Posted on 01/12/2016 3:18:08 PM PST by ebb tide
In the accounts of a German theologian and a Brazilian bishop, Francis's plan to allow local exceptions to the norm of clerical celibacy. Beginning with the Amazon
by Sandro Magister
ROME, January 12, 2016 - An exchange of letters, a conversation, and an innovation already become law confirm the intentions of Pope Francis to extend the presence of married clergy in the Catholic Church, as already anticipated in this article from www.chiesa:
> The Next Synod Is Already in the Works. On Married Priests (9.12.2015)
(Excerpt) Read more at chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it ...
My sister works for a parish priest in the USA who is married and allowed to keep his wife because he used to be a Lutheran minister and converted. Everyone loves him and accepts his circumstances, as far as I know.
Apparently there is a big shortage of English speaking priests in America.
Just so people know, there are already married priests, one is in my diocese. This is nothing new, if an Anglican or Eastern Orthodox becomes a priest, they are not required to give up a wife and family. This was all before Francis.
Also, should they widow, they are not allowed to remarry and remain a priest.This is how it was explained to me by our married, with two adult children, ex-Anglican, now Roman Catholic parish priest.
I’ll have to ask Fr. Emmanuel and his wife Mary about this.
Right! And I'm sure you'll get an unbiased opinion.
Did you catch Muller's request for Francis to also be open to ordaining homos? Why don't you ask Frs. Rosica and Ricca, the papal housemother, for their opinions on that topic?
Maybe the Bishop in Brazil wants to ensure his priests really know about Hell before preaching about it.
Nothing is beyond Bergoglio now. He has just recently declared, "This is my church!"
On another occasion, he (Archbishop Bergoglio) visited the deathbed of an ex-bishop, Jeronimo Podestá, who had married in defiance of the Church and was dying poor and forgotten by all. From that moment, Mrs. Podestá became one of his devoted fans.
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1335696?eng=y
I don't see how this can be compared to a married man in seminary, or living in his own household with his wife.
Not that I am for changing the general rule of celibate clergy in the West. It has tremendous spiritual and practical advantages, I believe. It is an eschatological witness without equal.
But the celibacy rules is one of those things which CAN change. Celibacy is not a constitutive element of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Deacons, for instance, can be married when they receive Holy Orders. We have great married deacons in our parish. As for "unbiased opinions": now, where would I get them? From you?
No, nor from me either. I just try to be aware of my biases and correct for them, although it's difficult for me to do.
I don't see how this can be compared to a married man in seminary, or living in his own household with his wife.
Not that I am for changing the general rule of celibate clergy in the West. It has tremendous spiritual and practical advantages, I believe. It is an eschatological witness without equal.
But the celibacy rules is one of those things which CAN change. Celibacy is not a constitutive element of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Deacons, for instance, can be married when they receive Holy Orders. We have great married deacons in our parish.
One last point. As for "unbiased opinions": now, where would I get such opinions? From you?
Oh, mercy.
No, nor from me either. Despite my limitations, I just try to be aware of my biases and correct for them. I don't find that easy, but I try.
For over a thousand years, there was no such thing as married deacons until VC II.
But I am surprised that you expect an unbiased answer from a married priest. Is he Catholic or Orthodox (Mr. Don-o’s priest, perhaps)?
Every married priest I’ve ever seen comment on it seems to think the discipline of celibacy is valuable an should be continued. The ones that think it should be ended all seem to be celibate or are supposed to be.
In fact, I have yet to see an ultra-lib married priest, all the ones that support abortion or gay marriage also seem to be celibate or are supposed to be.
Freegards
So it proves the old axiom, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."
P.S. I have never met a traditional priest who has favored married clergy.
Freegards
It makes me think the married priests are Ok. If they weren’t, why wouldn’t they be bucking to end the discipline like the liberal celibate priests? I mean the ones who are becoming married Catholic priests are the conservatives, not the liberals. The ones that care enough about it to switch.
Freegards
Will Francis' Decentralized Dream Church eventually be staffed here in the land of Obergefell v. Hodges with "married" homosexual priests? The "smell of the sheep" (60% of U.S. Catholics already support same-sex marriage) along with the excuse that they are cheaper to feed and house because they don't "breed like rabbits" will be the stated justification.
But don't get me wrong. I do respect the much more recent celibate-clergy custom of the West.
BTW, I am not in a Melkite parish, and Fr. Emmanuel is not my pastor.
That said, I would defend the tradition of priestly celibacy in the West.
I really don’t care what the Orthodox East does. Any religion that allows up to three marriages with no spouses having died, is not orthodox. And I’m sick and tired of Francis using the schismatic Orthodox as examples for his great desire to legitimize Catholic “divorce”.
How about the Catholic East?
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