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Article of La Stampa vaticanista Giacomo Galeazzi about the critical situation of the Byzantine Rite Churches in Southern Italy and Sicily.


16/2/2011

In crisi i preti sposati

PRETI SPOSATI: IN CRISI IL RITO ORIENTALE IN CALABRIA E SICILIA

VATICANISTA DE LA STAMPA


Attualmente sono tutte e tre "commissariate" dalla Santa Sede le realta' cattoliche di rito bizantino del nostro Paese, due delle quali hanno nelle loro file preti sposati, come previsto dal diritto canonico orientale, documenta l'Agi. L'eparchia di Lungro, in Calabria, e' affidata ad un amministratore apostolico, l'arcivescovo di Cosenza Salvatore Nunnari, l'eparchia di Piana degli Albanesi a un delegato apostolico, mons. Francesco Pio Tamburrino, arcivescovo di Foggia, dal quale dipende anche il monastero basiliano di Grottaferrata (i cui monaci sono ovviamente tenuti al celibato). La situazione delle comunita' di rito orientale e' molto preoccupante anche perche' ci sono oggi in Italia tanti immigrati cattolici di rito greco: albanesi, rumeni e ucraini, i cui bisogni spirituali si sommano a quelli delle poche migliaia di eredi delle popolazioni albanesi che nella seconda meta' del XIV secolo, incalzate dai turchi, emigrarono in Calabria e Sicilia, dove hanno cercato di mantenere vive le proprie tradizioni all'interno delle diocesi di rito latino fino a quando, nel 1919, la Santa Sede ha concesso l'erezione della eparchia di Lungro, concedendo 15 anni dopo l'altra diocesi in Sicilia. La lunga attesa per vedere riconosciuti i propri diritti di appartenenti al rito bizantino ha lasciato cicatrici nelle comunita' italo-albanesi e oggi c'e' turbamento per il fatto che sia l'amministratore apostolico Nunnari che il delegato Tamburrino sono vescovi di rito latino. L'eparca di Lungro Ercole Lupinacci ha compiuto 75 anni nel novembre 2008 e per due anni si e' tentato inutilmente di individuare un successore, impresa rivelatasi impossibile per l'esistenza di fazioni contrapposte nel clero locale, con conseguenti veti reciproci che si aggiungono alla difficolta' di scegliere in una rosa ristretta di candidati perche' il diritto canonico esclude dall'episcopato i preti sposati che nell'eparchia sono invece la maggioranza. "Sua Eccellenza Nunnari e' persona degnissima e stimatissima, ma il suo incarico - hanno protestato amministratori e politici locali riuniti nel municipio di Lungro - mette in discussione consolidate tradizioni e, per molti versi, l'identita' stessa della comunita' italo albanese. Appare infatti incomprensibile che l'interim sia affidato ad un vescovo di rito latino, colpendo duramente la sensibilita' dell'intera comunita' arbereshe. Con la semplicita' propria di chi e' all'oscuro dei sottili equilibri che regolano l'incedere della Chiesa nelle scelte di affidamento della pastorale, sentiamo l'obbligo morale di chiedere che si arrivi in tempi brevi alla nomina del nuovo vescovo, sentendosene viva esigenza". Ancora piu' intricata la situazione della Chiesa italo-albanese in Sicilia. Gia' delegato apostolico per l'abbazia di Grottaferrata dal 1994, mons. Tamburrino ha assunto in giugno la giurisdizione anche sull'eparchia di Piana degli Albanesi in Sicilia, dove il 73enne vescovo Sotir Ferrara non riusciva piu' a tenere insieme i preti sposati e quelli celibi che dipendevano da lui (e si puo' ben immaginare che - date queste premesse - tra due anni sara' difficilissimo trovargli un successore). L'episodio piu' clamoroso risale all'anno scorso, quando in occasione del tradizionale rito della Paraclisis (un canto di lode alla "Madre di Dio") il parroco latino della Chiesa della Madonna della Favara a Contessa Entellina, don Mario Bellanca, aveva fatto trovare chiuso il portone della chiesa ai fedeli di rito greco, costringendoli a celebrare all'esterno. Per svelenire