Friday, June 28, 2024
Monday, June 24, 2024
John the Baptist was son of a married priest of the Old Covenant named St. Zachariah
John the Baptist was the son of a married priest of the Old Covenant named St. Zachariah.
"Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to practice of priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense" (Lk. 1:8-9).
Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist
(June 24)
Also, see: https://marriedpriesthood.blogspot.com/2020/06/st-zachariah-married-priest-of-old.html
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Request to Open Canonization Causes for Wives of Married Priests
If they are not on the calendar yet, consider movements for the causes of wives of married priests.
For starters, Therasia (wife of St. Paulinus of Nola) and Fausta (wife of St. Cassius of Narni) are possibilities.
Augustine wrote about Therasia's holiness.
Saturday, June 22, 2024
The Latin-Rite Church of the 20th & 21st Centuries authorized the return of married priests, beginning with Pope Pius XII who gave permission for married Roman Catholic priests to serve in active ministry. It ain't just a Vatican II thing, folks. Pius XII departed from the absolute rule for mandated celibacy that started with Lateran I & II (12th Century).
Posted on www.Facebook.com/marriedpriests on 11 March 2024:
Names of 4 married Roman Catholic priests (ordained with papal permission of Pope Pius XII to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass AND "none of these priests was forced to relinquish marital relations with his spouse"):
1) Fr. Rudolf Goethe (1951)
2) Fr. Eugen Scheytt (1952)
3) Fr. Otto Melchers (1952)
[Cf. Rudolf Goethe, "Die Offene Tur," pp. 117-165, in 'Bekenntnis zur Katholishe Kirche' (Wurzburt, 1955) as cited in Joseph H. Fichter "Wives of Catholic Clergy," p. 97 (Kansas City: Sheedy & Ward, 1992).]
Posted on www.x.com/marriedpriests on 22 June 2024:
The Latin-Rite Church of the 20th & 21st Centuries authorized the return of married priests, beginning with Pope Pius XII who gave permission for married Roman Catholic priests to serve in active ministry.
It ain't just a Vatican II thing, folks.
Pius XII departed from the absolute rule for mandated celibacy that started with Lateran I & II (12th Century).
Posted on www.Facebook.com/marriedpriests on 3 March 2024:
Pope Pius XII was the first modern Pope to admit married men *back* to the Latin rite priesthood when, in 1952, His Holiness allowed a married former Protestant Lutheran minister to be ordained a Roman Catholic priest with the full rights of marriage which means that Pius XII did not expect continence of the new married priest. There were 4 married priests who followed that in Germany also dispensed by the Pope. This started BEFORE Vatican II. So there is precedence for pre-Vatican II married priests who celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass. Many traditional Catholics are open to married men in the Latin rite priesthood, so it's not just a liberal thing.
Posted on marriedpriesthood.blogspot.com on 14 November 2019:
St. Paulinus of Nola, Ordained Priest While Married to Wife Therasia, is a Married Latin Rite Father of the Church
"Lord, you made Saint Paulinus renowned for his love of poverty and concern for his people. May we who celebrate his witness to the Gospel imitate his example of love for others. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen." - Liturgy of the Hours
Paulinus married the holy Therasia c. 381 AD, had son Celsus who died as baby, & was ordained a priest c. 394. After Therasia died, he was ordained bishop.
Relics of St. Paulinus of Nola
Therasia of Nola (wfe)
Comment from source HERE citing original source from Conybeare, Catherine. Paulinus Noster. Oxford University Press. p. 83:
: "Augustine praised the holiness of Therasia: "in te uno resalutamus" which translates as "in return, we salute her in you alone", meaning that although Therasia's holiness is praised - it is praised in terms of Paulinus' holiness.[14]"
Benedict XVI wrote about Paulinus as a Father of the Church.
Memorial:
Roman Catholic & Anglican: 22 June
Eastern Orthodoxy: 23 January; and 22 June
Oriental Orthodox Churches: 8 September
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
"In large part, priests are the only ones that have recognized the priest shortage. And he said that the laity have not recognized the priest shortage." - Fr. Daniele of Catholic Buzz Podcast paraphrasing Fr. Mike Schmidt @ 20:20
“I think it was Fr. Mike Schmidt who said it. In large part, priests are the only ones that
have recognized the priest shortage. And
he said that, for large part, the laity have not recognized the priest
shortage. … The ‘service’ that people receive from their
parish has not changed in the last, let’s say, 20 or 30 years…they still have
Sunday Mass time, daily Mass, Confession times, meet with a priest when they
want, etc., … maybe the service has not
changed drastically, but in same time frame, the number of priests has sharply
reduced. So priests recognized the shortage moreso than anyone else because now
they are doing the job of what used to be 2, 3 and sometimes 4 priests. We were counting the number of priests’ roles
that I have. I think priests have
recognized because they are serving the same amount of people that a large
group of priests would have served on a regular basis.”
Saturday, June 15, 2024
"There aren't enough celibate priests to take care of needs of 1.3 billion Catholics" -Former Protestant minister & Catholic convert, Paul Martin of Australia, on need for married priests due to global priest shortage (2019)
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Former Protestant minister & Catholic convert, Paul Martin of Australia, on need for married priests due to global priest shortage (2019):
"There aren't enough celibate priests to take care of needs of 1.3 billion Catholics."
