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."

Dutch Bishop Puts Hammer Down on False Ecumenism

Edit: as usual Father Gero Weishaupt is a great source for things happening in the old country.  He presents the following story about a priest being disciplined for liturgical abuses with a just penalty and the cancellation of an Ecumenical service involving "intercommunion".

Not Ecumenism in Feeling, But in Faith

(kathnews)  's-Hertogenbosch (NL).  In an open letter to the parish communities of the Dutch villages of Someren and Lierp, to which belong the Diocese's-Hertogenbosch laying in the Province of Brabant, the Diocesan Vicar General has taken a position on the importance and the manner ecumenical celebrations should take.  The Bishop reacted to it immediately and spoke out in a letter to the Pastor of serious Liturgical abuses and offenses against Ecumenism in its Catholic sense.  The Pastor concerned was informed of penal consequences.  After that the Pastor cancelled the event.  Many parish members showed a lack of understanding of the manner of the Bishop's proceeding.

Letter of the General Vicar

Now the General Vicar of the Diocese, Dr. R van de Hout, briefly laid out the position of the Catholic

Church on Ecumenism in a letter.  Here is the basic text of the letter in an English translation:


"Dear parishioners of Someren and Lierop and all interested believers elsewhere in the diocese!"

 Concern for the catholicity of the parishes in the diocese 

From the reactions of many of them it is clear that it will be difficult to understand why the bishop at a recently proposed ecumenical ceremony in Someren and Lierop must intervene. The confusion seemed to be still larger basis of statements of the Pastor, the non-Catholic minister and the parish council of Lierop, in which, according to the Bishop was accused illicit action. The Bishop must awaken people to the Catholic faith and take care that the Catholic parishes in his diocese to remain in communion with the universal Church. Only then can our faith and the Church have their importance to the people and their happiness.

 Commonality and Boundaries

The Catholic Church promotes ecumenical contacts with Protestant communities. We need to get to know one another, to develop active common social ties. Together we can listen to God's Word and pray together. But it is not permissible to celebrate the Eucharist / