Priest shortage stems from crisis of faith, ignorance of the infinite, not celibacy, say Bishops

Catholic New Agency ^ | Oct. 13, 2005

[Petrosius]

Priest shortage stems from crisis of faith, ignorance of the infinite, not celibacy, say Bishops

Vatican City, Oct. 13, 2005 (CNA) - Speaking to reporters at a press conference today following the presentation of a new working document for the General Synod of Bishops, currently being held in the Vatican, bishop delegates said that priest shortages in many parts of the world are not the result of celibacy, as many suggest, but of a crisis of faith and a misunderstanding of the divine.

Present in the Holy See Press office were the Synod's three president delegates, Cardinals Francis Arinze, Juan Sandoval Iñiguez and Telesphore Placidus Toppo, as well as Archbishop John Patrick Foley, president of the Commission for Information of the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, and Bishop Sofron Stefan Mudry O.S.B.M., vice-president of the same commission.

Asked why, given the lack of priests in some regions, the solution of priestly ordination of married men was still being put in doubt,  Cardinal Toppo told reporters that "the real problem is a crisis of faith, the lack of priests is a symptom of that crisis."

Likewise, Cardinal Sandoval cited other reasons for the shortage of priests, namely, "a lack of faith, secularization, and the closing of the window onto infinity."

Ukrainian Bishop Mudry added that, despite the fact that Eastern Catholic Churches admit married priests, this does not solve the problem because "they also have to dedicate time to their families ... and its is difficult for them to move to another area to continue their mission, if their bishop so requests."

The question of celibacy and of a lack of priests has been steadily discussed throughout the course of the Synod, as have other controversial questions like reception of the Eucharist for some non, and estranged Catholics.

Speaking on divorced people being permitted to communion, Cardinal Arinze said that the Church "shows compassion to these people who are suffering, and although they cannot partake of communion - because their position does not reflect the image of unity between Christ and the Church (bridegroom and bride) - they continue to be members of the Church."

As to the question posed by some Synod Fathers of greater homogeneity of enculturation, Cardinal Toppo stressed that this "is essential, and is the expression of a people's faith." Cardinal Sandoval added: "what is important is that hymns, dance, color, etc., help to encourage interior life, to unite oneself with the Lord, and that the ceremony does not become merely a show for entertainment."

Cardinal Arinze said added that he was particularly struck by the desire of Synod participants to more fully transmit the faith to their flocks and "to 'ars celebrandi,' that the faith upon which the people of God have fed in the church may accompany them when they leave the building, and encourage them to share what they have received with others."

[ThomasMore]

...its more of a validation of their prior ordination.

Unless my sacramentology is off...these men were NEVER ordained in the strict sense of the word. Yes, they were "ordained" according to their Protestant denomination. But not sacramentally as we understand the sacrament of Holy Orders. So, yes, mike, they had to be ordained because they never received Holy Orders as protestants. It doesn't exist.

Your vow of obedience made to Rome contains no stipulations regarding the celibacy of deacons.

Well, that's for sure because I remain married and part of the clergy. The vow of obedience is a separate vow from the vow of celibacy.

...it makes them better priests

Ya think? I suppose it made the pedophile priests better? And celibacy makes the 30 to 60% of homosexual priests better? And those celibate priests who have worked so hard towards heterodoxy in the liturgy and faith and morals? I am convinced that neither marriage nor celibacy has anything to do with making a man "better" at serving God. God gives grace through both sacraments and the man uses or abuses that grace.

[RobbyS]

The priesthood shortage has NOTHING to do with celibacy.

Not exactly. It is true that in the late'60s and early '70s, the seminaries lost many, many students. That is because many faithless priests had encouraged the seminarians to believe that the Church was about to abolish the celibacy vow and allow them to marry before ordination. But, again, false, faithless, or unhappy priests were the cause.

[RobbyS]

The fact remains that In the Latin rite there is a continuous tradition of celebate priests going back for a millenium, and furthermore, the abandonment of celibacy wass an important aspect of the Protestant revolt. The practical effect of abandoning this tradition will have consequences not unlike the abandoment of the old Mass. Especially in the Protestant/secular societies of the West, it will reduce the priesthood to the level of a profession in the narrow sense of the professions of law, medicine, or--worst--the protestant ministry.

[Salvation]

For the record:

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
The celibate superhero
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]
Celibacy
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
Call To Action: Dump Celibacy
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
Why A Married Priesthood Won't Remedy the Priest Shortage

New Vatican Document on Homosexuality and the Priesthood Coming Before Fall 2005
Catholic priests demand the right to marry
Catholic priests urge Church to reconsider celibacy rules
Alternative Priests´ Council Hits Back on Mandatory Celibacy
Married Priests? The English Experience

Saying Yes to God: a Look into Vocations
New Vatican Document to Eliminate 1961 Papal Ban on Ordaining Homosexuals
Saying Yes to God: a Look into Vocations
Is it time to ordain married men to the Catholic priesthood?
40% of Scots priests want end to celibacy

A small, sturdy band of 'John Paul priests'(JPII legacy of conservative priests)
Yes, Gay Men Should Be Ordained
Cardinal says Priests will marry
Fathers, Husbands and Rebels: Married Priests
An Unneeded Headache (Vatican document on [NOT] admitting homosexual to the priesthood)

Vatican Prepares Draft Directives Against Admitting Gays as Priests
From Anglican to married Catholic priest
Spain gets first married priest
Spain (R) Catholic Church ordains first married priest
The Catholic Church - East-West Difference Over Priestly Celibacy

ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SCRANTON TO RECEIVE FIRST ECUSA PRIEST
Defending Chastity in the Priesthood
Ordination of married men is raised at Vatican synod
Patriarch of Venice deemphasizes ordination of married men to the priesthood
Cardinal Pell: Ending Celibacy Rule Would Be a Blunder

Priest shortage stems from crisis of faith, ignorance of the infinite, not celibacy, say Bishops [at Synod]