Posted on @Synod_va Twitter Page: "Veni Sancte Spiritus! Your Holiness/Eminences/Excellencies, Brothers & Sisters, please remember the requests for the ordination of married deacons to the priesthood of Jesus Christ, if bishops ask it for their Dioceses. Grazie mille. Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us."

Posted on @Synod_va Twitter Page:

Veni Sancte Spiritus!

Your Holiness/Eminences/Excellencies, Brothers & Sisters, please remember the requests for the ordination of married deacons to the priesthood of Jesus Christ, if bishops ask it for their Dioceses.

Grazie mille.

Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us.

In response to request for prayer from:

 

In response to the following request 

"Join us in prayer for the experts starting the reflection that will lead to the drafting of the working document for the Synodal Assembly of October 2023, asking for the guidance, wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. #PrayerRequest #Synod #InstrumentumLaboris #PeopleofGod"

Melkite Patriarch, Council Father, to Pope Paul VI Advocating For Married Latin Rite Priests During the Second Vatican Council: "But perhaps the time has come when, through the will of the Church..the Eastern tradition [of married priests] might be useful to the universal Church"; "The Catholic West does not yet seem disposed to make such a radical change in discipline, but one will go slowly with all the necessary prudence, after the experience of the married deacons authorized by the Council" (1965).

Maximos IV Sayegh, Father at Second Vatican Council, Patriarch of Melkite Greek Catholic Church, 1947-67.  Cardinal.  Worked for Catholic & Eastern Orthodox Churches unity. 

Text intended for Council Fathers (not delivered) 

& 

Letter to Paul VI advocating for married Latin rite priests (delivered)

***

Excerpt from Text for Council Fathers (not delivered):

"Christian East has also preserved, for the good of the universal Church, a parallel tradition that is founded quite as much on Scripture, the Apostles, and the Fathers. And this tradition, at the moment and in the countries where the Church deems it appropriate, can be invoked in order to support a turning point in history that will perhaps be made necessary by the changing circumstances of time, place, and persons.

.....

While justifying the Eastern tradition, I cannot but admire the lofty morality of the parallel tradition of the West. But perhaps the time has come when, through the will of the Church, and wherever it may chose, the Eastern tradition might be useful to the universal Church.

I conclude: granted that our thinking is not yet sufficiently mature for definitive decisions, we propose the creation of a post-conciliar commission for the study of this serious problem that concerns in the highest degree the very life of the Church. We believe that a pure and simple return to the ancient and authentic tradition of the Church would be welcomed both by informed lay Christians and by the clergy open to the realities of life. This will bring peace of soul and freedom of conscience."

-Text above intended for Council Fathers but was sent to Pope Paul VI instead.  

-----

Excerpt from Patriarch letter below to Paul VI which was sent along with text above:

"The Catholic West does not yet seem disposed to make such a radical change in discipline, but one will go slowly with all the necessary prudence, after the experience of the married deacons authorized by the Council.

All that I ask of Your Holiness, in order to obey a serious imperative of my conscience, is that the door not be systematically & irreversibly closed.

With this trust, I humbly kiss Your hands, imploring Your paternal & apostolic blessing."

*Pope Paul VI created His Eminent Beatitude Maximos IV Sayegh a Cardinal in Feb. 1965. Patriarch eventually accepted.

Source: https://melkite.org/faith/faith-worship/chapter-8#Priesthood_and_Celibacy

---

This blog originally posted on Oct 26, 2019 here:

https://marriedpriesthood.blogspot.com/2019/10/melkite-patriarch-to-pope-paul-vi.html?m=1 

"I think we’ve exhausted the [continence] topic, and people are now resorting to petty personal squabbling. Enough." - Deacon Greg Kandra from "The Deacon's Bench" (2012)

 

Source (The Deacon's Bench): https://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2012/05/married-deacons-its-okay-you-can-have-sex-with-your-wives/

"I think we’ve exhausted the topic, and people are now resorting to petty personal squabbling.  Enough." - Deacon Greg Kandra

Matter addressed ad infinitum in the early 2000s by an earlier generation of national deacon leaders.  Thank you!  Saltpepper still not needed.

Also, see Deacon David A. Lopez, Ph.D., for basic summary of old conversation (Sioux City Deacon Formation): https://siouxcitydeacon.blogspot.com/2011/01/diaconal-continence-and-canon-277.html

What's new since then (2012) is that theological and historical foundations which served as Dr. Peters's theological sources (+Stickler et al) have been rebutted, thanks to the East with a history of noncontinent married priesthood going to the Apostolic era.

