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Love is Essence of Priesthood of Jesus Christ, Not Mandated Celibacy: Reflections on Benedict's Contribution to "Depths" Book

Benedict XVI is profound with his contribution.  The most commented paragraphs will probably be the English translations on Pages 40-42. 

After reading his chapter contribution, here are my reflections which reaffirmed the need for a married priesthood for our time:


1.) The de facto existence of married priests in the Church's 2,000 year history shows it does "seem possible to carry on the two vocations simultaneously."  It is compatible!  East and West prove that.

2.) Love is the essence of the priesthood, as Benedict said. 

Mandated celibacy is not of the essence of the priesthood and came later in the 4th Century.

"To stand in God's presence and minister (serve) Him" [astare coram te et tibi ministare] is the essence of the priesthood.

3.) The Church has the authority to dispense from the canonical norm of mandated celibacy.

Nevertheless, maintain celibacy as the norm in the Latin rite (do not abolish it), but grant dispensations on a case-by-case basis.


Love (agape) and a radical pouring out of oneself in sacrifice (kenosis) for the sake of the Kingdom-- thank you, Benedict, for reminding us that married priests are capable and indeed accomplish this calling to love and kenosis in their person as did Christ who loved His Bride unto death.

Ed Pentin (EWTN) in 2020: Door is "still open to ordaining married men"; Synod Secretary Cardinal Michael Czerny: Questions "will continue to be debated, discussed, discerned, prayed over, and when mature presented to the appropriate authority the decision.” “These are decisions that can be made in a diocese, in a conference, and decisions made here."

Source: https://m.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/querida-amazonia-launch (12 March 2020)

Excerpt:

In view of the final document taking a clear second place to Querida Amazonia, did this therefore mean that Pope Francis had closed the door to the possibility of married priests?

To this question, Cardinal Baldisseri referred to Cardinal Czerny whom he called a “specialist in this case.”

Cardinal Czerny’s response was instructive — essentially, “No.”

“The best way to understand this is part of a process and part of a journey,” he said. “That’s why it’s called a synod, and we’re at a very important point in the synodal process. There’s a long road ahead as well as road already travelled, so the questions you are returning to are questions of the road, and the Holy Father has not resolved them in any way beyond what he said in the exhortation.”

He added: “If there are questions which you feel are open or which the Church feels are open thanks to the exhortation, they will continue to be debated, discussed, discerned, prayed over, and when mature presented to the appropriate authority the decision.”

The cardinal then appeared to answer Magister’s earlier question about whether this matter could end up being resolved at the level of a bishops’ conference.

“These are decisions that can be made in a diocese, in a conference, and decisions made here,” Cardinal Czerny said, “so if you’re looking for a kind of closure so you can write an article with a punch, I’m afraid there isn’t that kind of closure.”

Roma locuta; causa finita est. (Rome has spoken; the case is closed.)

Roma locuta; causa finita est.  (Rome has spoken; the case is closed.)

I originally posted this on Catholic Answers Forum (forums.catholic.com), and I re-posted it here on the occassion of Querida Amazonia's publication:

I gladly submit with my whole heart all my positions to Holy Mother Church for judgment not just on matters of faith and morals but in her discipline, am willing to be corrected in any errant theology and canons apart from her teachings contained herein, and i happily retract publicly that which the Church considers unorthodox if I have made them here, as is expected of any Catholic.  I profess the faith of the Church in the Nicene Creed that we profess at Holy Mass.

As Vatican II taught in Presbyteriorum Ordinis, no. 16, celibacy is "not demanded of the priesthood by its nature, as is clear from the practice of the primitive Church" but nevertheless maintain celibacy as the 'norm' but grant dispensations on a case by case basis (as was done with Pius XII, Paul VI, JP2, and B16).

Holy Spirit not at work in that right now, but what will we do for those deprived of Eucharist?: U.S. Bishop Wester of Santa Fe (USA) & U.S. Bishop Solis of Salt Lake City (USA) Quoting Francis (CNN)

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/12/world/pope-married-priests-amazon/index.html (12 Feb. 2020)

Excerpt: 

Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico spoke to Francis in a private meeting together with other US bishops about the document just a few days before its publication. He told Catholic News Service that Francis' own explanation for why he wasn't backing the bolder proposals was that the Pope discerned that it wasn't the moment for change.

"I don't even think at this point that it's something we're going to move on because I haven't sensed that the Holy Spirit is at work in that right now," Wester quotes the Pope as saying.

Bishop Oscar A. Solis of Salt Lake City, who also participated in the private meeting, told CNS that his impression was that Francis was leaving the door open for future decisions.

