Why the silence?
Why the silence between 2020-2023 on this blog? Three years. Silence.
Because we needed discernment.
Authentic discernment.
Not politicking and in-fighting among the People of God.
Not parliamentary procedure and emotional ad hominems. As the Latin Rite studies the Viri Probati, we needed time after the local Amazon Synod.
Time.
To discern.
To pray.
To understand.
To listen to His sweet voice.
Your voice, Lord.
Not the devil's voice.
Is this what He wants for His Church?
Viri Probati, Lord?
Restore tested older men?
Come, Holy Spirit!
It's not to say that Pastoral Provision priests or Ordinariate Priests were not tested, Viri Probati. They were. Axios! They were found worthy. Tested men on a different pathway to the holy priesthood of Jesus Christ.
Tested.
By Benedict XVI.
By John Paul II.
By Paul VI.
By John XXIII and by the Second Vatican Council.
By Pius XII.
It ain't just a Francis thing, folks!
In the 20th Century, the world's bishops in union with the Successor of Peter in solemn Council voted to ***honor*** married clergy!
In Prebyterorum Ordinis.
Recognized. Validated.
Not tolerated.
By the Successor of Peter, John XXIII & Paul VI, and the 2,000+ Successors of the Apostles honored married men in Holy Orders.
What Catholic can argue with the Pope and 2,000+ Bishops in union with him in solemn Council?
20th Century Popes and even Latin Rite Bishops recognized married men in Holy Orders!
And without expectation of perpetual continence!
To esteem married men in Holy Orders after over eight centuries of mandated celibacy in Latin Rite.
Recognizing married clergy in the Latin Rite. Like the diaconate for married men. Over 2/3 of world's bishops restored the rank for Viri Probati.
A hermeneutic of continuity. The modern world. And the ancient world.
An unbroken succession.
To the Apostles.
To Melchizedek.
Melchizedek, a married king-priest.
Blessed day!
Married priests in the Latin Rite perhaps opening up another pathway for full Communion between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
A moment of history.
Our time.
Where Latin Rite Catholics do not disparage married men in Holy Orders. Finally.
Not second class clergy. Finally.
Yet honoring celibacy which has a place in the Latin Church. But not at the expense of denigrating married priests in the Latin Rite.
A moment of history. That's why the Council happened.
In part perhaps.
For two lungs of the Mystical Body of Christ to breath again.
That the world may believe.
And separated brethren in the West were given a pathway home to Rome. To Apostolic Tradition. To the priesthood that comes to us from the Twelve Apostles.
They were separated Protestant & Anglican brethren. Now, they are our Fathers in Christ. They are welcome. They are most welcome. And we love you, Fathers. Welcome home. Your home. Our home. Where you belong. Where your ordained ministry was tested. And approved. Tested men. Proven men. Like the East.
But now, Latin Rite Catholics. Cradle Catholics. Baptized as infants. Confirmed in our youth. We respectfully ask the Successor of Peter.
The Cardinals and Bishops who are Successors of the Apostles.
For Viri Probati.
We respectfully ask.
We respectfully ask for married Catholic priests in the Latin Rite.
A pathway.
The Viri Probati pathway?
The simplex priests pathway?
Another pathway?
Perhaps start with married deacons? There are 40,000 thousands of them. Already Viri Probati. Start with some or many fruitful ones. Already tested for diaconate. Apprentice them for the priesthood.
Married priests have to serve time as deacons first anyways. And celibate ones had to serve as deacons first. Before priesthood ordination, all priests have to serve in diaconate ordination first anyways.
So select some. Call some. Or many. As married priests.
Simple priests.
Viri Probati priests.
From married diaconate...
...to the married priesthood.
No need to salary them.
Like the deacons. No salary. But ministry.
Freely they received.
Freely they give.
They are successful with careers already.
Many hold advanced degrees.
Are retired. Are executives. Are leaders. Are followers. Are workers. At the lower level of the hierarchy.
With successes and failures in life.
Life experience. Some with great grandchildren.
They cover their own health insurance and retirement. Not a financial drain on the local Diocese.
SCANDALS are less than 1% among the married deacons. Divorce rate is less than 1% among the married deacons.
But most importantly, they are tested. Older men.
Like the early Apostolic age and the early Church.
Ressourcement..
Elders.
Fathers in Christ.
Thousands entered the permanent diaconate with no intention of pursuing the priesthood. None.
But now. If God wills.
Through His Church, call some. Or many. Case by case. Up to the local bishop. Up to the regional bishops? Up to the Holy See? Up to the Supreme Pontiff.
Motu Prioprio? Apostolic Constitution?
Perhaps entitle it "Viri Probati".
But none of the married deacons expected it.
40,000 deacons. Already Viri Probati.
Choose viri probati married deacons to be viri probati married priests.
Add many or some fruitful deacons to the Order of Presbyter.
Permanent: Not intending to be priests.
From permanent deacon.
To transitional deacon.
Some of them.
Their probation period. As a married transitional deacon.
