The Dutch Bishops Then and the German Bishops Now Want to Destroy Priestly Celibacy

Pope Paul VI defended priestly celibacy with a remarkable speech on February 1, 1970.

(Rome) Exactly 50 years ago, Pope Paul VI. gave an important speechfor priestly celibacy. The reason for this was attacks by bishops who wanted to abolish celibacy. The parallels are obvious: Back then it was Dutch bishops, today they are German bishops. The geographic and linguistic direction from which the attack comes has remained the same. The difference is in the attitude of the ruling pope. Pope Francis' word during his visit to Colombia that he would never agree to an end to celibacy was - as experience shows - unfortunately worth nothing. This statement is hard and painful. Who would have thought of reporting it of a pope, but what is worth a word if the opposite of that is done

The absence of a formal act of consent is ultimately irrelevant when it is initiated, encouraged, encouraged and tolerated in practice, which is denied according to words, see the behavior in connection with the admission by Amoris laetitia of people in serious sin to communion, see the behavior towards the German Bishops' Conference in connection with the admission of Protestant spouses to Communion, see the behavior in connection with the Amazon synod .

In March 2017, in an interview with the weekly newspaper Die Zeit, Francis declared his willingness to speak about the admission of married priests. The same Francis, a few months later, on September 9, 2017, in Colombia, appeared to be vigorously defending the sacramental priesthood - and also celibacy - in front of a mass audience that was less liberal than the readership of the Die Zeit. That there are no vocations at the present time is a "fairy tale," thundered Francis:

"And don't come here to tell me: 'No, of course, there aren't that many calls for a special consecration because - that's clear - with this crisis we are experiencing ...' Do you know what that is? Are these fairy tales? Is that clear? Even in the midst of this crisis, God calls."

Archbishop of Salzburg: "The Priesthood Should Remain Linked to Celibacy"

Salzburg's Archbishop Lackner comments on kath.net after discussing statements in the "local papers"

Salzburg (kath.net) The Archdiocese of Salzburg has discussions about the statements of Archbishop Franz Lackner according to statements in the "local papers". They quote the archbishop as follows: "If Jesus came into the world today, I would say to him, "Take the women to the priesthood." But there is also an injustice on the other side: celibacy. So a priest must live without woman." kath.net asked Archbishop Lackner what these statements meant.

Lackner explains to kath.net: "As part of a conversation on the sidelines of the presentation of the 'Reputation Study', I was once again addressed about the question of women's ordination and I made those statements in order to emphasize the basic Catholic theological conception as I said in this interview, that the Church is an organic whole, like a tree that has been growing for a long time, and that the tree can not be changed in its basic structure, the main roots, the trunk, and the main branches This is also the case in theology: there is a basic structure, such as the sacraments and the dogmas of the church, which is not - and certainly not arbitrarily - changeable." 

The Salzburg Archbishop then recalls that in the context of the priesthood, the Church looks back on Jesus Christ and a "long time of growth" under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Lackner then goes on to explain: "The sacramental priesthood is part of the Catholic identity." In ecclesiastical doctrine one knows the wise distinction of the potentia Dei absoluta and the potentia Dei ordinata, that is, the absolute salvific will of God and the actual salvific will of God. God does not exclude a priori that God originally chose another way of healing, and in this context, I have made a conditional statement, "If Jesus came into the world today, I would say to him, 'Take the women to the priesthood.'" In the sense of an absolute salvific will of God, this statement is not heretical, it is highly speculative and I admit that it is striking, but in this connection one thing is always clear: God can do it, we can not, but our task is in the sense of the potentia Dei ordinata to listen to how God spoke and how to speak through the history of salvation - which I firmly believe is spiritually guided - understood and also established as the teaching of the Church." 

The topic of celibacy is also very important to the Salzburg Archbishop: "I understand that a world based on equality (every distinction is a discrimination) makes it hard to understand why women can not reach the priesthood. I want to seize on this understanding, that's why I mean, but not just because the priesthood should be linked to celibacy, the priesthood must be "deficient" as it were "to compensate." The priest has to be lacking because of his path of sanctification. I have repeatedly defended the priesthood, as the Catholic Church has determined, both out of personal conviction and fidelity to the teachings of the Church, but I also seek to argue in a differentiated way in today's world." 