"He said he didn't actually believe in the ordination of married men, but what are you going to do with all those people who are deprived of the Eucharist?" Solis claimed the Pope said.

Accepto: Francis Ducks Debates Over Married Priests (John Allen of Crux News)

Source: https://cruxnow.com/amazon-synod/2020/02/pope-ducks-debates-over-married-priests-women-deacons-in-amazon-doc/ (12 Feb. 2020)

Blessed be God!

Eve of Querida Amazonia: Fiat Voluntas Tuua

Your will be done, Lord.

Fr. Longenecker's "Balanced Study" on Celibacy: Thank you, jack63, from Catholic Answers Forum (CAF - https://forums.catholic.com/)!

Thank you to jack63 from Catholic Answers Forum for sending this to me!

Source: https://dwightlongenecker.com/a-married-priest-on-celibacy/#comments (10 Feb. 2020)

Excerpt:

What about married priests? Well, we too are called to that same configuration with Christ, but we must be open to God accomplishing this through our marriage instead of through celibacy.

Norm v. Dispensation: Final Reflections Before Feb 12 (Comment Left on Catholic Answers Forum)

Source: https://forums.catholic.com/t/married-priesthood-maintain-celibacy-as-the-norm-but-allow-dispensations-on-a-case-by-case-basis/590653 (10 Feb. 2020)

Married Priesthood: Maintain celibacy as the ‘norm’ but allow dispensations on a case by case basis 

Liturgy and Sacraments

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MarriedRCPriesthood

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My platform is this: We should maintain celibacy as the ‘norm’ in the Latin rite but allow dispensations on a case by case basis. This is consistent with the Magisterium, without abolishing celibacy.

In 1952, Pope Pius XII began dispensations of married men to the Latin rite priesthood before Vatican II in Germany. This was the first of 4 other married Latin rite priests that were also ordained in Germany within 12 years.

Dispensations continued under Paul VI who allowed the first married Roman Catholic priest to be ordained in the USA: Fr. Beck.

John Paul II then dispensed married men and allowed them to be ordained to the Roman rite priesthood through the Pastoral Provision.

Benedict XVI allowed married Latin rite Catholic priests through the Ordinariate. (At the time of this writing, Francis is examining the question for married deacons in the Amazon.)

None of these 20th Century Popes asked these men to remain continent when dispensing them from the celibacy canon. This is true for married Latin rite permanent deacons, too.

While celibacy and continence can be traced to the Twelve Apostles, ‘mandatory’ celibacy and ‘mandatory’ continence cannot be traced to the time of the Twelve Apostles. The key word is ‘mandatory’ or ‘compulsory’.

Earliest evidence points to the LOCAL Elvira Synod of AD 305 mandating continence. But this is a local council from Spain, not a UNIVERSAL mandate which came later. No earlier evidence exists for mandated celibacy or mandated continence. Even ‘conservative’ scholars admit that they cannot find evidence for ‘mandated’ celibacy before AD 305.

Finally, this is not a liberal issue, and it is not a conservative issue. It is a Catholic issue. Many conservatives are for a married Latin rite priesthood. It is not an intrinsic evil.

Thank you, Catholic Answers. I believe this position is consistent with what you have publicly taught.

The bottom line is that the Church has the authority to bind and loosen on the married priest issue. The Church taketh away, but the Church also giveth.

Story of Fr Kovch: Catholic Answers Discussion Board

Source: https://forums.catholic.com/t/patron-saint-of-married-priests/224507/8 (10 Feb. 2020)

Excerpt:

Alexander_Roman

Jan '11

Blessed Father Emilian Kovch, beatified by Pope John Paul II in Ukraine, is fast becoming the Eastern patron of married priests.

He had six children and yet hid many Jewish children in his barn and elsewhere on his farm property.

He baptized Jews escaping the Nazi terror, at great risk to his life. He was interrogated by the Gestapo and here I quote, from memory, a portion of the interrogation:

Gestapo: Didn’t you know it is against the law to baptize Jews?

Fr. Kovch: I didn’t know anything.

Gestapo: Do you know it now?

Fr. Kovch: Yes.

Gestapo: Will you continue to baptize Jews?

Fr. Kovch: Of course . . .

Fr. Kovch was sent to a death camp and wrote this to his wife in a letter: “My dear, do not cry or be upset. God has put me here in this place of death and terror. Yesterday, 50 men were executed. Can you imagine? I was able to be with them in their last hours to bring them the consolation of God and Christ. Do not weep, I am here in fulfillment of God’s Will!”

