| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"J Young" |
| Date: |
31 Jan 2005 05:40:31 PM |
| Object: |
Australian Catholic Church Divided Over Priestly Celibacy |
What other proof could one ask when debating whether or not the vast
majority of Catholic priests straight or gay? They are real men, who
have dedicated their lives to God and church.
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/1309812.html
Australian Catholic Church Divided Over Priestly Celibacy
Patrick Goodenough
International Editor
(CNSNews.com) - Australia's Catholic Church is embroiled in a debate
over whether the church should drop its insistence on celibacy for
clergymen. A leading priests' association argues that doing away with
the requirement could reverse a serious decline in numbers.
The National Council of Priests (NCP), an organization representing
about half of Australia's 1,650 Catholic clergy, including more than 40
bishops, has written to the Vatican's Synod of Bishops, urging that
marriage no longer prevent a priest from being ordained.
It also asked that the church reinstate ordained priests who had left
the church to marry.
The group pointed to a severe decline in the number of priests in
Australia. Only priests may hear confession and oversee Mass - both
crucial, regular rites for Catholics.
NCP chairman Fr. Hal Ranger wrote in the letter to the Vatican that
many priests who had converted to Catholicism in recent years, and who
were married at the time, were permitted by the church to serve as
ordained priests despite being married.
Noting that the church welcomed such men and their families, Ranger
asked that the Vatican synod "earnestly and seriously consider
extending this opportunity to other married men."
(Most priests in that situation moved to the Catholic Church because of
unhappiness with what they saw as a liberalizing trend in other
denominations. For instance, disagreements over the appointment of
women bishops in the Anglican Church in the 1990s saw a number of
conservative Anglican clergy joining the Catholic Church. Further
defections have been predicted over the issue of the ordination of
homosexuals.)
The NCP letter urged the synod to "examine honestly the appropriateness
of insisting upon a priesthood that is, with very few exceptions,
obliged to be celibate."
"Priesthood is a gift, celibacy is a gift," it said. "They are not the
same gift."
The NCP appeal to Rome has drawn mixed responses.
In the U.S., a Cleveland, Ohio-based Catholic "reform" group called
FutureChurch -- which is running a petition calling for an end to
obligatory celibacy -- called the Australian move a "prophetic action"
and predicted it would "certainly energize our base."
"God's people need both celibate and married vocations, both male and
female deacons and priests if we are to minister well," said
FutureChurch executive director Christine Schenk.
FutureChurch was supported in its stance by another U.S. group, Call to
Action, which claims a membership of 25,000 laity and clergy. Call to
Action says it advocates "the ordination of women, optional celibacy
for priests, more focus on the church's social teaching, and
consultation with the Catholic people on church decision-making."
In 2003, more than 120 Milwaukee priests signed a letter urging the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to allow married men to be
ordained, also linking their request to the need for more candidates to
the priesthood.
'Godly witness'
Back in Australia, not all Catholic clergy favor the NCP move.
The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy (ACCC), representing 300 priests,
said while it recognized the priest shortage crisis, it wanted
mandatory celibacy to remain.
"In a world that struggles with commitment, chastity and discipline the
witness of celibacy is powerful and godly," ACCC chairman Fr. John
Walshe said in a statement.
Both sides in the debate have their views on the origins of priestly
celibacy.
Those who want it scrapped note that the apostle Peter was married.
Peter was the disciple of whom Jesus said "Upon this rock I will build
my church," and Catholics recognize him as the first Pope.
Opponents of mandatory celibacy also say the practice only became
standard in the 11th or 12th century, and was only affirmed by the
Council of Trent in 1545.
But the ACCC's Walshe said that "scholarship has unearthed that priests
of earlier ages [prior to the 10th century] who were married often were
required to live \'b4Josephite marriages\'b4 once they were ordained.
This often meant the separation of priest-husband and wife."
During recent research, Dr. Jane Power of the Australian Catholic
University's school of psychology found that 71 percent of 383 priests
surveyed across the country did not agree with the celibacy
requirement.
Power said Friday that statistical analysis of the survey results had
shown a significant association between holding a negative view of
celibacy and frequently thinking of resigning.
Copies of a summary of her report were sent to every bishop in the
country, although she said she had had no response from any of them.
Power said she could not claim a link between her report and the NCP's
request to the
Vatican synod.
"However, as the research was the first indication of the level of
discontent with celibacy within the priesthood, and as this had been
communicated to the bishops, it would not be unreasonable to suppose it
could have helped prompt the request."
