised in such a way that the act is deliberately frustrated in its natural power to generate life is an offense against the law of God and of nature, and those who indulge in such are branded with the guilt of a grave sin.

57. We admonish, therefore, priests who hear confessions and others who have the care of souls, in virtue of Our supreme authority and in Our solicitude for the salvation of souls, not to allow the faithful entrusted to them to err regarding this most grave law of God; much more, that they keep themselves immune from such false opinions, in no way conniving in them. If any confessor or pastor of souls, which may God forbid, lead the faithful entrusted to him into these errors or should at least confirm them by approval or by guilty silence, let him be mindful of the fact that he must render a strict account to God, the Supreme Judge, for the betrayal of his sacred trust ...

Reformable my foot!

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Eating meat on Fridays is on par with Communion in the hand or on the tongue, bowing instead of genuflecting, etc.

Meatless Fridays is an Apostolic Tradition, like Lent, the use of the Sanctus at Mass, mixing water with the wine at Mass, the Sunday obligation, and the Order of the Diaconate, etc. See the Didache. Are those things reformable?

It is also still in the Code of Canon Law. If you do not do another penance on all Fridays, you must abstain from meat under the penalty of grave sin. The matter is intrinsically tied up with the satisfaction of divine law, which the Church has universalised for the faithful on Fridays, just as she universalised Sunday Mass attendance to satisfy the 3rd Commandment; that is why it is a grave sin. The only parvity of matter here is if one simply forgets out of absentmindedness, or does not realize Friday is still a day of abstinence unless some other penance is selected.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

You know as well as I do that there are some hierarchs who look at the checkbook balance before they get on their knees in the morning.

I thought that was what they did while on their knees each morning!

[Hermann the Cherusker]

When has a priest ever made himself available recently to come and serve you or your family personally for anything other than a Baptism, Wedding, Serious Illness, or Funeral?

[saradippity]

Any priest who is striving to fulfill Christ's Great Cmmission to go out and baptize and teach all what He commanded them,is aware that it is impossible to serve two masters. Or more accurately,"you can't serve both a master and a mistress".

[saradippity]

The fact that your young Hispanic priest has to write out every word he delivers in his homilies is a gift from God. Out here we have priests that play fast and loose with their homilies and teachings and if called on the heresy or error they just lie and say they didn't say it,or they used it to point out an error and the "tattle tail" must have missed the explanation. They are liars and scoundrels and I wish they had to write out every word they speak.

[sinkspur]

Any priest who is striving to fulfill Christ's Great Cmmission to go out and baptize and teach all what He commanded them,is aware that it is impossible to serve two masters. Or more accurately,"you can't serve both a master and a mistress".

Better come up with something else. I can't get ahold of any of our priests unless somebody's dying. They're at a workshop, or doing a pastoral in-service somewhere. Our Hispanic associate needs to be taking remedial English classes somewhere, but he immerses himself in Spanish ministry every chance he gets.

And deacons, who are married and most of whom have full-time jobs, seem to be twice as available to do marriage preparation, or baptism prep, or preside at a wake service, or visit someone in the hospital.

Priests aren't available now. I don't see where having a wife would make them any less available.

[B Knotts]

When has a priest ever made himself available recently to come and serve you or your family personally for anything other than a Baptism, Wedding, Serious Illness, or Funeral?

A few months ago, our priest offered to go to anyone's house who wanted to have their house blessed.

[sinkspur]

The fact that your young Hispanic priest has to write out every word he delivers in his homilies is a gift from God.

Then I wish he would just copy them, and hand out the copies after the Gospel, sit down, and let us read for ten minutes.

[saradippity]

That is a great idea.

[saradippity]

Well,I think an end to the pastoral inservices and conferences and committee meetings all with each other should come to a halt.The only ones who are really excited about going are the "ones" who enjoy each others company so very much.

Actually, the need for this continuing education is a testimony to the crappy education provided in the seminaries. I have not noticed anything but the same old modernist interpretations of Catholic teaching and scripture following attendance at all these time consuming activities.

[WriteOn]

He does however advocate for married priests.

[WriteOn]

I was being sarcastic, though it was lost on you.

As to disparaging stinky, he deserves it for preaching the benefits of a married priesthood in spite of the Pope.

If he's a deacon, he sure doesn't act like one.