The discipline of celibacy-continence, mandated beginning in the 4th Century, is no longer being expected for Latin Rite married clerics since Pius XII in the 20th Century. 

______________________________________

Memorandum 

To: All Bishops 

From: 

Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson Chairman, Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations

Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio Chairman, Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance 

Date: January 31, 2012 

Re: Married Permanent Deacons and the Canonical Obligation to Observe Perfect and Perpetual Continence

Your Eminence/Excellency,

In recent months, published opinions have appeared in scholarly journals and on Internet blogs that have raised questions about the observance of diaconal continence by married permanent deacons in the Latin Catholic Church. The opinions have suggested that the clerical obligation to observe “perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (c. 277, §1 CIC) remains binding upon married permanent deacons, despite the dispensation provided to them in canon law from the obligation to observe celibacy (c. 1042, 1° CIC).

In response to repeated requests for an authoritative clarification on this matter, the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations and the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance requested the assistance of the USCCB President in seeking a clarification from the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.

Earlier this week, we were informed that Cardinal-designate Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, with Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, Secretary, has forwarded to Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan the Pontifical Council’s observations on the matter (Prot. N. 13095/2011). The observations, which were formulated in consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, clarify that married permanent deacons are not bound to observe perfect and perpetual continence, as long as their marriage lasts.

Should you have any questions about this response, please contact Reverend W. Shawn McKnight, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations. In addition, please feel free to share this response with those within your diocesan curia who will find it helpful.

_____________________________________

Pontificium Consilium De Legum Textibus Citta del Vaticano, 4 marzo 2011 N. 12959/2011

(Unofficial Translation) Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts

Dear Sir,

We have received a fax of your kind letter of February 20th, 2011. In it you proposed a dubium with this reasoning: "However an issue has arisen where an aspirant to the Permanent Deaconate who is a married man has declared he will not practice 'perfect and perpetual continence' in accordance with Canon 277. He says he has been told that men in the diocese have been given a general dispensation from this requirement."

In regard to this matter I am happy to offer the following clarifications:

The obligation of celibacy applies to all clerics, including permanent deacons who are not married prior to ordination (cf. c. 1037).

Permanent deacons who are married prior to ordination do not have the obli- gation of celibacy (and therefore of continence) during the marriage. They have the obligation of celibacy in case of widowhood (cf. c. 1087).

This is why canon 277 is not included in the list in canon 288.

Finally, the dispensation from the impediment of canon 1087 does not apply to the diocesan bishop. He can, instead, given the case in question, transmit the request for a dispensation to the Holy See. The dispensation can be requested only of the Holy See by a permanent married deacon who has been widowed and will be eventually granted only if the petitioner admits one of three reasons: the great and proven usefulness of the deacon's ministry to the diocese to which he is attached; the presence of children of a tender age requiring maternal care; the presence of elderly parents or in-laws requiring assistance (cf. Congregation for Divine Worship & Discipline of the Sacraments, Circular Letter of June 6, 1997).

+Francesco Coccopalmerio 

President

 

Viri Probati (2005): Italian Website Asks Pope for Viri Probati (Ordained Married Elderly Men to Work Alongside Ordained Younger Celibate Men)

 http://www.viriprobati.it/

Excerpt from TRANSLATION of www.viriprobati.it into English (please pardon the formatting issues):

Why this site

This site is a modest study but the result of long reflections, studies and interviews with expert people and priests who welcomed the principles set out despite the perplexities due to the times of the Church. It is useful that this study stimulates the reflection of other prepared people and competent: priests, theologians, simple faithful, etc. to perfect what is exposed in the vision of a Church closer to the primitive model often reported by the Magisterium.
As you can see, the inspiring principles of the celibacy of priests in general but the roles and state of life of ministers ordained in the two fundamental conditions for the existence of the Church: true elderly priests also married for local life and young ministers celibate apostles of the itinerant Kingdom for the loving and continuous visit of the Churches and the re-evangelization of the world.

LETTER to the SYNOD of the BISHOVI 2005

04-10-05

To Archbishop Nikola Eterovic,
Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops
00120 Vatican City RM


I am sending you a letter with this letter which I beg you to come to the reflections of the Bishops and therefore half of yours to the Holy Father in that he offers, in my opinion, to the vocational crisis, a serious reflection on the need to extend the presbyteral ministry to the elderly by revisiting theologically passages of the Holy Scripture and tradition of which I speak in the letter. After reflection, prayer and contacts with prepared priests I believe that such a significant topic in the Eucharist cannot be overlooked.
I believe in his charity and benevolence to receive a welcome response.