il clima, mons. Tamburrino ha deciso la rotazione di alcuni parroci ma trasferire i "papas", cosi' vengono chiamati i preti sposati, e' molto complicato. "Devo condividere con la mia famiglia sacerdotale questa decisione cosi' come ho condiviso con essa il mio presbiterato", ha risposto al delegato uno dei parroci trasferiti, papas Sepa Borzi', che era stato destinato proprio a Contessa Entellina. Mentre a San Nico di Cantinella, frazione di Corigliano, la cui comunita' e' stata staccata dalla parrocchia greco-cattolica di Cantinella e assegnata a quella latina, sono i fedeli a ribellarsi. "Senza rispetto per le nostre tradizioni spirituali - hanno scritto in un appello - veniamo di nuovo destinati alla completa latinizzazione, nonostante recenti scandali locali non del tutto estranei alla costruzione di una chiesa latina destinata alla nostra comunita' greco-albanese e all'abbandono spirituale nel quale si trovano i nuovi immigrati ortodossi residenti anche in nostri paesi arbereshe privi di clero ortodosso". Il riferimento e' in particolare alla comunita' greco-cattolica rumena presente in Italia (oltre mezzo milione di immigrati) che recentemente si e' vista respingere dalla Cei la richiesta di farsi seguire in Itaia da clero uxorato messo a disposizione dall'episcopato rumeno perche' non esisterebbe "la 'giusta e ragionevole causa' che giustifichi la concessione della dispensa" dalla legge ecclesiastica per la quale i preti sposati delle Chiese orientali non possono esercitare al di fuori del territorio storico della loro Chiesa: un limite contro cui hanno protestato anche i vescovi riuniti lo scorso ottobre in Vaticano per il Sinodo sul Medio Oriente. "La convenienza di tutelare il celibato ecclesiastico e di prevenire il possibile sconcerto nei fedeli per l'accrescersi di presenza sacerdotali uxorate prevale infatti - ha spiegato in una lettera ai vescovi rumeni il presidente della Cei, card. Angelo Bagnasco - sulla pur legittima esigenza di garantire ai fedeli cattolici di rito orientale l'esercizio del culto da parte di ministri che parlino la loro lingua e provengano dai loro stessi Paesi". Recentemente un paio di sacerdoti italiani di rito orientale, stanchi dei contrasti, sono passati a chiese ortodosse, seguiti da gruppi di fedeli. Questo fatto rende particolarmente inquietante che l'appello dei fedeli di San Nico sia indirizzato nell'ordine "ai patriarchi di Mosca e di tutte le Russie, Romania, Bulgaria, agli arcivescovi di Atene e di tutta la Grecia, Tirana e di tutta l'Albania, di Ochrida e, per conoscenza, al Papa, a mons. Pio Tamburrino, metropolita di Foggia e visitatore apostolico di Piana degli Albanesi e a mons. Salvatore Nunnari, metropolita di Cosenza e amministratore apostolico di Lungro". Inseguito dai problemi dell'eparchia siciliana fino a Foggia, dove pulman di fedeli bizantini sono andati a protestare, mons. Tamburrino deve occuparsi anche dell'abbazia di Grottaferrata, definita da Pio XI "la fulgidissima gemma orientale incastonata nel diadema della Chiesa Romana". Sarebbe una fucina naturale per i vescovi di rito orientale, i quali dovendo essere celibi e ben preparati sono scelti spesso tra i monaci. Ma oggi, spiega l'archimandrita, padre Emiliano Fabbricatore, "gli unici monaci basiliani rimasti in Italia sono quelli che vivono nell'abbazia: in tutto siamo 12, tutti anziani e malati". Una possibile via d'uscita da queste difficolta' - come e' stato proposto nel 2005 fa al Sinodo Intereparchiale delle tre realta' bizantine italiane - sarebbe l'istituzione in Italia di un'unica prelatura per i fedeli di rito orientale, che certamente favorirebbe nuove vocazioni alla vita monastica e al sacerdozio (sia celibatario che uxorato).



http://www.lastampa.it/_web/cmstp/t...olo=3923&ID_sezione=524&sezione=

No capisco Italiano!
Stephanos I

You lost nothing...

