www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Anyone catch the Maronite Patriarch on Fr. Pacwa's Show?

We need to narrow this down to Latins from the USA. Not all Latins have this problem. My own country's Latin bishops have amde it quiet clear where they stand on the subject and as a result we have a number of married men who have been ordained to the priesthood. The Bishops were quiet taken aback to be told that they were to blame of us not having married men ordained as priests. someone forgot to tell them. The Nuncio tried to short circuit the matter and was shot down for his troubles and soon fell silent. The curtains did not fade and the cows still milked (usual line given why places dont have daylight saving or married priests among Eastern Rites). Oh and we have plenty of Latins lads in the seminaries.

Father Serge,

To give the man the benefit of the doubt, maybe he misspoke and meant the priest is married to the church. It is a common phrase around here.

It does pose the problem of the church being bigamous as she is already the bride of Christ, though. (That was a joke, just in case anyone wonders.)

Simple: Married clergy in the East is Traditonal (big T) and is good. Married clergy in the west is a bad thing.

Any questions?

Yeah, a Big one. Why? So far, the handful of married Latin priests have been exceptional and completely orthodox. In fact I know a few personally and they are wonderful men of God. All the Eastern married priests I know are all orthodox and faithful to the Church. What will happen if there is married clergy in the West?

Bankruptcy.

The Latin Church's finances aren't set up to handle the expenses of an entire family. This is something that could be changed eventually, but as it is now I don't think it's really possible to dive in head first.

Just my opinion.

Peace and God bless!

Who cares what the Latins do. However if they did have married clergy the cows would not milk and the curtains would fade. It's all very simple.

Simple solution - only ordain those men who's wives are willing and able to support the family on their income.

But this is beside the point, we are referring here to Eastern married men in the West prevented from being ordained as priests even when they are willing and able.

Any Bishop who was going to ordain someone as a priest would have to look into how the Priest was going to live afterwards. I think that is a given. The financial side of things is complicated.

We are not talking of 'The West' we are talking of the 'USA' alone.

What distressed me about the Maronite Patriarch's interview was the amazing superficiality of the interviewer, Fr. Pacwa. He should have been far better prepared.

Fr. Serge

I think the Patriarch had a hard enough time understanding the basic questions put to him let alone delving deeper. He seemed to miss the nuance of certain questions due to his lack of english fluency.

My mistake. I read "the West" as "the Western Church", aka the Latin/Roman Church. I agree completely that there's nothing wrong with having married priests in the geographical West (nor in the ecclesial "West" for that matter, though I think there would have to be a lot of work done in preparing for it).

Hope that clears up any confusion!

Peace and God bless!

Hi Ghosty!

I realize that you have indicated that this remark is based upon a mistaken assumption that the Latin church was indicated.

But I just had to share my opinion

My opinion is that if any church can afford married priests it is the Latin, at least in North America. The average parish is huge, and the economic potential is very great compared to the typical eastern Catholic parish. 'nuff said

It only takes a will. I believe eastern Christians know when they have to pony up the dough, and they do! Even though it means a lot of sacrifice for those who are called to serve it is possible because those who are able know they must contribute.

For those who are reading this and contemplating the vocation we should not forget, the Lord will provide, we must have Faith. The Divine is in charge.

" He said to (his) disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear.

For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.

Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds!

Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your lifespan?

If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest?

Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them.

If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?

As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore.

All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides" Luke 12 22:31

Hesychios,

What translation are you using? It flows well and is nice. I'm used to the older translations of that passage.

USCCB - NAB [nccbuscc.org]

That the Patriarch has a difficult time with English is understandable; he does not live in an English-speaking environment. Fr. Pacwa does live in an English-speaking environment, is a Jesuit (and therefore presumed to have a higher education) and is in some sense a Maronite (which would make it sensible for him to speak both French and Arabic). If he lacked the necessary linguistic ability then EWTN could and should have made use of another interviewer who knew the topic and who would have been able to assist the Patriarch by translating this or that word when necessary.


Besides, nothing whatever prevented Father Pacwa from preparing a serious list of questions in advance, having someone else translate them into French or Arabic, and giving them to the Patriarch far enough ahead of time so that His Beatitude would have been able to prepare to answer these questions. Actually, the Patriarch came off much better than Father Pacwa did.

Not long ago, EWTN broadcast another interview by Father Pacwa; on that occasion his victim was a Syro-Malankara hierarch. Father Pacwa gave everyone to understand that it doesn't matter in the least whether leavened or unleavened bread is used for the Eucharist. That indicates that either Father Pacwa has never read the Liturgical Instruction of 1996 from Rome, or he regards this as an irrelevant document which he is free to dismiss or ignore. So much for EWTN's boasted loyalty to "the magisterium".

Fr. Serge