Photo: (c) Archdiocese of Salzburg


Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

New Archbishop of Brussels Proposes the Abolition of Priestly Celibacy

(Brussels) The new Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and Primate of Belgium, Msgr. Jozef De Kesel, said in an interview with the Free Sunday newspaper De Zondag on 8 May that the Church  could not require every priest celibacy.

The Archbishop  De Kesel was asked by De Zondag whether celibacy has not "discouraged" him:

"No, not when I was 18 years old. As you opt for the seminary, it then takes many years to become a priest. But then, when the moment has come, that ... is a difficult decision. "

"I am for the Eastern Catholic model"

De Zondag: Did you have to decide between a bride and the church?

De Kesel: No. I had good friendships,  but they never brought me in conflict with my choice of life. This is true for others, and I can understand that it is very difficult to let someone go. Maybe I, therefore, consciously or unconsciously avoided a relationship.

De Zondag: Should the Church adhere to this celibacy?

De Kesel: I'm not for its abolition. A celibate life is not a life without meaning. I chose it deliberately: It was a part of the life of Jesus. On the other hand I do not think that you can charge it of any priest, especially not in a moment in which sexuality plays such an important role. I am for the Eastern Catholic model, where married men can be ordained priests.

No "Catholic model"

With the "Eastern Catholic model" said De Kesel, is in reality the Orthodox model. The Orthodox Churches understand celibacy like the Catholic Church but this is not employed like the Catholic Church, for historical reasons. Bishops and monks are still  called to it today, which is why only. In the diocesan clergy in contrast, there was softening. Once the ordination has been received, a wedding is no longer possible with the Orthodox. The seminarian marries before ordination, he can stay married. The result is that seminarians marry very young in order to forestall the celibacy requirement. If the wife of a priest dies, he is not allowed to marry. The somewhat complicated scheme proves, however, that the ministerial priesthood is also linked to the Orthodox inseparably with celibacy. However, you can - as in the sacrament of marriage - also recognize the Orthodox discrepancy between requirement and reality, because it is the Orthodox Church in those points which concern two sacraments, and more pertinently, failed to maintain the original apostolic teaching.

When smaller parts of the Orthodox churches returned from the 16th century to union with Rome, they were allowed during the course of the ecumenism of return  to maintain certain traditions. These include the Byzantine Rite in the liturgy and the Orthodox practice of celibacy. What De Kesel falsely, but probably deliberately, sees as the "Catholic model" is called not really a "Catholic model," but a foreign practice to the Roman tradition, which was granted only for historical reasons, clearly to formerly Orthodox communities.

The true and faithful retaining of priestly celibacy in the Latin Church since apostolic times, as well as the indissolubility of sacramental marriage, are ultimately special evidence that the Roman Catholic Church is actually the one true Church of Jesus Christ. However, this evidence itself is currently not held in very high esteem  by Catholic dignitaries and sometimes, as De Kesels remarks show,  recklessly called into question.

De Kesel uses a dialectic in his claim, which suggests a retention in theory, but at the same time seeks a fundamental change in practice. A dialectic as it has been frequently heard in the past two years in connection with the recognition of divorce and remarriage. Its spokesman, Cardinal Walter Kasper made his speech to the Cardinal Consistory in February, 2014.

Pope Francis has sent mixed signals on this issue, according to his nature. According to the Vaticanist Sandro Magister, these contradictory signals would nevertheless demonstrate the desire for a weakening of priestly celibacy. The request made by De Kesel would probably come closest to the papal intention.