The core of this unfair article is that the problem of the Italian Eparchies is the presence of married priests....

I pushed the "translate" button on my computer. What comes out is not so hot, but maybe someone can take the time to make some sense of it.

Dn Robert

16/2/2011

Married priests in crisis

MARRIED PRIESTS: CRISIS IN THE EASTERN RITE IN CALABRIA AND SICILY

PETER DE LA STAMPA


Currently all three are "Commissioner" by the Holy See of the reality 'of the Byzantine Rite Catholic Italy, two of whom have married priests in their ranks, as provided by the Oriental Canon Law, recording the Agi. The Eparchy of Lungro, in Calabria, and 'entrusted to an apostolic administrator, Archbishop of Cosenza Salvatore Nunnari, the Eparchy of Piana in an apostolic delegate, Msgr. Francesco Pio Tamburrino, archbishop of Foggia, from which depends the Basilian monastery of Grottaferrata (whose monks are obviously bound by the celibacy). The situation of the 'Eastern-rite and' very worrying 'cause there are so many immigrants in Italy today greek rite Catholic Albanians, Romanians and Ukrainians, whose spiritual needs are added to those of a few thousand descendants of the Albanian population in the second half 'of the fourteenth century, badgered by the Turks, emigrated to Calabria and Sicily, where they tried to keep their traditions alive within the Latin Rite dioceses until, in 1919, the Holy See granted the erection the Eparchy of Lungro, 15 years after giving the other dioceses in Sicily. The long wait to see their rights recognized to belong to the Byzantine rite has left scars in the community 'Italian-Albanian and today there is' disturbed by the fact that both the apostolic administrator of the delegate Nunn Tamburrino are bishops of the Latin rite. The Eparchy of Lungro Ercole Lupinacci turned 75 in November 2008 and for two years and 'tried in vain to find a successor undertaking which proved impossible for the existence of factions in the local clergy, leading to mutual vetoes that add to the difficulty 'to choose a shortlist of candidates because' the canon law rule by the episcopate nell'eparchia married priests who are the majority. "His Excellency Nunn and 'most worthy and esteemed person, but his tenure - have protested administrators and local politicians gathered in City Hall Lungro - calls into question established traditions and, in many ways, the identity' of the community itself 'between Italy and Albania. Indeed, it seems incomprehensible that the interim is entrusted to a bishop of the Latin rite, hitting the sensitivity 'of the whole community' arbereshe. With the simplicity 'of those who own and' unaware of the subtle balances that regulate the gait of the Church in the decision to entrust the pastoral care, we feel a moral obligation to ask that you arrive in a short time to elect a new bishop, need to feel alive. " Even more 'intricate the situation of the Church Italo-Albanian in Sicily. Gia 'apostolic delegate to the abbey of Grottaferrata 1994, Msgr. Tamburrino took over in June, the court also sull'eparchia of Piana degli Albanesi in Sicily, where the bishop 73enne Sotir Ferrara could not get more 'to hold together the married priests and celibate ones who depended on him (and you can' imagine that - in this context - in two years will be 'very difficult to find a successor). The episode most 'striking back last year when for the traditional rite of Paraclesis (a song of praise to the "Mother of God") the priest of the Latin Church of Our Lady of Favara Entellina in Contessa, Don Mario Bellanca had did find the door closed to the faithful