"In Brazil, 6500 Catholics for every 1 priest." "In Philippines, there is 1 priest for 8000 Catholics. But in Manila the capital, there is 1 priest for 20,000 Catholics."
"Church lacks priests with marriage experience"
"This podcast is not an attack on celibacy of priesthood but an attack on exclusive celibacy..."
"Protestant churches have an oversupply of clergy. Catholic Church has a huge shortage."
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Thursday, June 13, 2024
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts (2011): "Permanent deacons who are married prior to ordination do not have the obligation of celibacy (and therefore of continence) during the marriage. They have the obligation of celibacy in case of widowhood (cf. c. 1087);" USCCB (2012): "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."
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 obligation 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
Deacon David A. Lopez, Ph.D., Reply to Dr. Ed Peters, J.C.D.
https://siouxcitydeacon.blogspot.com/2011/01/diaconal-continence-and-canon-277.html
Dr. Peters's argument about Canon 277 hinges on whether "continence" and "celibacy" are two separate obligations on the clergy, or two aspects of one single obligation. If they are two separate obligations, then I can't refute his conclusion that only the obligation of celibacy is removed for married clergy. (Someone else more versed in canonical argumentation that I might still do so, but to my knowledge, no one has.) But if they are together one single obligation, then permitting a married man to receive Holy Orders as priest or deacon removes together both parts of the one obligation.
Dr. Peters is offering a theory about the meaning of Canon 277. He's a canonist, and a good one; it's part of his job to offer it. Because he's a good one, he's careful to offer a coherent, thorough, and well thought-out theory. But his argument, however good it is, is only a theory, unless the Magisterium affirms it as the proper interpretation of the law. That hasn't happened.
Monday, June 10, 2024
"Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles & brethren of the Lord & Cephas" (1 Cor. 9:5)?" "This is why I left you in Crete...& appoint elders in every town...if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife,& his children..." (Titus 1:5-6).RSVCE
And, actually, if one carefully reads St. Paul, he does not DIRECTLY link celibacy with clergy in 1 Cor. 7. No where does St. Paul's beautiful teaching on virginity in 1 Cor. 7 refer directly to priests.
He merely recommends virginity to the community but does not mandate it for the community or for priests.
The answer to "But, but, but St. Paul said on celibacy...." is "But, but, but St. Paul said on married clergy..."
________________________
This fits on an X (formerly Twitter) post. Feel free to cut and paste / copy & post on social media and other forums:
"Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles & brethren of the Lord & Cephas" (1 Cor. 9:5)?"
"This is why I left you in Crete...& appoint elders in every town...if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife,& his children..." (Titus 1:5-6).RSVCE
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
St. Paul
"Do we not have the right to be
accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brethren of the Lord and
Cephas" (1 Cor. 9:5)? [Translation: RSV,Ignatius Bible Edition,2006
("The original Catholic ed of RSV transl was prepared by Catholic Biblical
Assoc.of Great Britain."]
"This is
why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective,& appoint
elders in every town as I directed you, if any man is blameless, the husband of
one wife,& his children are believers ¬ open to the charge of
debauchery ¬ being insubordinate" (Titus 1:5-6).
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Conversion on the Way to Damascus, a 1601 portrait by Caravaggio
The Salvation of Souls is the Supreme Law of the Church
Salus animarum suprema lex. The salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church. Married priests help to save souls! "and the salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church, is to be kept before one’s eyes" (Canon 1752).
Code of Canon Law: https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib7-cann1732-1752_en.html#CHAPTER_II
* * *
Every major area of the globe is asking for married priests, has married priests &/or is open to return of married Latin priests: - North America (USA, Canada, Mexico) - South America (Amazon, Latin America) - Africa - Europe (Western Europe/Eastern Europe) - Oceania/Asia/Pacific
Filipino Bishops Open Diaconate to Married Men (2023): “If you embrace the celibate life, be faithful to that life that you have embraced. But opening the space for the ordained ministry for married candidates, that has begun with permanent diaconate,” Bishop Pablo David, President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said.
Fuller Excerpt:
Since permanent deacons are ordained men who could be married and won’t be required to remain in the seminary, CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said that they have the prerogative to “design the diaconate a bit differently.”
This ministry is different from the already existing transitional diaconate in the Philippines, which is for ordained men to be prepared for the priesthood and remain celibate.
He also said that the establishment of the permanent diaconate would allow them to do more for the less fortunate, in addition to their duty to assist the bishop in liturgical celebrations.
“There’s a tendency for the diaconate to be sort of ceremonial,” said the bishop. “The deacon is like the priest’s sidekick. But if you look up in the scriptures the role of the diaconate, it’s a special kind of ministry that attends to the most disadvantaged sectors of society, the poorest of the poor, the widows and the orphans.”
Bishop David said that transitional and permanent deacons must learn to coexist despite the differences in their responsibilities.
