Posted on 09/01/2003 4:06:40 PM PDT by sinkspur
Curtiss explained that when dioceses and religious orders are unambiguous about the priesthood as the Church defines this calling, when there is strong support for vocations, and a minimum of dissent about the male, celibate priesthood, then there are documented increases in the number of candidates who respond to the call. p4 A Man-Made Crisis, Goodbye, Good MenIf this is accurate and true, why not examine and implement what is being done properly instead of what I see as an "easy out" of married priests?
How many priests are needed in Nebraska?
You present good points. That's why a discussion is needed, not slamming the door shut on anybody who broaches the subject of married priests, especially when there are married priests in Eastern Rites, and in the Latin Rite itself.
I suspect he would say as I do, that I belong to the Latin Rite.
And, no, we're not going to shut up on a matter of discipline.
The Church must address the shortage here in the states; prayer alone is not getting it done.
One needn't be married to counter the predominance of homosexual men. Merely adhering to Church teaching on the issues of homosexuality and clerical celibacy would suffice. Mr. Hand is proposing that we surrender to the imagined inability that celibacy cannot be practiced, and/or practicing self/acknowleged homosexuals cannot be weeded out. I think those goals can be achieved without having to introduce an entirely different kind of clergy, with entirely different responsibilities.
I've always admired the celibate priest, because he has given up a part of his humanity in service to his God and his Church. I think that sacrifice is a good quality for a leader to have. Without it, he is just another guy doing a job to support his family. His commitment and faith is a lot more demonstrable being a celibate.
I'm not aware that any priest shortage is having a detrimental effect on the faithful. In this extraordinarily mobile country, the sacraments are widely available, and the number of practicing Catholics who actually believe in the grace obtained by receiving the sacraments are well-served by the number of priests actually serving presently. The lack of lines to confession would indicate that there is a surplus of priests.
Your view of life in general, no doubt.
Additionally,as others have said,repeatedly,there is much that is wrong with the seminaries selection processes as well as the training and spirituality and catechesis and environment.
Continuing on to the newly ordained priest,if he is orthodox,they throw him in with an old fruitcake and can make his life pretty miserable. Then they have all the modernists reporting that he is harsh,rigid,mean spirited blah,blah. What a bunch of diversionary tactics. Yuk,so transparent.
Half of the priest shortage is fabricated as part of the agenda for the "new church"they are trying to "sing in".
Yesterday our new,young orthodox priest talked about taking communion unworthily. For the first time in years at least one third of the persons attending Mass did not go to communion.It was much faster than usual.
The guy doing his job is usually sacrificing, Chuck.
His commitment and faith is a lot more demonstrable being a celibate.
Almost every priest I know allows himself some "compensation" for his celibate commitment.
That takes the form of patronizing lonely married women who come to him for "counseling" because their husbands don't talk to them; going to Vegas or the racetrack on a regular basis; playing golf at every opportunity; copious consumption of alcohol while hanging out in parishioner's homes because they're lonely.
Time Managment doesn't seem to be an issue with the priests I know. They've got plenty of it on their hands.
As a married man, I focus on my wife, my grown sons, my commitment to my ministry, giving my employer a full week's work, every week, and thanking God for all that He has given me, including a sexual life.
I'm sure I'll be judged on my life's choices.
That takes the form of patronizing lonely married women who come to him for "counseling" because their husbands don't talk to them; going to Vegas or the racetrack on a regular basis; playing golf at every opportunity; copious consumption of alcohol while hanging out in parishioner's homes because they're lonely.
I don't think that indulging in escapist pasttimes necessarily follows from celibacy. Plenty of married laymen also overindulge in that manner in those ways.
Time Managment doesn't seem to be an issue with the priests I know. They've got plenty of it on their hands.
If I were bishop, I would demand that all my priests recite their breviaries every day, from matins to compline.... that would keep them plenty busy and would do wonders for their spiritual temperment. They couldn't help but become holymen and their flocks would be far better off for it.
In fact, that would cure a lot of things.
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