Posted on 12/14/2004 3:09:01 AM PST by NYer
VATICAN CITY, December 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - John Thavis, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic News Service, an agency of the US Bishops Conference, reports that the Vatican will soon publish a document concerning homosexuality and the priesthood. The report notes that Vatican officials are preparing an inspection (or visitation) of US seminaries to commence in the Fall of 2005 and the document is expected prior to the visitation.
Bishop John C. Nienstedt of New Ulm, Minn., chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Priestly Formation, said in an interview in Rome, "I think they intend to have it out by the time the visitation begins."
The Vatican has confirmed several times that men with homosexual sexual orientations should not be ordained. The December 2002 bulletin of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments contained a letter signed by Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez, who has since retired as the head of the Congregation, which said ordaining such men would be imprudent and "very risky."
A prominent Vatican document dealing with the issue was released as early as 1961. The 1961 document from the Sacred Congregation for Religious prohibits the admission of homosexuals to the diocesan priesthood and religious orders. The document states: "Those affected by the perverse inclination to homosexuality or pederasty should be excluded from religious vows and ordination," because priestly ministry would place such persons in "grave danger".
The document is being prepared by the Congregation for Catholic Education in consultation with several other Vatican agencies, including the doctrinal congregation. In a report earlier this year, the education congregation described it as an "instruction on the criteria and norms for the discernment in questions regarding homosexuality in view of the admission of candidates to the seminary and to sacred orders."
Commenting on the coming document which has been more than five years in the making, Bishop Nienstedt said, ""I think it's going to be a balanced document, because the whole question of homosexuality not only has psychological dimensions but also has varying degrees of a person acting out or not acting out." He added, "So the whole question has to be nuanced considerably: 'What is homosexuality?' 'What are the homosexual attractions?' and that sort of thing. I think this document will be helpful because it is going to address those questions."
It is held in trust for the Divine Inspiration of future generations.
i tell you true, it hurts me to see Catholic people in South America starving when there is gold on the altar in a nice parish elsewhere.
When Mary Magdeline poured perfumed oil over Jesus, Judas admonished her. He said that the oil could be sold and the money used to feed the poor. And Jesus, in turn, admonished Judas, and said, The poor you will always have with you. I will only be here for a short time.
One must give alms to the poor as part of being a follower of Christ, but at the same time, only the best for God. Remember the Wedding at Cana.
On the surface it sounds like a good argument, that married clergy can relate better to their married congregation, but than what about all the singles?
As a Biblical counselor we do not counsel from our experience but from the principles throughout the Bible.
Therefore, you don't have to be married to show what God says about the institute of marriage.
Also, married people sexually abuse children. Celibacy is not the problem.
We are still friends. (actually, I didn't see that it was you, I just assumed it was one of the normal Catholic bashers, sorry!)
You know I love ya!!!!
But while they have gold on their altars they also feed the poor. In very many places it is the religious who are the only ones who feed the poor children. The church is very rich, in fine painting and gold altars. When JPII wanted to sell them to feed the poor, everyone had a fit. The people are just as generous as many other denominations. My parish has both a church in Detroit and a church in Slovakia that we support.
As for the nieces and nephews of Priests, they are the parents' responsibility. But,when my Great-Uncle John died (Pastor of my home parish in Cleveland), my mother got money from him. I'm not sure this holds today.
Hello.
First, you should know that while I am often sympathetic to Christian causes, I am no Christian.
i see the perfumed oil as a selective, special case.
Don't you think that when Jesus reproved Judas, He KNEW He was going to go down, and KNEW that Judas was going to betray him?
For me, the wedding at Canna is one of the BEST stories.
Hey, Girl!
I love you, too!
AND :
We can disagree!
We just need to be careful not to cut each other for no good reason!
I hope that what you are sayining is true and that the old inheritance rules have changed, and I am glad.
News from the Vatican on Homosexuality, " Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah Blah, etc., etc., etc.
In the works for 5 Years, WOW Lightening Speed.
Like I said, Had I seen it was you, my dear FRiend, I would not have been rude.
