www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News New article on celibacy controversy

Dear All:

With regard to the idea of forgiveness, didn't the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin offer an appology to the Ukie Catholics during the Millenium celebrations in 1988 during a service at the National Cathederal? Maybe someone has a better memory than I do on this one.

Yours,

kl

Dear Friends,

I've read V2 Decree on Eastern Churches, so I'm all for ordaining married men to the priesthood in the Eastern Churches of the diaspora.

Please help me with one concern I have about these priests. How are they going to support their families?

I'm sure this is a dumb question, but maybe you can help an RC answer it.

God bless you,

Paul

Dear Paul,

Very good question.

Our married priests often hold down a secular job themselves and their presbyteras work too.

Just like everyone else . . .

That is nothing new. I attended RC schools for most of my life where the good Fathers, although priests and religious, worked long hours as teachers.

One priest, my Latin teacher, even confided to me that during exam time he barely had time for an "Our Father."

I don't know of any RC celibate priest who doesn't work as hard, if not harder, than his Eastern married counterpart already.

Alex

Alex

Good point. Come to think of it our married Deacons do the same thing or are retired.

Paul

Christos Voskrese!

Anthony, that was a wonderful article in the Eastern Churches Journal. In less than three weeks, I have had occasion to quote your article no less than four times. Keep up the good work, we need you!

The President of the National Council of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Wilton Gregory, issued a statement in the name of the NCCB expressing regret for past actions by the Latin episcopate which have precipitated divisions in the Church. While not as direct and specific as the Australian Bishop's Conference statement, he does state that the Latin Bishops have no business interfering with the legitimate tradition and customs of the Eastern Catholics.

Diak,

I'm glad to hear that my article has proven useful. Thank you so much for the positive feedback on it.

Regarding the statement by Bishop Gregory, which you were kind enough to send me last year, it is a step forward... but it's not strong enough in my opinion. What we really need is a statement from the entire USCCB stating that they have no objection to us ordaining married men to the priesthood. In my humble opinion any apology that they offer is hollow and meaningless unless they are willing to state that they do not object to us restoring our tradition.

Anthony

Dear Anthony,

Could you provide some more data about this article? I mean author's name, exact title and
location (volume & number).

Thanks in advance!


Sincerely,
subdeacon Peter

"Married Priests in the Eastern Catholic Churches, 1884-1998" in 'Eastern Churches Journal' vol IX number 1, pages 7 to 69.

A good read, and an awesome survey, and worth the price of the journal's subscription this year.

It is not signed, probably because it is a compilation of a number of sources gathered from various places and various persons over time.

Dear Friends,

The issue of married priests in the Orthodox Churches, especially Russia, has developed differently from the Eastern Catholic experience, I believe.

I understand that in Russia if one is going to be a parish priest, then he MUST be married. Otherwise, he enters a monastery.

And if a priest's presbytera dies, then the priest enters a monastery.

Does white clergy necessarily "have" to be married?

Alex

Reverend Father,

Thank you very much! I'm thinking about
purchasing this issue.

Sincerely,
subdeacon Peter

Dear Alex,

I believe it's a general rule, but certainly there have been individual exclusions. I have
known one such priest from Podillya, ordained
by Bishop Agathangel (Savin), now of Odessa.
The priest in question has joined the UGCC in
early 1990s (being himself not from Halychyna,
to be sure).

Sincerely,

subdeacon Peter

PS. Have you already received the big envelope
I sent you before Gregorian Easter?

Dear Reverend Father Subdeacon,

It's good to hear there are exceptions to the rule!

I haven't received it, no, but these things take a while!

God bless you!

Alex

I think that rule should be worded so: Russian Orthodox eparchial priest is to be ordained
as married unless he insists to remain unmarried.

Certainly, no one compells widoved priests to
either enter a monastery or be reduced to the
ranks of laity.

I realize this, but this "while" counts 6 weeks
already. Maybe Canadian ROYAL Mail is seeking
SARS viruses in the parcel? Or maybe it's because
of thievery - but who would steal my letter,
three Akathists and some stuff from Podlachia?

Warmest regards,
subdeacon Peter

Dear Subdeacon Peter,

We shall hope for the best and see!

But since you mentioned three akathists - now that really will make me suffer until I receive it!

God bless!

Alex

Paul,

How many celibate Roman Catholic priests teach at Notre Dame University? Catholic University in D.C. ? DePaul, Marquette, ...etc. Do these Roman Catholic priests who hold full time teaching positions need to be celibate?

Can you imagine if all these full time teaching positions were filled with married priests, how many more celibate priests would be available to serve parishes.

Married priests can still serve our church by working in universaties, hospitols, etc.

Joe Prokopchak
archsinner