Devoutly in Christ
Oliviero Gulot


1st Letter to His Holiness Benedict XVI

attached to the previous Synod of Bishops with hope of delivery


04/10/05

To His Holiness
Benedict XVI
Vatican City
00100 ROME RM


Holiness,
I am a family man and grandfather with a priest son. Allow me to write them without presumption and in all humility because an inner zeal for the Church has tormented me for years for the lack of vocations and priests, who will prove dramatic as of now and even more in a few years. If, as you said recently, there are no magical solutions to the problem, certainly the Lord is not deaf to ours prayers and, perhaps, the scribes of the Kingdom of Heaven choosing? new and ancient things ” could find a solution reflecting on the realities of our times, where we often witness uncomfortable situations, if not in crisis, of many priests left alone and of communities without their constant presence.I believe not to be alone to beg you so that with the grace of your great theological knowledge and experience reconsider a better suitability of this ministry than in the words of the S. Writing, neglect over time and unjustly relegated as if they were contingent facts, they inform of a ministry born with the elderly ( presbyters ) but now, practically, proposed only to young people.
These are the main questions that times seem to suggest:
- respecting the Tradition and the call to excellence of the priesthood of young "eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven ", generous and enthusiastic, it is not fair to think that they deserve much more than usual educational substitute service with young people in the parishes?
- the term presbyter is not a reminder, first of all, of wisdom in piety and experience of the elderly with family? When the first communities "breaked bread in houses" who, if not the boss family or an elderly person did this? Not ignoring the call of the apostle Paul: ".. if one he cannot direct his family as he will be able to take care of the Church of God "they were therefore put in charge of the Communities themselves.
- then, why not extend the ministry to prepared and solid faith elders? Of course they were not missing ministers then! Why should they miss us today? In the Middle Ages, the Church did not resolve serious ones then problems ordering "viri probati"?
There is no wrong to the celibacy of young people with a ministry redundant to the elderly. We have in ours community many pious and intellectually prepared people who need only a short, even if indispensable, specific study in the ministry. Furthermore economically independent of the Church because chosen over sixty years and cared for by wives or children.
Your Holiness, these things have been exposed to several prepared priests and scholars and nobody has placed reservations except on the times; indeed, some also appreciated them because they would improve the relationship with people and, in my opinion, allowed young celibate priests to devote themselves to true evangelization in the ministry of "episcopo-inspector" necessary, in this case, for the sure increase in attendance and vitality in the Church.

Forgive me if I dared to write to you, but I hope the present can reach you through those people that are of help and overcome, so, every just and responsible control, I can, for benevolence, receive a welcome feedback.

I offer my prayers for the Lord to enlighten you and always support you in the guidance of the Church. I devoutly greet you. 

His in Christ.
Oliviero Gulot

@peterdavids (2020): "If [celibacy-continence] were essential to Holy Orders, then both the Pastoral Provision of Pope St John Paul II and the Personal Ordinariates of Pope Benedict XVI would have been problematic...Unification with the Orthodox as a whole would be a lost cause." w/my Commentary

Here is an excellent commentary on Henry Karlson's article on Paphnutius below from @peterdavids.  Sounds like he is an Ordinariate priest with Eastern Rite faculties. Wow!  Talk about catholicity.

I highlighted the part that caught my eye the most.  As usual, like most Ordinariate priests, of course, he will not disparage the Latin celibacy norm.  He will not bite the hand that feeds him, so to speak, which is different when a baptized and confirmed Latin Rite Catholic reflects on mandated celibacy as the modern norm. 

I hate to phrase it like this, but if those who insist on celibacy-continence for married deacons and married priests where they "have to" refrain from conjugal rights with their wives, then Father's analysis applies: "Unification with the Orthodox as a whole would be a lost cause" and attracting Anglican/Episcopalian priests would also be "problematic" and thus not draw Anglicans, Episcopalians et al. to the Ordinariate and home to the Catholic Church.  The Ontologicalists are those who say, "Well, married priests, okay, but they *have to* be continent."  To insist on celibacy-continence as essential or ontological to the priesthood and diaconate is like another embarrassing Ed Peters debacle after 2005 that married Latin rite permanent deacons had to endure.  Well, that was short-lived, from 2005 to at least the 2009 Ordinariate creation where celibacy-continence was not expected of converts to the Catholic priesthood.  No one, no one among the married Anglican/Episcopalian clergy, among the married Orthodox clergy, among the married Latin Rite clergy (i.e., permanent deacons) would in their right mind want to embrace continence of their own choosing which is just another disingenuous, backdoor sneaking in of celibacy for married clergy as ontological and then calling it apostolic tradition after making a "bit of a stretch" argument which only goes back to Pope Siricius in 385 A.D.