Cardinal Danneels' preferred candidate: Thanks to Pope Francis still Archbishop

Msgr. De Kesel was appointed by Pope Francis as the new archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, 6 November, 2015. The archbishop of Brussels is automatically Primate of Belgium and President of the Belgian Bishops' Conference. The Archdiocese has been a liberal stronghold since 1961. An epoch which was defined by Cardinal Leo Suenens (Archbishop of 1961-1979) and by Cardinal Godfried Danneels (Archbishop of 1979-2010) and was accompanied by an unprecedented decline of the Catholic Church. In the Belgian capital today,  only 12 percent of its residents profess as Catholics. Of these, only one in ten makes his Sunday duty and visits the Holy Mass.

In 2010 Benedict XVI. tried to bring about a reversal. He did not appoint  Danneels' chosen successor the leftist De Kesel, but the Bishop of Namur, André-Joseph Leonard, instead. Leonard was then equally relentlessly opposed and boycotted just like Pope Benedict XVI. Above all this was directed at Benedict XVI's personnel decision of 2010 which drew the the hostility which Danneels and his allies drew upon. Danneels was, since the 90s, a conspirator with  the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Martini, in the clandestine Sankt Gallen circle,  which had already opposed the election in 2005 of Benedict XVI.

In 2013 Daneels belonged to the so-called Team Bergoglio. Together with the German cardinals Lehmann and Kasper and the English Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, he organized, this time successfully, the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Archbishop Leonard was denied the dignity of cardinal and retired with the completion of his 75th birthday. After only five years of intermezzo,  Pope Francis appointed  Danneels' still preferred candidate De Kesel as archbishop of Brussels. The Belgian Church thus remains firmly on progressive course, as stressed by the remarks of the new archbishop to abolish the celibacy priest.

De Kesels' proposal on celibacy was also supported by the Internet platform katholisch.de of the German Bishops' Conference.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: Mil (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

Priestly Celibacy "in the Example of Christ" -- Cardinal Secretary: "One can talk about it, but without haste"

(Rome) at the Pontifical Gregorian University  a star-studded conference on priestly celibacy was held in the past week. Celibacy was talked about from the 4th-6th February  as a constitutive element of the priesthood and defend to this. The planning for the conference began in the last period of the pontificate of Benedict XVI. It was carried out now at a time, since there is   grumbling around Pope Francis and a number of his collaborators, claiming he was thinking abandoning  priestly celibacy, which only the Latin Church had realized and preserved in the two thousand year history of Christianity. Therefore,  the opening address by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and the closing speech by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin were awaited with particular anticipation.

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Both defended their remarks on priestly celibacy energetically and brought a wealth of theological arguments. Priestly celibacy has remained in practice, despite the challenges and many difficulties. 

"The tradition of priestly celibacy goes back to the Apostles and follows the example of Jesus Christ"

Cardinal Ouellet founded his remarks in the New Testament and the example of Jesus Christ, from which priestly celibacy is deduced. He confirmed, however, that the issue is conceived as "controversial" after 2000 years.

"The Church tradition of celibacy and abstinence of the cleric did not arise just at the beginning of the 4th century as something new, but rather, was - both in the East and the West - the confirmation of a tradition that goes back to the apostles. As the Council of Elvira in Spain 306  confirmed  that the priests have the duty to live in perfect continence, it is important to understand that this need in the early years of the Church was for both celibacy and the ban against marriage as well as also the perfect abstinence for those who were already married."

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops

The remarks made by Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin were expected with more expectation. When the then Nuncio was appointed by Pope Francis at the head of the Roman Curia in September 2013, he stressed in an interview the striking fact that priestly celibacy was  "no dogma" and could therefore be "discussed". As the institutionally highest ranking appointee of Pope Francis and personally selected as well, his statements have special weight.

Cardinal Secretary of State Parolin: "You can talk about it, but without haste and constructively"

The Cardinal Secretary of State it was then, that where in the conference the door was closed, he yet  opened the door relatively the widest towards possible exceptions. The door to exceptions had already been opened in the Second Vatican Council. The most visible manifestation of this are since then in the Latin Church, permanent deacons who may be married at the time of the diaconate. These so-called "viri probati"  are considered by some since then as a "precursor" the abolition of celibacy   following the example of the Greek Church.