Fr. Kovch was gassed and burned himself later. He was beatified as a martyr by soon to be Blessed Pope John Paul II.

Fr. Kovch’s daughter is a member of my parish which has a stained glass window of Blessed Fr. Emilian Kovch. She is often seen near it, praying to her father.

As for the comment that a married priest needs all the help he can get - he DOES get it from his wife and family.

He has the kind of support a celibate priest will never have.

Alex

Married Priesthood is a Restoration Not an Innovation: Commentary Conversation

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cardinal-center-popes-storm-doubles-celibacy-68530582 (10 Feb. 2020)

Excerpt:

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Married Roman Catholic Priesth6 days ago

Fr. Dwight Longenecker, a married Roman Catholic priesthood dispensed from celibacy when he converted to Catholicism, said that the perceived tension between Benedict and Francis is media gossip. More importantly, I do want to add that celibacy should be the 'norm' for the Latin rite (Roman Catholic instead of Eastern Catholic Churches) but allow dispensations on a case by case basis. Thank you for the space.

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  PeterDamian  Married Roman Catholic Priesth5 days ago

  "A married Roman Catholic priesthood"? English please? Dispensations have been used to undermine celibacy in the Latin Rite since the early 1950s, and it is being pushed for in the amazon by Liberation theologians who want to turn the towards Paganism not Pagans towards the Church.

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    Married Roman Catholic Priesth  PeterDamian4 days ago

    You cannot deny the authority of Pope Pius XII who has the keys of Peter to dispense from canonical requirements. You should see the validity of this argument and how I am using a pre-Vatican II authority to prove my case. Are you a sedevacantist (no Pope on the Chair of Peter)? The Church taketh away, but the Church also giveth.

    For your second part of your comment, I agree with you that the Church has been infiltrated, but we part company in that the married priesthood is not an intrinsic evil like those other evils (Pachamama, the marxists infiltration of the hierarchy, HC for those in objective mortal sin, etc.). Do not conflate the married priesthood with those evils. There are many holy married priests.

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      PeterDamian  Married Roman Catholic Priesth4 days ago

      Popes can make flawed decisions in matters of discipline and when making exceptions to apostolic discipline for the forst time in more than 1900 years that is dubious to say the least.
      I am not a Sedevacantist, (though I have looked into the Siri thesis and have legitimate doubts regarding the conclave of 1958, as well as regarding the conclave of 2013 with the Podesta emails and so on raising doubt).
      Pope Pius XII was a valid pope but Our Lady of Fatima indicated that the pope could fail in his mission to consecrate Russia which would result in the spread of the errors of Russia, this happened under Pope Pius XII and he allowed himself to be eventually swayed by FDR in tacitly condoning/approving aid to the Soviet Union going against the stance of Pope Pius XI.
      Pope Pius XI, Pope Pius IX, Pope Saint Sergius, Saint Pope Leo IX and Pope Gregory VII all excluded exceptions. I obviously trust their judgement.
      Married priesthood has nonetheless been pushed by Novationists, Nestorians, Photius, Protestants, Freemasons, the French Revolutionairies and Marxists. It is one of the most unifying elements of schismatics and heretics.
      The early church fathers would view a lack of perpetual continence as incompatible with being a holy priest. I do not question their character or intentions, but living in obedience to apostolic tradition requires them to be completely abstinent. Married saints and priests were so for decades so I do not see any problem.

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        Married Roman Catholic Priesth  PeterDamiana few seconds ago

        While evidence of celibacy and continence can be traced to the Twelve Apostles (apostolic discipline), evidence of 'mandatory' celibacy and 'mandatory' continence cannot be traced to the Twelve Apostles (it is not 'mandated' apostolic discipline). The key word is 'mandated'. Concerning holiness of a married priest, there are canonized married priest saints that have had kids after ordination like St. Gregory the Elder. There were 4 new married priests martyrs canonized about a decade ago. The Church Fathers were not unanimous on the married priest issue, and some of them like St. Hilary of Pointier, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Paulinus were married clergy. You theologically shoot yourself in the foot when you cite the Church Fathers and the Elvira Synod (which has the same weight as the Amazon Synod). Ordinariate priests were not expected to be continent. Married priesthood is not an innovation but a restoration of how things were done by the first Christians the first 300 years of the Catholic Church. The Church has the authority to change in matters of discipline which means it is ratified in Heaven, as Christ himself said in Mt. 16. Your theological foundation is not correct. The Church taketh away, but the Church also giveth.

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