If God does will Viri Probati married priests to return to the Latin Rite, then it was necessary for these debates to emerge so that the truth of the priesthood may shine all the more brightly for a Church united according to the mind of Christ.   Thank goodness that Henry Karlson and Fr. Davids see through the Ontologicalists.

That SOME married priests had to be continent in the first centuries does not mean ALL married priests had to be continent in the first centuries.

That SOME local bishops legislated continence for married priests does not mean ALL bishops universally required continence for married priests.

That SOME Jewish priests were continent in the Old Law does not mean that ALL Christian priests need to be continent in the New Law.  The celibacy-continence debates in the Church today are similar to the heated circumcision debates of the early Church. 

The very fact that celibacy-continence is debatable and not a closed theological issue shows that it is not universally held Apostolic Tradition for all time and for all places.

A non-continent married priesthood is immemorial tradition.

Married priests are the ancient Latin norm.  Mandated celibacy-continence is the modern Latin norm. 

As Henry Karlson wrote, the disciplines of celibacy-continence "were not universal" (2020).

Mike Lewis wrote, "+Sarah's writing might tap into some venerable ideas, but from a practical/disciplinary standpoint, they're of little relevance to the current situation" (2020).

As Sandro Magister stated, the continence is "no longer being asked" (2019) in West and East.

It makes those who insist on celibacy-continence among married clergy "look foolish."  

As Dr. David Howard observes, they "fight for a discipline like it's Dogma" (2021).

Discipline does not determine theology.  Theology determines discipline.

So forward.  Forward to a fuller expression of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ understood as Celibate and Married.

Just as the Church is both Virgin & Mother, so too Christ is both Celibate & Married.

As Fr. Davids wrote, "If [celibacy-continence] were essential to Holy Orders, then both the Pastoral Provision of Pope St John Paul II and the Personal Ordinariates of Pope Benedict XVI would have been problematic...Unification with the Orthodox as a whole would be a lost cause."

Source: Peter Davids's (@peterdavids) commentary on https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2020/01/clerical-celibacy-not-essential-to-orders/ (citation cut and downloaded on 04/01/2023)

Interesting, and true. If it were essential to Holy Orders, then both the Pastoral Provision of Pope St John Paul II and the Personal Ordinariates of Pope Benedict XVI would have been problematic, for both allowed married non-Catholic clergy to come into the Catholic Church and be ordained as priests. Likewise the various Orthodox communities who have unified with Rome (I have faculties in the Byzantine Catholic Church, for instance, although ordained in the Latin Rite) who have an unbroken tradition of ordaining men who were married previous to their ordination (although bishops must be celibates) would be illegitimate. Unification with the Orthodox as a whole would be a lost cause. Finally, not only do we have the historical discussion above, but the fact (at least according to St Paul) that Peter and "the other apostles" were married and their wives traveled with them. Thus it was not essential for them. But, given that, I and many, perhaps all, other married Ordinariate clergy I have talked with, am/are strong supporters of the discipline that normally priests should be celibate. While thankful for the provision made for us who came late to this vocation, we realize (and in my case and others with whom I have talked, our wives as well) that to be a married Catholic priest means being married to two "women," the Church and one's wife. Paul wisely points to the stresses that that would create in 1 Cor 7. We had to count the cost and then live with the cost afterwards. When Cardinal DiNardo, in the recessional after he ordained me, stopped by my wife's pew, kissed her on both cheeks, and said, "Thank you for giving your husband to the Church." He expressed what we would later live. I live in thankfulness for the unusual privilege that I have and I would not change my response to God's call to ordination in the Catholic Church even if I could. But I also advise those who might qualify under the pastoral provision or the Personal Ordinariates to look seriously and soberly at what ordination in the Catholic Church would mean and, together with their wives, to count the cost. And, when the conversation comes up with my celibate brother priests, I encourage them to be thankful for the blessing of their celibacy, that they heard the call as Catholics and early enough that they could respond within the discipline of celibacy, despite its admitted hardships. I am glad that with disciplines (versus with something that is the essence of a sacrament) there can be exceptions, relatively rare though they are, but I am thankful that the normal discipline arose, both because of the historical problems it addressed when it became the norm in the Latin West, and because of the practical blessings that it brings.