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin

The Eastern churches have not kept celibacy and allowed wide exemptions. The bishops and monks are celibate, while the diocesan clergy is married. This has the consequence that all bishops come from the monastic life. Whoever is married at the time of consecration, he can remain as a secular priest. After the consecration, marriage or remarriage is excluded also in the Eastern Church. An inner-Church ascent for lowly married  secular clergy is not possible.

Cardinal Parolin said:

Celibacy is a vocation, which is seen in the Latin Church as particularly appropriate for those who are called to the priestly office. The celibate spirituality of the presbyter is a "positive" constructive intent, aiming that the people of God has always defended from the danger of corruption and bourgeoisification of the radical free shepherd.

And further:

To acknowledge the level, which this intent brings  with it, but it does not exclusively, as the Second Vatican Council in Presbyterorum ordinis said,  by declaring that it was not " demanded by the nature of the priesthood itself (is), as the practice of the earliest Church and the tradition of the Eastern Churches show where there are also married priests of the highest merit,  along with those who choose the celibate life out of the grace-like appeal together with all the bishops."

And as well:

The Catholic Church has never forced upon the Eastern Churches the celibate decision. On the other hand, it has allowed exceptions in the course of history as in the case of married Lutheran, Calvinist or Anglican pastors who - received into the Catholic Church - received a dispensation to receive the Sacrament of Orders. This happened already during the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. in 1951

Recently, 2009, the motu proprio Anglicanorum coetibus of Benedict XVI. allowed the establishment of territorial dioceses of the Latin Church allowed where  Catholic priests were consecrated to hold office who were former Anglican pastors.

In the wake of the massive emigration of Catholics from the Middle East, Pope Francis allowed in 2014 with the papal decree, Praecepta de clero uxorato orientali,  married oriental priests to act in the Christian communities of the diaspora and thus outside their historical areas, where previous bans forbid it.

In the current situation then,  a kind of "sacramental emergency" is frequently emphasized by the lack of priests, particularly in some areas. This has given rise to the question of contingency from multiple sides in the question  to consecrate the so-called "viri probati".

If the problem does not appear to be unimportant, it is surely not imperative to make hasty decisions and only due to emergencies. Yet it is also true that with the needs of evangelization, together with the history and the diverse traditions of the Church, the opportunity for legitimate debate leaves open the door, when they are motivated by the proclamation of the Gospel and are led in a constructive manner, while always preserving the beauty and importance of the celibate decision.

Celibacy is a gift that requires it to be accepted with joyful perseverance and maintained, so that it can bring real fruits. To live it profitably it is necessary that every priest all his life long feels as a disciple on the road, which sometimes requires the rediscovery and strengthening of his relationship with the Lord and also "healing".

The Department of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin " The in persona Christi ordained priests " in full length (the original in Italian).

Text: Giuseppi Nardi

Image: MiL/ Chiesa e postconcilio/ kairosterzomillenio (screenshots) 

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Bamberg Pastor Asks Pope Francis for "Release" From Celibacy

(Bamberg) Stefan Hartmann (59), Catholic priest and pastor of Oberhaid in Upper Franconia (Archdiocese of Bamberg) wants to be "released" from celibacy. Yesterday he posted   a letter he sent to Pope Francis on his Facebook page.

He Gave a "Premature" Vow of Celibacy

The priest  explains to   the Catholic Church leader that he had given his promise of celibacy  "prematurely"  in 1981.  Celibacy does not comply with his "constitution". After "long evaluation" of his conscience and in view of his "personal situation" and "consciousness" of his "weakness" and his "mistakes," he is making the request for release from celibacy while maintaining his priesthood. Last January, Hartmann had explained on the television show "Höhe der Zeit" [Up To Date] broadcast all over Germany that he has  a daughter. In 1982 he was ordained a priest.

Relationship with Community Officer

Then he started a relationship with his church officer. Retrieved from "love" he never speaks, as a matter a timeeditor (Christ & the world) noticed. 