And rude is in my nature!!!!
(((Hugs)))
One 'discerns' the call before responding. The initial response is one of inquiry. The discernment process includes an understanding of the celibacy mandate. Ordination to the catholic priesthood is a lengthy process. Celibacy is only one part of "The Call".
I'm sure this here document will be just chock full of truth!
LOL!
S'okay!
Be true to yourself!
And Merry Christmas to you and your beloved Kids.
:::Hugs Right Back!::::
Not as well as you might think.
NO POOFTERS!!!!
And to yours as well!
(geez, I have to wrap presents!)
Agreed ... so why are you limiting yourself to one verse?
Paul was not the first apostle to conclude that celibacy is, in some sense, "better" than marriage. After Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19 on divorce and remarriage, the disciples exclaimed, "If such is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry" (Matt 19:10). This remark prompted Jesus’ teaching on the value of celibacy "for the sake of the kingdom":
"Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it" (Matt. 19:11–12).
This sort of celibacy, "for the sake of the kingdom", is a gift, a call that is not granted to all, or even most people, but is granted to some. Other people are called to marriage.
Ultimately, the Catholic priesthood is modeled on the example set by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not marry; He led a celibate life.
If this document is written in the same language that has been coming out of the Vatican of late, it will not be long before "loopholes" and exceptions will be found. And of course many bishops will just file this document in the circular file with all the others.
And the Catholic Church is now filling up with former protestant ministers who have pursued serious inquiry into the first christians and found that the Catholic Church has the fullness of the faith. The catholics who leave were poorly catechized or not at all.
Pope Defends Clergy Celibacy Order
Has the Time Come to Consider Making Celibacy Truly Optional In the Western Church?
Catholic Scandals: A Crisis for Celibacy?
Celibacy of the priesthood is a church strength, not a liability
Celibacy s history of power and money
Pope: Priests Must Stay Celibate
Giving Thanks for the Good Shepherds ( A Defense of Priestly Celibacy)
Don't end celibacy for priests
Priestly Celibacy And Its Roots In Christ
How to Refute Arguments Against Priestly Celibacy
Priestly Celibacy Reflects Who - and Whose - We Are[Father George W.Rutler]
Tracing the Glorious Origins of Celibacy
God’s call to celibacy for the sake of His Kingdom - by Card. George
Vatican Says Celibacy Rule Nonnegotiable
Bishop Attacks Move to End Celibacy
A response to Fr. Joseph Wilson's defense of mandatory celibacy
The gift of Priestly celibacy as a sign of the charity of Christ, by Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Archbishop Dolan:"We Need to Be Renewing Our Pledge to Celibacy, Not Questioning It"
Celibacy is gift cherished by church
Celibacy Will Save the Priesthood
Celibacy Defended by EWTN's Fr. Levis
The (Catholic) Church Has Always Prospered When Celibacy Is Honored
John Paul II Hails "Inestimable Value" of Priestly Celibacy
For Priests, Celibacy Is Not the Problem
Fr. Shannon Collins Discusses Celibacy
5 Arguments Against (Catholic) Priestly Celibacy and How to Refute Them
You are correct. I live in one such diocese where the homosexual priests are rewarded with the lucrative parishes while the conservative priests are shuffled off to the more remote parishes with small (but happy) congregations. The level of liturgical abuse in the large parishes is stunning. But, as you wisely pointed out, the average catholic has never read the GIRM and accepts the 'novelties' as if they were sanctioned by the Vatican. I was able to fight back in my former RC parish and won! Unfortunately, there was no support from the others who viewed this priest as a 'gift' from the bishop /sigh/.
It needs to be stopped, and the only way it will be is if the Vatican itself kills it by purging the church of it.
Correct again but as you well know, the Vatican moves at a snail's pace, anticipating that the bishops will handle the matter. Considering the size of the church, policing such a policy would be nearly impossible. While the libs play games with Rome, I have found a home in the Maronite Catholic Church. Other RCs in the forum have also looked "east". No EEMs ... no communion in the hand.
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