of the church rite greek, forcing them to celebrate outside. For svelenire climate, Msgr. Tamburrino decided the rotation of some parish priests but transferred the "papas", so 'married priests are called, and' very complicated. "I share with my family priest so that decision 'as I shared it with my priesthood," he replied to a delegate of the parish priests transferred, papas Sepa Borzi', which was designed precisely to Entellina Contessa. While in San Nico Cantinella, village of Corigliano, whose community 'has been removed from the greek-catholic parish Cantinella and assigned to the Latin, are loyal to rebel. "Without respect for our spiritual traditions - have written a call - we come again for the complete romanization, despite recent scandals local not entirely foreign to the Latin construction of a church devoted to our community 'greek-Albanian and spiritual abandonment in which there is a new Orthodox immigrants residing in our countries without arbereshe Orthodox clergy. " The reference 'in particular to the community' greek-Catholic Romanian presence in Italy (over half a million immigrants) who recently 'view rejected by the CEI's request to be married clergy who followed in the local organizing committee to be made available by the episcopate because Romanian 'does not exist "the' just and reasonable cause 'to justify the granting of the waiver' by ecclesiastical law for which the married priests of the Eastern Churches can not exercise outside of their historical territory of the Church: a limit against which they protested also the bishops meeting last October in the Vatican for the Synod on the Middle East. "The convenience of ecclesiastical celibacy protect and prevent possible confusion among the faithful for the increase of priestly presence prevails married deacons in fact - said in a letter to the bishops of the Romanian President of the CEI, card. Angelo Bagnasco - even on legitimate need to guarantee for the faithful of the Eastern Rite Catholics the exercise of religion by ministers who speak their language and come from their own countries. " Recently a couple of Italian priests of the Eastern rite, tired of conflict, went to the Orthodox churches, followed by groups of the faithful. This fact makes it particularly disturbing that the appeal of the faithful of San Nicola in the order is directed "to the patriarchs of Moscow and All Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Tirana and All ' Albania, Ochrida and, for information, to the Pope, Msgr. Tamburrino Pio, Metropolitan of Foggia and apostolic visitor of Piana and Msgr. Salvatore Nunnari, Metropolitan of Cosenza and apostolic administrator of Lungro. Pursued by the problems eparchy Sicily to Foggia, where the Byzantine faithful coach that went to protest, Mgr. Tamburrino must also deal with the abbey of Grottaferrata, defined by Pius XI on the eastern most splendid gem set in the diadem of the Roman Church. " It would be a natural breeding ground for the bishops of the Eastern rite, which having to be celibate and were well prepared are often chosen among the monks. But today, says Archimandrite, Father Emiliano maker, "the only remaining Byzantine monks in Italy are those who live in the abbey: 12 in all, we are all old and sick." One possible way out of these difficulties' - and how 'was proposed in 2005 is the Synod of the three Intereparchial reality' Byzantine Italian - in Italy would be the establishment of a single prelate for the faithful of the Eastern rite, which certainly would help new vocations to the priesthood and monastic life (that is celibate uxorato).