 He got a lot of obligatory "praise for his honesty, from the community and from the Facebook community", said Die Zeit  which knew to report it, mixing up honesty and dishonesty.   Hartmann belongs to a kind of  Hardliner.   He did not draw the necessary conclusions from his actions and ought to  be unfrocked. For example, in order to take care of his daughter. Other secularized priests became  external Church opponents. Hartmann wants to stay inside the same and rebuild the Church according to his  weakness. The applause of the media is certainly with him.

"Voluntary" Celibacy Nonsense

The priest breaks the vow of celibacy, leads a double life, does not draw the appropriate conclusions, but wants unapologetic adaptation not only for special treatment for himself, but even the whole ecclesiastical order to his "weakness". Because celibacy is just an "anachronism", which should be abolished thinks Hartmann. He speaks generously about not wanting to abolish celibacy,  but the  introduction of "voluntary"  celibacy, which is admittedly utter nonsense. This would elevate married clergy to a standard, which excludes whomever wants to just live as a  celibate priest, from  marriage. But as is known no one is forced into marriage by the Catholic Church. God had given  love, "not celibacy" which  celibacy opponents bring in their assault on the constitution of the Church as a fairly primitive denominator. That Jesus set aside celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom as a special act of love, is suppressed at all costs.

Jesus added, because He knew the people, even in the 21st century: "The one who can accept this should accept it." [Mathew 19:11] Today, all sorts of people jostling in front of the celibacy debate which  doesn't   affected them.  Were they silent, the quality of the discussion would gain much thereby. The priesthood and the religious life are voluntary acts, only obligatory to  those who are called. And to this appeal is included celibacy and chastity. Anything else would be a form of fraud, to oneself,  to God and to man.

The affected Archdiocese of Bamberg is silent. It sees no need for action, because Pastor Hartmann has only performed this escapade  once 24 years ago.  Hartmann himself knows better whether the Pope will offer a release from his vow of celibacy because of his "weakness" and his "constitution".   Strength of character looks different.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: BR (screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMGD

Abolish Celibacy and Rehabilitate Giordano Bruno --- Bishop Kräutler and Frei Betto With Pope Francis

Frei Betto, Suit and Tie Dominican.

(Vatican) A phenomenon of the pontificate of Pope Francis is the 360 degree statements by Church members.   After encounters with the Pope in secret they appear before the cameras to promote their personal agenda to do this, however, citing the Pope. What  Pope Francis actually said or supports, you can not check yourself. The procedure, which is the opposite of the once-vaunted ecclesiastical discretion, duly presents confusion. Two of the most recent examples: On April 4, Bishop Erwin Kräutler and on 10 April the Brazilian liberation theologian Frei  Betto were received by the Pope. Both were then very talkative.

Bishop Kräutler on the Shortage of Priests: Married Men  Must be Consecrated

On 4 April, the Austrian Mission Bishop Erwin Kräutler was received by Pope Francis. Bishop Kräutler (born 1939) has since been   Bishop of the Xingu Territorialprälatur in the Brazilian Amazon since 1981, where he succeeded his uncle Erich Kräutler of the same Order. Erwin Kräutler is also Chairman of the Indian Missionary Council of Brazilian Bishops' Conference. The bishop is a member of the Order of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood (CPPS). According to the Bishop, whose Order has produced  good priests in the German language,  is active in his commitment to the rainforest and the Amazon Indians darlings to the left crowd. He is said to be assisting  Pope Francis   in the drafting of an encyclical on the subject of ecology.

After the private audience with the Pope Bishop Kräutler stepped in front of the public and stated in the Salzburger Nachrichten on April 8, he and the Pope had spoken on the admission of viri probati of married men to the priesthood.According to him Kräutler Pope Francis had agreed and said that he could well imagine that married men are ordained to the priesthood, when the bishops agree. This brought Kräutler again a discussion in progress, which was actually considered as completed. Since the Argentine pontificate these and other issues of progressive Wishlist appear again and again. Last summer it was the then nuncio to Venezuela, the just of Pope Francis as the new Secretary appointed Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the lostrat the discussion about the abolition of mandatory celibacy, without taking itself a party.