Meanwhile the celibacy debate has been picked up by other Australian
campaigners for "reforms" in the church.
Ann Nugent, an executive member of an organization called Ordination of
Catholic Women wrote an op-ed piece published Thursday saying that if
women were ordained that would help address the priest shortage
problem.
"There are many women in Australia who feel the call to the priesthood
and who have stated their cases publicly, yet they are told it is
simply not possible to be a woman and a priest," Nugent said. "Needless
to say many women have left the church."
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| User: "Loose Cannon" |
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| Title: Re: Australian Catholic Church Divided Over Priestly Celibacy |
31 Jan 2005 09:57:11 PM |
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"J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1107214831.491603.187930@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
What other proof could one ask when debating whether or not the vast
majority of Catholic priests straight or gay? They are real men, who
have dedicated their lives to God and church.
Have a change of heart, IBenStalking?:
"The catholic church is, for the most part, totally corrupt. The
perfect prototype of what a religion looks like when man is the
one who creates it. Not to say that people can't find God even
there... People find Him in many evil places. But for the most part,
the catholic church is the great mother ***** of religion on planet
earth. On that, we can agree. But the catholic faith is not the only
branch of the tree. Just one of the dead ones."
From: (IBen Getiner AKA ":Jon Young")
Message-ID: <6ba61564.0403060100.23b22815@posting.google.com>
"More evidence of catholic hypocrisy. Any religion that the main-stream
media embraces should be looked at very closely."
From: (IBen Getiner AKA ":Jon Young")
Newsgroups: alt.support.foster-parents
Subject: Re: Vatican remains detached in pedophilia crisis (Why short fat
fa...
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 23:02:24 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID:
"No Catholic has ever wronged me in any way. I just know hypocrisy and
corruption smells like when I get close to it.
You represent the great mother ***** of religion on planet earth. You
control the thoughts, minds, hearts and purse-strings of millions who
do not have the strength to do these things for themselves."
From: (IBen Getiner AKA ":Jon Young")
Newsgroups:
alt.religion.christian.catholic,alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic,han.soc.religion.christianity.catholic
Subject: Re: Beginning of the End for catholic Church
Date: 23 Dec 2002 04:00:30 -0800
Message-ID:
"Ever notice that the mass media generally embraces Catholicism? This
should signal a red flag to any thinking soul in and of itself. I say
watch out for any religion that worships sinful mortals like the pope
or Mary."
From: (IBen Getiner AKA ":Jon Young")
Newsgroups:
alt.religion.christian.catholic,alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic,han.soc.religion.christianity.catholic
Subject: Re: Beginning of the End for catholic Church
Date: 14 Dec 2002 01:02:58 -0800
Message-ID:
LC~ Thinks that IBen/Jon can't decide what he thinks.
"i think you know so much about catholics and what their dicks look
like because both your mother and sperm donor spend so much time
sucking on one. you worthless piece of *****."
From: (Jon Young)
Newsgroups:
alt.atheism,alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.republicans,alt.religion.christian,alt.religion.christian.biblestudy,alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic,co.general,misc.legal,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: => Catholic Dickheads ...!
Date: 13 Oct 2003 06:24:36 -0700
Message-ID: <567f3dc3.0310130524.6be654a5@posting.google.com>
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| User: "Ray Fischer" |
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| Title: Re: Australian Catholic Church Divided Over Priestly Celibacy |
01 Feb 2005 12:37:58 AM |
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J Young <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote:
What other proof could one ask when debating whether or not the vast
majority of Catholic priests straight or gay? They are real men, who
have dedicated their lives to God and church.
Well, dedicated their lives ot the Church, at any rate.
But you got to wonder about people who give up sexuality because
of their religion.
--
Ray Fischer
rfischer@sonic.net
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| User: "Al Klein" |
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| Title: Re: Australian Catholic Church Divided Over Priestly Celibacy |
31 Jan 2005 08:04:06 PM |
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On 31 Jan 2005 15:40:31 -0800, "J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com> said
in alt.atheism:
What other proof could one ask when debating whether or not the vast
majority of Catholic priests straight or gay? They are real men, who
have dedicated their lives to God and church.
It's known that some priests join the priesthood BECAUSE they felt
attracted to other men, and think that being a priest will help them
resist temptation.
--
"I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the
type of which we are conscious in ourselves. An individual who should survive his
physical death is also beyond my comprehension,...; such notions are for the fears or
absurd egoism of feeble souls."
- Albert Einstein
(random sig, produced by SigChanger)
rukbat at verizon dot net
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