www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Eparchial & Parish Events ordination of married deacon in the BCC

These three priests were ordained either by an Orthodox bishop (as is the case with Fr. Andrey) or in Europe as with Frs. Marek and Miron.

That's what I thought.

Does anyone know if Bishop John has ever ordained a married man to the priesthood?

I thought someone had told me he did, but I (or they) could be wrong.

Bishop John ordained Fr Joseph Marquis in Feb 12, 2006 in Parma.

Thanks, Fr Deacon, for the info.

Yes, Bishop Dino ordained two married deacons to the Holy Priesthood.

Rather than being kept a close secret, as if it was something shameful, why were not these ordinations celebrated and proclaimed widely throughout the Church, that the faithful might rejoice in at least the partial restoration of our authentic Tradition?

Were not some men ordained in the last few decades only to have their ordinations called "illicit" and their faculties suspended? Unless that sacrifice is what they signed up for, keeping it quiet as a married clergy becomes established and announcing a fait accompli seems reasonable as a stratagem.

StuartK: Making Ruthenian Lemons out of Ruthenian Lemonade since the RDL (or earlier)


Surely this is not the best for one's spiritual development or for unity among Eastern Christians.

How about a simple Axios (or two?)?

Really? As my brother pointed out at last week's OL, mandatory celibacy for Eastern Catholics IS a church dividing issue in the eyes of us Orthodox. As Stuart noted, the Orthodox AND Greek Catholics rose in applause while the Romans were surprised.

Go ahead and proclaim your eastern Christian patrimony to the world. If the Congregation were to declare these ordination to be " illicit", well, I suppose you will know where you stand - as will the entire Orthodox world.

AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!

And "Eis polla, eti Despota, Kyr Gerald!"

Axios! Axios! Axios!

I know of only one such incident, related second-hand by a Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishop, and it took place in the 1990s. The priest in question received a letter from the Congregation for the Clergy, informing him that his ordination was "valid but illicit", and that he should "cease exercising" his faculties immediately. The distraught priest went to his bishop and showed him the letter.

"What should I do?", he asked.

"Put the letter in a frame and hang it on your wall. Now get back to your parish and get to work", the bishop replied.

So let it be written, so let it be done.

One would, except that (a) how can I proclaim someone worthy when I don't know who they are?; and (b) it seems to have happened a long time ago, so the horse has left the barn. Had someone posted a notice somewhere at the time, instead of trying to sneak it in via the servants' entrance, I would have cheered to the heavens. As it was, the manner in which this was done reeks of a sense of embarrassment and shame. Have the bishops no self respect? Have they no masculine fortitude underneath their sakkos?

Again, you read far too much into actions.
And you do so towards my mother, my eparchy. Please keep in mind, dearest StuartK, that our last presbyteral ordination of a celibate man was not announced immediately. We work slowly and surely, and our official voice is known as "The Light of the West". This is our official eparchial newsletter, and it has not had an issue since these ordinations of married men. If the next issue of "The Light of the West" is silent on these ordinations, then (and only then) might one go so far as to question whether there may be a sin of omission going on. But even still, that the omission was sinful is still a logical leap that may be going too far into the realm of judging. May we not be judged, for Christ is good and loves mankind/us all/byzcath.org.

In XC,
JAD

Somehow, Stuart, I believe if Bishop Gerald had called and told you first of his intentions, and asked you how he should announce ordinations in his eparchy, you still would have found something to complain about. Probably something to do with the RDL.

So, instead of complaining and pontificating on what the bishop should do just be happy for two new priests as they start their ministry and in time, I am sure, more information will be made available.

Axios to the two new priests! May God grant them many blessed years.

After giving him an "Attaboy" for the ordinations, I would most certainly have inquired as to when he was going to recall that most atrocious and un-Traditional "translation". The apocryphal military performance review could apply equally well to bishops as to second lieutenants: "Performs well when backed into a corner and closely supervised".

The problem, Nelson, is too many are willing to settle for that.