Pope: Bishops should agree and propose solutions

According Kräutlers words of Pope Francis would make the bishops' conferences on this issue have a crucial role.You should decide if they deem it appropriate to dedicate even married men. He, Kräutler, had in its geographically large diocese too little priest available. In many places, only a Mass could two or three times a year are celebrated.Always Loud Kräutlers representation of the Pope had given to understand that Rome could not decide everything, but the "national and regional episcopal conferences" to agree on reforms and Rome should submit proposals to the solution.  Kräutler told the Pope of a Mexican diocese in which there are few priests, but 330 deacons, but  they can not  celebrate Holy Mass. The question is how to go on in this situation.

In the Diocese of what Kräutler not said it is the Mexican Diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas. A problem diocese outside of any standard in which it really lacks everything except deacons.

Priest Announces Violation of His Vows on German Television and Acknowledges Daughter

A Celibacy Breaking Careerist Senses a Change in the Winds?

 Oberhaid / Ludwigsburg (Catholic news / CBA). Stefan Hartmann (59), a Catholic priest since 2001 in the Franconian Oberhaid wants to publicly confess on Friday to his 19-year-old daughter. The SWR announces on its website and refers to the talk show "Nachtcafe" at 10pm. As a guest of the program Hartmann wanted to report that "he is infinitely happy about his great daughter-friend and proud of her." The doctoral theologian additionally says of the SWR announcement that he had denied his child for years in order not to risk his Church career. "The long silence was cowardly and nothing good came of it," the priest is quoted as saying. Today, he serves the Church still, but confesses to openly living a lie, for which he begs your pardon. He was encouraged to go public by Pope Francis, says Hartmann. In addition, he was making an objective discussion of the obligation to celibacy for diocesan priests. The Pope did not want go into the solitude of the Apostolic Palace, "which can easily be as hard as the loneliness of rectories, which are often too large," says the priest. The priest emphasized that he wouldn't want to call into question the meaning of the celibate life of many priests and religious. The administration of the Archdiocese of Bamberg has been informed about the situation of the priest, said press office on request. Disciplinary consequences are not being considered at this point. Hartmann was born in Oberhausen in 1954. After studying psychology, philosophy and theology, he was ordained in 1982 in Trier, Germany. He has also served as a spa and hospital chaplain in Bad Säckingen and as university chaplain at the Catholic University Community in Vienna. Since September 2001 he has been active in the Archdiocese of Bamberg.

 Source: © CBA. All rights reservedPhoto: Roman collar - Source: Kath News

Maronite Cardinal Warns Against Abolishing Priestly Celibacy

Philippe Cardinal Barbarin

Of all things the Greek-Catholic Bishops, whose clergy is married,  have warned against abolishing celibacy.

(kreuz.net) On the 27th of Septemer Philippe Cardinal Barbarin of Lyon at the French magazine 'Paris Match' commented on the slow burning media issue of "celibacy".

"Don't squander this treasure"

The Cardinal recalled that Pope Benedict XVI had addressed this already in the first Bishops' Synod.

It was then that the former Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Cardinal Sfeir (92) spoke especially caustically about the abolishing of celibacy.

"Even with us, the Maronites, priests may marry"  -- explained the Cardinal:  "During the war in Lebanon, all of the married priests left with their wives and children."

No one blamed them for that: "Actually, the only ones remaining behind, were those who were married to their communities."

He continued: "Don't squander this gift".

"What do you want me to tell you?"

'Paris Match'  grasped in the air that supposedly twenty percent of the clergy live with a woman.

"A High statistic" -- cried Cardinal Barbarin:  "That is, as we would say, that thirty percent of husbands   betray their wives."

"What do you want me to tell you?" -- was the Cardinal's pugnacious reaction.

It would be natural to desire that people who are married are faithful:  "Even the Republic wants that."

Cardinal Barbarin recalled then that even civil servants officiating civil marriages in the mayor's office use the words "respect" and "faithfulness".

Link to kreuz.net....