Thursday, January 30, 2020

How Fr. Joseph Ratzinger Predicted a Married Priesthood For "Approved Christians" (Like Viri Probati) in 1969

"Undoubtedly, the Church will discover new forms of ministry and will ordain to the priesthood approved Christians who pursue some profession.  In many smaller congregations or in many self-contained social groups, pastoral care will normally be provided in this fashion.

Alongside this, the full-time ministry of the priesthood will be indispensible as formerly.  But in all of the changes at which one might guess, the Church will find her essence afresh and with full conviction in that which was always her center: faith in the triune God, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man."

- Fr. Joseph Ratzinger (1969) on "approved Christians" (viri probati) ordained in "new forms of ministry" in the priesthood that serve "alongside this, the full-time ministry of the priesthood"

Sounds like a 'part-time' married priesthood, the way 'part-time' permanent deacons serve while in a profession.  A "worker priest or something like this" (Patrick Madrid) is someone who lives like the laity in their every day work, family, etc.  

And B16 did bring about married priests with the Ordinariate, a new form of ministry in the priesthood.  Viri Probati starting in the Amazon will most likely be next.

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