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Former Episcopal bishop discusses his new life as Catholic priest
Catholic News Service ^ | Mar-6-2009 | Cindy Wooden

Posted on 03/07/2009 7:29:47 AM PST by GonzoII

ROME (CNS) -- If using dolls to practice the baptismal ritual is a humbling experience for seminarians, one can imagine what it was like for someone who already had baptized hundreds of babies.

Father Jeffrey N. Steenson, the former Episcopal bishop of the Rio Grande, prepared for his ordination to the Catholic priesthood with seminarians from Rome's Pontifical North American College.

(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnews.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Mainline Protestant; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: anglican; catholic; conversions; convert; ecusa; pastoralprovision; priesthood; schism
 Who is like unto God?
1 posted on 03/07/2009 7:29:48 AM PST by GonzoII
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To: GonzoII

What a joke the Episcopal church ended up. If there’s one thing I like about the Catholic Church is that it is a powerful voice for the correct issues of our time.


2 posted on 03/07/2009 7:38:40 AM PST by rom (Obama '12 slogan: Let's keep on hopin'!)
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To: GonzoII
Good for him.

I expect there will be many more, as the Piskies and the ELCA Lutherans continue their institutional suicide runs.

3 posted on 03/07/2009 7:39:25 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: GonzoII

When people get tired of the “Church of Our Egos” they will be flocking back to the Catholic Church in droves. The Holy Spirit has quite a job to do to get us all focused on what is important and not just ourselves.


4 posted on 03/07/2009 8:29:34 AM PST by tiki (True Christians will not deliberately slander or misrepresent others or their beliefs)
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It’s happening with several faiths now, it’s just that the Anglicans/Episcopalians are the most notable (for obvious reasons). I’ve also seen Lutherans and Baptists join the Catholic fold recently.

All converts have a similar desire to get back to the Eucharist. The “communion of saints” is also very appealing.

Some are tired of the gay agenda, some are tired of the egos, some are tired of the “pop culture” aspect, and some are tired of their former church with its politics. Many Christian religions where formed by rebelling against the Mother Church (or by splintering off the original rebellers themselves), and were lead by earthly men who thought they could interpret scripture better than the Vatican. Such men often used greviances (wether true or false) to advance their agendas. Such a foundation, sooner or later, cracks.

The Church of England formed because of a certain earthly king who put his loins, lust and lineage above GOD. How many people died because of this and the rivalries that still go on even today.


5 posted on 03/07/2009 9:43:41 AM PST by ak267
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To: GonzoII
The Steensons' three children -- a daughter and two sons -- are grown.

And, uh...Mrs Steenson?

6 posted on 03/07/2009 10:27:35 AM PST by onedoug
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To: onedoug
"And, uh...Mrs Steenson?"

She's still Mrs. Steenson.

Exceptions are made.

7 posted on 03/07/2009 10:33:57 AM PST by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: onedoug
Comprehension: While he studies with the U.S. seminarians in Rome, Father Steenson and his wife have been living in a cottage on the grounds of the Pontifical Irish College.

Prior to being ordained, Steenson had to agree that if his wife precedes him in death, he will then adopt the discipline of celibacy for the remainder of his life.

8 posted on 03/07/2009 12:37:58 PM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: GonzoII
While he studies with the U.S. seminarians in Rome, Father Steenson and his wife have been living in a cottage on the grounds of the Pontifical Irish College.

Nice gig, if you can get it. What if my husband decided he wanted to be a priest?

9 posted on 03/07/2009 1:52:36 PM PST by Tax-chick ("There are more enjoyable ways of going to Hell." ~ St. Bernard)
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To: Tax-chick
What if my husband decided he wanted to be a priest?

Was he an Anglican Priest and if so would he be willing to take a sizable pay cut along with very limited career potential to be ordained in the Latin Rite?

10 posted on 03/07/2009 3:17:34 PM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: A.A. Cunningham

No. But assuming he was willing to give up his present career to be a priest, then what, precisely, makes a former Anglican or Episcopal priest an exception to the celibacy requirement, as opposed to every other man?


11 posted on 03/07/2009 3:20:08 PM PST by Tax-chick ("There are more enjoyable ways of going to Hell." ~ St. Bernard)
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To: Tax-chick

That’s just how the pope wrote things out back in the early 80s: http://www.pastoralprovision.org/


12 posted on 03/07/2009 5:50:25 PM PST by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: Tax-chick

If you are a married Anglican priest and cross the tiber it makes no sense to a) dump your wife, b) divorce her, c) do anything else goofy. The R.C.’s also take older catholic married men into the seminary. It’s the younger unmarried men who are most affected by the celibacy issue. Even R.C. laity aren’t aware of the finer details. (They honestly don’t care either)


13 posted on 03/07/2009 7:21:35 PM PST by x_plus_one (A thousand suckers are born every minute. They are the Obamacracy.)
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To: x_plus_one
The R.C.'s also take older catholic married men into the seminary.

Not really, unless you're referring to either (a) the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, which ordain married men, at least in their traditional territories; or (b) a situation like Rev. Steenson's -- a married former Protestant clergyman who's given a special dispensation to seek ordination to the priesthood.

14 posted on 03/07/2009 8:00:20 PM PST by Campion
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To: A.A. Cunningham
"career potential"

A priest is never to be into careers, he's a VICTIM with Christ.

15 posted on 03/07/2009 10:22:01 PM PST by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: Tax-chick
"what, precisely, makes a former Anglican or Episcopal priest an exception to the celibacy requirement"

Charity, weakness and Ecumenism.

16 posted on 03/07/2009 10:32:18 PM PST by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: Tax-chick
"What if my husband decided he wanted to be a priest?"

LOL. With all those curtain climbers.

God bless you two!

17 posted on 03/07/2009 10:44:01 PM PST by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: GonzoII

Who has curtains? You can see why a cottage on the grounds of the Irish Seminary would seem like a great deal ...


18 posted on 03/08/2009 5:20:39 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("There are more enjoyable ways of going to Hell." ~ St. Bernard)
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