Boston divided over Cardinal's apology; TIME TO LET PRIESTS MARRY (my take)

ap via nando ^ | Jan. 27 02 | associated press

[churchillbuff]

Nation: Parishioners in Boston divided over Cardinal's apology

Copyright © 2002 AP Online

BOSTON (January 27, 2002 8:09 p.m. EST) - Lori Sciurca said she regularly attends Sunday Mass but her faith has been tested by reports that church leaders repeatedly reassigned a priest accused of sexually molesting children.

"I think the apologies have gotten awfully old. There's a lot of singing and dancing and sidestepping," the 41-year-old social worker said before morning Mass at the Arch Street Chapel. "But, I also think there are many good priests in the archdiocese."

Similar conflicting sentiments were expressed by many Catholics on Sunday as Cardinal Bernard Law issued a letter apologizing for reassigning the former Rev. John J. Geoghan to a new parish in 1984, although he knew Geoghan had been removed from two parishes for molesting children ....

[churchillbuff]

I suspect the reason why these perv priests are transferred instead of canned is simply that THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PRIESTS. Let priests marry - or at least set up an order of priests who can marry - and you'll see 1) more priests 2) a lot of culturally and politically and theologically CONSERVATIVE family-oriented guys taking vows and 3) a dilution in the numbers and influence of the gay circles within the clergy. It would make the Catholic church stronger, more manly and less wimpy-feminized, --- and there'd be enough good priests to choose from that the reprobates could be given the boot without any parish having to cut back on the number of masses on Sunday.

[Dan from Michigan]

Disagree. As a Catholic, I think the Catholic church needs to stay traditional.

1. Priests are among the LEAST likely to be pedophiles, despite what the liberal, Catholic hating media says.

2. Law needs to resign.

[churchillbuff]

Do you "disagree" that there are too few priests? That's not something one can disagree about - it's a matter of hard facts. Establish an order of priests who can marry - - - - (this wouldn't be revolutionary or "nontraditional"; there are Eastern rites within Catholicism in which priests can marry) ---- and watch the numbers explode. Then it would a lot easier to turn away the flaming gays who apply to go to seminary. Right now, the Church can't AFFORD to be too selective - - it's desperate for priests.

[John R. (Bob) Locke]

Looking for some enlightenment as a non-Catholic:

Where in the Bible can I find the prohibition on priests being married?

[Lucas1]

BS this crap is going on all around the country with these Catholic Priests...the cases are a dime a dozen -

Liberal Media???? I think not...blame the freakin MOLESTING PRIESTS THAT ARE PREYING ON CHILDREN - and that is NOT PRAYING

[BansheeBill]

In Jim Robinson's recent post about posting on FR he stated:

. And, along these same lines, please use the original titles on your article posts. Do NOT edit the titles. Do NOT use "My Title" titles. This will also help to reduce the number of duplicates.

Was it really necessary to change/edit the title that the Nando news site used?

[VeritatisSplendor]

It's not in the Bible, and you know that.

There is no theological problem with priests being married, but many centuries of experience showed the church that unmarried men make better priests because they can devote themselves 100% to their calling without family obligations to compete for their time and energy and emotional resources. It is an ADMINISTRATIVE rule, and there are occasionally exceptions made to it.

Your question is sort of like asking "where does it say in the Bible that ministers need to have a theological or divinity degree"? Many Christian churches require some sort of academic certification, but that is also an administrative rule which admits exceptions, not a theological requirement.

[breakem]

It's time for the church to have married and women priests. There is no good reason to not do it, except the church has whipped people in a frenzy trying to justify the current practice.

Necessity will drive the change and it will take time. The older catholics will be in shock the rest of their lives and the younger ones will think it's normal.

[pbear8]

Married clergymen also abuse children (at a higher rate btw - well-documented), have affairs with pashioners, have divided loyalties (wife and kids vs. pashioners), cost the church more money to maintain (they have families to care for)and get divorced. All of these give scandal to the community and cause loss of faith in the faint-hearted.

Conservative orders and dioceses have lots of vocations.

[AlaskaErik]

1. Priests are among the LEAST likely to be pedophiles, despite what the liberal, Catholic hating media says.

Are you in complete dinial or what? This is epidemic in the Catholic Church. They are a bunch of sick bastards. I would never let my child go to a Catholic church. NEVER! I have a loathing and intense dislike of Catholicism that can only come from having been in its clutches at one time. In my family the rule is the children are raised as Protestants and are never told about the Catholic past of their parents. My daughter is now an adult and still has no idea I was ever in that wicked church. I just hope there is a special place in hell for those priests to rot.

[churchillbuff]

Conservative orders and dioceses have lots of vocations.

Oh yeah? Law is one of the most conservative bishops out there - and they've got a shortage in his archdiocese. One reason the liberal dioceses stay that way and get worse is the paucity of priests - and the relative power of the gays within their ranks. Letting married men in would tilt the balance against the gays - and bring an infusion of conservative family-oriented men. It really would make the church more conservative, how ironic that the idea's opposed by people who think they're conservative. By the way, I know a whole lot of conservative Catholic men - and they're mostly married. Would make better priests than the effimate gayish libs who are so numerous in the priesthood - but they can't become priests so things continue as they are.

[pbear8]

I'm sure your charitable Christian attitude will win many converts to Jesus.

[pbear8]

I understand where you are coming from and any diocese where gays rule is directly the fault of the local ordinary.

Please look at the Society of St. Peter and the diocese of Omaha to see how many real manly men are in their seminaries. There is hope.

The married clergy in the early church led to nepotism, inheritance problems, etc. If a man truly is called by Our Lord to serve Him, it is reasonable for him to sacrifice something to get a lot in return.

I used to think that Law was conservative but I have changed my opinion.

[Young Rhino]

Let the priests marry? How about just a civil union in Vermont instead?

[Lucas1]

Apparently part of that tradition is raping children

[billybudd]

I suppose these stories of priests molesting little boys are just "propaganda", right? Wake up, buddy! This isn't an isolated incident - it happens all the time! What the hell is so traditional about denying men their natural right to marry a woman? Why is this "tradition" more important than curing the Church of a sickening disease? Traditions always change, and this would definitely be for the better. Time to let priests marry!