Catholics push for married priests

The Detroit News ^ | November 11, 2003 | Cathy Lynn Grossman

[american colleen]

WASHINGTON -- Amid complaints of a shortage of Catholic priests and calls to make celibacy optional to attract more men to the priesthood, one expert says there are enough priests to meet the demand.

Today, Call to Action and FutureChurch, two groups pushing for change in the church, say they will present 7,000 letters to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting here that call for the church to "open discussion" on letting priests marry. The groups are alarmed that the ratio of parishioners to priests -- the only ones who can consecrate bread and wine -- has hit a historic high. There are 66.4 million U.S. Catholics and 44,487 priests. That translates to 1,493 Catholics for every priest.

[american colleen]

A pretty balanced article.

The discussion on foreign visiting priests during this week's USCCB meeting was interesting. There was a short discussion about priestless parishes and a couple of the bishops explained that "as you all know" some parishes were built for 30 or 40 people and these parishes were never meant to have a priest in residence, they are for quiet prayer and community gatherings. The parishioners go elsewhere for Mass. There are quite a few of these parishes in this country.

[Salvation]

**Call to Action and FutureChurch**

Dissent groups that are dissing the Catholic Church.

They do not now nor will they ever speak for me!!!!!!

[Salvation]

title is misleading.

[Salvation]

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/

Organization

Comments

A Call to Action

The most visible dissenting group which is a movement of laity and religious seeking to reform the "sinful structure" of the "patriarchal" Church. CTA is infamous since its 1994 conference coverage on the CBS news program 60 Minutes. CTA promotes dissent against Church teachings on a broad front, including women's ordination, homosexuality, creation spirituality, married priesthood, and liturgical reforms, while incorporating new age and Wiccan spirituality. Bishop Bruskewitz excommunicated those that belong to this group in his Diocese. Many members belong to local  groups called "small faith communities." Renew 2000 also promotes small faith communities. Membership draws heavily from former clergy, feminist nuns, and homosexuals. Members staff COR. CTA serves on the national task force for the We Are Church referendum. Get a more complete understanding of their position from their own information.

[Salvation]

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/

FutureChurch

A regional parish-based coalition seeking to address the priest shortage. FutureChurch claims the remedy is the ordination of married men and women. FutureChurch engages in educational presentations to parishes, grass-roots organizations, and the media. Its current project is a nationally-promoted dialogue on an "inclusive priesthood." Member of Catholic Organizations for Renewal.

[old and tired]

Thanks for the article.

Catholics don't go to confession now. How many would go if they had to confess their sins to a married man?

[american colleen]

I know, I know, but they are technically, still Catholics unless they renounce or are excommunicated.

What's funny is the 7,000 letters presented to the bishops. A couple of weeks ago CORPUS (CTA) and FutureChurch sent these letters out to their constituents and encouraged them to circulate, sign and return them in time to present all these (they wanted a million or something) letters to the bishops while they were at the meeting. FutureChurch sent out 3,650 and CORPUS (CTA) sent out 3,000. That means, assuming all their respective members signed, only about 350 additional people bothered with it. The laity might say they wouldn't mind married priests, but really, they can't rouse themselves out of their torpor and act on it. In other words, they really don't care that much.

[american colleen]

Good point. The whole point of the push by these dissident groups is to make the priesthood into the same as the laity. Much like most of the Protestant denoms.

[bobjam]

Priests are celibate because they are monks or friars. Clerical celibacy hasn't always been Catholic policy though. It was enjoined upon the clergy by the Lateran Councils (2nd or 4th) in the late Middle Ages. The Eastern Orthodox churces allow married men to become priests (they do not allow priests to get married), however they require that the bishop must be a monk. Unfortunately, these "Catholic" groups are attempting to hijack a pertinant issue and count it amongst their highly questionable agenda. By the way, 1st Timothy 3 requires bishops to have a wife and children.

[Sneer]

As to 1st Timothy 3 the meaning is not that every bishop should have a wife (for St. Paul himself had none); but that no one should be admitted to the holy orders of bishop, priest, or deacon, who had been married more than once.

[ninenot]

If I recall correctly, at the Call to Action conference in Milwaukee, they announced about 4,000 signatures on their petitions.

HORRIBLE showing considering all the booming in the Press and that they've been at this for at least 90 days in the US.

[ninenot]

SOMEBODY finally got around to the fundamental question: "What's a Shortage?" and How Do We Define "Shortage."?

Now maybe we can get someplace on this question.

[Salvation]

A quote from the Daily Readings thread to think about:

Don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. “Search the Scriptures” (Jn 5:39). Get ready for the great and terrible day. Come, Lord Jesus!

[Salvation]

**I know, I know, **

But others viewing these threads may not know.

[Salvation]

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/

Here is the information about CORPUS:

Core Of Retired Priests United for Service (CORPUS)

Former priests who advocate married priests. Most are married, and they perform illicit priestly ministries. Their founder Padovano is a prominent figure in Call To Action. CORPUS was instituted to provide support and fraternal affiliation for former priests. Member of Catholic Organizations for Renewal.

[fortunecookie]

**Call to Action and FutureChurch** Dissent groups that are dissing the Catholic Church. They do not now nor will they ever speak for me!!!!!!

and

title is misleading.

I agree emphatically!!

A better title might read: So-called Catholics push...

or

CTA and FC, whose members include formerly-Catholic dissidents...

[LadyDoc]

Call to Action and FutureChurch

figures.

They have a bigger agenda, including womenpriests, allowing contraception, abortion, euthanasia, and gay marriage.

There used to be about 30 000 of these leftists, but I guess they are aging and could only get 7000 signitures this time.

About three years ago, they tried to get half a million signitures but only got 30 000 and many of them were paid for (they paid kids in catholic schools to get signitures for them, and a lot of people who signed weren't catholic or didn't know what they were signing, nevertheless, they got only a fraction of the number they bragged they would get)

[american colleen]

...they paid kids in catholic schools to get signitures for them, and a lot of people who signed weren't catholic or didn't know what they were signing, nevertheless, they got only a fraction of the number they bragged they would get

Telling as to what lengths these people will go to in order to ram through their agenda. But apparently God had other plans!

[american colleen]

But others viewing these threads may not know.

You are right, of course! I should have been more clear - I sort of post this stuff for "us" and tend to forget some articles need background in order to get the full picture. Thanks for doing just that!

The title sure is misleading if you don't know who FutureChurch, CTA, Voice of the Faithful or CORPUS, ad infinitum are. I hated to change it though and wasn't quite sure if I should or should not play around with it.