“If you embrace the celibate life, be faithful to that life that you have embraced. But opening the space for the ordained ministry for married candidates, that has begun with permanent diaconate,” he said.
Sample / Theory for Educating Viri Probati (2020): "So a vir probatus with a Master in Theology would have to spend probably 2-3 more years in the seminary ... or 1-2 years in a special seminary (+ 1-2 years as chaplains/vicars) if they are already Deacons respectively. Viri probati without any theological or related studies or experiences would have to do the whole 7-9 year process."
Source "Alex": https://onepeterfive.com/german-bishops-vp-we-also-ask-for-married-priests-if-pope-allows-it-for-amazon-region/(27 May 2020)
Excerpt:
In regard to your question about education, screening and formation:
In Germany every priest is a theologian, that is, he holds either a German Diplom in Katholischer Theologie (which does not equal a US/British College Diploma, but like a French Diplôme equals a Master of Arts in Catholic Theology or Master of Theology), a Licentiate in Theology from a Pontifical University (see Wikipedia: Licentiate_(degree)#Pontifical_universities) or - since the Bologna-process in the European Union, which standardized college/university degrees in the EU - indeed a Master of Arts in Katholischer Theologie. Above that, he has to spend several years in the seminary, INCLUDING university studies usually 7 years, with 2 more years as chaplains/parochial vicars, totaling 9 years until they can become pastors (with their own parish(es)), which is almost as much as the 10 years the Jesuits spend in formation (not that the Jesuits OR the German seminaries produce orthodox priests these days, but they ARE highly educated in theology, pastoral practice and so on).
So a vir probatus with a Master in Theology would have to spend probably 2-3 more years in the seminary and 2 additional years as a parochial vicar before he can become a pastor, or 1-2 years in a special seminary (+ 1-2 years as chaplains/vicars) if they are already Deacons respectively. Viri probati without any theological or related studies or experiences would have to do the whole 7-9 year process. By the way, in Germany we have so called Pastoralreferenten and Gemeindereferenten, which are lay people with a degree in Theology, working in pastoral care under the supervision of the pastor. It's a full-time job. They perform those duties of a Priest/Deacon a lay person may perform, if a consecrated person is not available. There are about maybe 3-5 of them for every consecrated priest. They sometimes have 20-30 years of experience in pastoral care and the Church has as much experience with their ethics on the job.
You would maybe have at once several thousand, but at least several hundred candidates for the married priesthood in Germany. Not every Deacon or Pastoralreferent WANTS to be a priest, though, but some do. (Which is a good thing, and a bad. It would probably solve the priest scarcitiy in Germany rather fast, but it would also rapidly [within a few years] change the form and structure of the Catholic Church in Germany, which - as you know - is already very liberal*. The Pastoralreferenten I know are - sometimes much - more worldly and liberal than the Priests I know. Maybe that disposition would disappear in the seminary, I don't know. Not everyone is called to be a priest.).
Friday, June 7, 2024
Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, President of Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (2022): Bishops on [African] continent discussing married priests. "For this, there is a need." "I have not picked up any strong agitation against it or strong opposition." "We are discussing it."
Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, President of Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (2022): Bishops on [African] continent discussing married priests. "For this, there is a need." "I have not picked up any strong agitation against it or strong opposition." "We are discussing it."
The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference: https://sacbc.org.za/about-us/
Fr. Greg Walgenbach, married to Claudia with 6 children, ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 2024, for the Diocese of Orange in California (USA), answered questions on married priests.
Married Roman Catholic Priest (2024): Fr. Greg Walgenbach, married to Claudia with 6 children, ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 2024, for the Diocese of Orange in California (USA), answered questions on married priests.
Axios! Ad multos annos!
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Married Roman Catholic priest Fr. John Hunwicke died on April 30, 2024. He is survived by his wife, children & grandchildren.
Married Roman Catholic priest Fr. John Hunwicke died on April 30, 2024.
He is survived by his wife, children & grandchildren. Please say a prayer for the repose of his soul. Thank you for your witness to the priesthood of Jesus Christ! Funeral: June 4.
Dear Fathers, Brothers and Sisters
I am sorry to inform you that our priest, Fr John Hunwicke died on Tuesday 30th April. I have only heard of this news second-hand, which is the reason for the information being sent out some time after his death. I gather his funeral will take place at the Oxford Oratory, but the time and date has not been confirmed. When I know what it is, I will put it on the Ordinariate website. Please pray for the repose of the soul of John Hunwicke and I would be grateful if priests can offer mass for him as soon as possible.
I have recently been informed of the details of Fr Hunwicke’s funeral. It will take place at the Oxford Oratory, 25 Woodstock Rd on Tuesday 4th June at 11am. It will not be a concelebrated mass, although clergy are welcome to attend in choir. There will be a reception in the parish centre after mass and the burial will take place later in the afternoon at Kennington church yard. There will be no reception of the body the previous evening.
May he rest in peace.
Yours sincerely in Christ.
The Right Revd Mgr Keith Newton
Fr. Z paid tribute: https://wdtprs.com/2024/05/fr-john-hunwicke-r-i-p/
New Liturgical Movement: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2024/05/fr-john-hunwicke-rip.html
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