A quick run through the google translator my summarize this story as it is one big mess. Increasing numbers of immigrants from other jurisdictions overwhelming a tiny cadre of local resident clergy and churches. Fights between married and celibate clergy have the choice of new bishops deadlocked. The only monastery left has 12 old sick men who cannot provide any help. The administration is in the hands of Latin bishop who it seems is not trusted by the clergy or members.

There also seems to be a lot pressure to latinize or assimilate the Church by the Latin clergy.

That is my take anyway.

My snarky but exact reaction to all this was, "man the latinki bishops are sure hung up on that celibacy for priests issue."

I think it's all about power and controlling the clergy and has nothing to do with Jesus, no matter how the Latin hierarchs - incl. the PopeofRome - want to characterize it. I for one do not believe their "celibacy is better" propaganda. Our Orthodox brethren haven't ever bought into it as far as I know...

I don't mean to be offensive so please don't nobody go to complaining abt. me being disrespectful. What's disrespectful is Latin Church authority figures trying to impose their "vision" of Church on, and assimilate, us. Kinda like the Borg. Spooky.

From what I have been able to research, there's a lot of Italian press regarding part of this story.

Last September 13, Cardinal Bagnasco, president of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI), wrote to Lucian Muresan, Major Archbishop of the Romanian Catholic Church explaining the position of the Italian Bishops' Conference regarding not allowing the presence of married Romanian Catholic priests in Italy. (It is estimated there are 800,000 Romanian Catholics in Italy.) Cardinal Bagnasco explained that the Bishops' Conference


The letter from the Italian Bishops' Conference cited the importance of "protecting ecclesiastical celibacy" and the need to "prevent confusion among the faithful." See Italian news reports here [romeninitalia.com] and here. [immigrazioneoggi.it]

Most interesting was this report from the news service Adista [adistaonline.it] entitled "Priests of a Lesser God: CEI -- New Veto to the Presence of Married Catholic Clergy in Italy." It explained that regulation of the right of Eastern Catholic Churches to ordain married men to the priesthood outside of their traditional territories was still subject to papal regulation:


Italian original:

I'd like to say some very uncharitable things about the Italian bishops, but I will refrain.

How dare these Italian bishops use the word "dispensation" when married priests is the normal practice for the Eastern Church. Haven't they every learned anything from their Irish counterparts in the US who tried this tactic and had it backfire on them. Italy has enough other moral problems on its hands right now. Constantinople is always there to accept its flock in Italy.

I've tried to give a bigger treatment of this conflict and also to improve the translation from the Italian here. [orthocath.wordpress.com]

If others can improve on translations from the Italian originals, I would be grateful for their assistance.

Hello, this is my first post in this forum. I do not want to say something out of turn, and I hope I don't!

DTBrown, there is reason to believe that 800,000 is an over-estimate of the number of Romanian Greek Catholics in Italy. Firstly estimates for the Romanian population in Italy vary greatly. This BBC from 2009 [news.bbc.co.uk] puts the total number of Romanians in Italy at 600,000. Another article (this one from 2008) [ipsnews.net] says that there are over 1 million Romanians in Italy. So there could be between 600,000 - 1,000,000 Romanians in Italy at the present.

However those are all Romanians, including the Orthodox, Roma, and non-religious. Numbers for Catholics in Italy who hail from Romania are probably even harder to find. According to this Wikipedia article [secure.wikimedia.org] (which unfortunately doesn't attribute anything to the number), there are 100,000 Byzantine Catholics in Italy, of which 60,000 belong to Italo-Albanian Church, with the remainder (40,000) belonging to the Romanian and Ukranian Greek Catholic Churches.

Another fact is that 800,000 faithful in Italy would mean that there would be more Eastern Catholic Romanians in Italy than in Romania itself! If this summary of the Annuario Pontificio [cnewa.org] is accurate, in 2010 there were about 700,000 members of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church in the eparchies in Romania. Surely something as important as that fact would have been mentioned in the news reports. 40,000, therefore, might be a better estimate than 800,000. Incidentally there happen to be about 300,000-400,000 Latin Romanians in Romania, according to a according to a government website: [culte.ro]


None of this detracts from the argument about married clergy among the Eastern churches, not in the least. It may, however, give some insight into why the CEI feels it "can" turn down this request (not necessarily that it is correct to do so). Unfortunately there is also the dimension of hostility to immigrants in Italy, which lamentable in its own right.

Misguided folks endowed with lotsa authority is usually a very bad idea.

Most churches ain't caught onto this, however - at least, not YET.

Remember, it's not about JESUS but it IS about power and control.

Even if there is only one parish, or one family, of a Greek Catholic tradition there is definitely "pastoral need". Offering millions of martyrs does not appear to be enough to demonstrate "catholicity".

With the liturgical crisis as well as the ever-increasing depth of the Latin clerical scandals, this sort of ghetto treatment is uncharitable and against Magisterial teaching to respect and preserve authentic Eastern Catholic tradition. In this day and age in modern Italy it would not even pass a laugh test that a few ethnic married clergy could give "scandal" to the average Italian Latin in the pew.

Fralupo,

Thanks for the clarification. I've revised down the numbers in my blog post.

As Primate of Italy, can't the Bishop of Rome speak against this injustice?