To prepare them as Viri Probati priests.
Married.
Tested.
Proven.
Not 18 year old seminarians.
But mature, older men. Elders.
In the person of Christ the Servant.
They bring Christ's servanthood.
Who came to serve and not be served.
Real servanthood.
Real sweat and blood.
With the poor.
The neglected.
Widows.
Orphans.
Like the first deacons they served.
And also today the deacons serve the widows and orphans who need the Eucharist.
Who need absolution of their sins.
Who need Holy anointing and Last Rites.
And family life they bring.
From the Dalmatic of Justice.
From the Order of Deacon. Levite.
To the Order of Priest. To the Chausible of the Sacred Presbyterate.
To the person of Christ the Head.
In persona Christi.
To save souls.
If a married man is not a deacon, and he desires the priesthood, them let him serve in the diaconate. For a time.
1 year?
3 years? 5 years? More? Up to the bishop.
But let him be fruitful in the diaconate first.
As Cardinal Schonborn said: Permanent diaconate is like a "laboratory".
Tested.
Under a microscope.
Under a microscope even before admission to deacon formation.
Under a microscope during 5-6 years of deacon formation.
Under a microscope after ordination.
Look for your married priests in this laboratory of tests, pokes and prods, and microscopes.
No need to reinvent the wheel. Start with the married deacons.
And discern.
Viri Probati.
And then they come with wives. They come with tested family life.
Wives, the feminine element.
Surpassing the petrine element.
Holiness is superior to the priesthood.
Mothers.
Mothers of the parish.
Wives of deacons.
Wives of men in Holy Orders.
The image of the Church married to Jesus.
The conversations are taking place once again.
In 2023.
Just like in 2020.
And in those 3 years, what did those against married priests in the Latin Rite say?
We learned.
We listened.
We studied.
The best case was put forward against married priests in the Latin Rite.
But the position against restoring married priests were not strong enough.
Is that it?
Is that all you have?
Even with all that, the Church by virtue of the power of the keys...
can dispense.
Nothing new.
Nothing substantial against a restored married priesthood in the Latin Rite today.
Same as 2019. Same as 2023.
<<<yawn>>>
The Ontologicalist Error, the position that celibacy-continence is essential to the priesthood, we found bordered on heresy.
And how bitter they seemed. Unhappy.
But others came out and supported married priests.
What was new is that married priests are possible once again in the Latin Rite.
We learned. We discerned.
It's not Modernism. It's not a Protestant thing. It's not caving in to the secular world.
Married priests isn't just a liberal issue. It's not just a conservative issue.
It's a Catholic issue.
Feed the flock!
So restore married priests in the Latin Rite?
Restored...
...restored alongside celibate priests whom we love dearly.
Who lived 812 years of mandated celibacy in the West. From Lateran II in 1139 AD to Pius XII in 1952 AD.
In the Roman Rite.
Celibacy/continence. We learned. Not of the essence of the priesthood.
As for Apostolic Tradition. Needed in both West and East to be so.
What can change?
What can be dispensed by authority of the Church?
What cannot be dispensed by authority of the Church?
Capital T. Sacred Tradition. - Cannot dispense. Example: Priesthood for males.
Little t. Like the traditions of the Church. - Can dispense. Example: Celibacy/Continence.
Mandated celibacy in the West. Lord, do you want us to continue in the current way?
You who give us shepherds to feed us?
You who feed the flock through Peter?
To feed us Your Body and Blood?
Feed us with your holy priests!
Lord, grant us married priests we beseech Thee.
But if You don't want it, Lord, destroy our efforts.
Accepto.
Is this what You want in the Latin Rite?
Souls.
The salvation of souls.
The salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church.
Is there a way forward?
...
So yes.
Silence.
Silence for 3 years.
Discernment.
Prayer.
And now action.
Your Holiness/Eminences/Excellencies, we ask you:
By virtue of your power to bind and loose.
Dispense married deacons.
Use Canon 1047.
Or any other relevant canon.
Or ecclesial decree.
Respecting celibacy as the Latin Rite modern norm.
Reaffirm dispensation from celibacy and thereby continence.
Discern after suitable formation.
Train.
Teach.
Prepare.
Taking into account the good of the Faithful.
The presence of a just and reasonable cause.
And given the circumstances of each case.
Call.
A portion of your married sons tested and proven in the Order of Deacon.
To lay upon their unworthy heads.
Your sacred and anointed hands.
The hands of Christ the High Priest.
And admit them.
With the sacred prayer of the Church.
Anoint them.
Bless them.
And send them.
To God's people.
To a broken world.
To married and family life torn asunder by the evil one.
To the priesthood torn asunder by the evil one.
To a restored tradition.
To the ancient norm of the married priesthood of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ the Married Bridegroom.
Lover of His wife, the Church.
A great mystery!
And ordain these sons of Levite.
To the Order of Presbyter.
In Jesus' name.
We pray.
Amen.
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us!
Quo vadis, Domine?
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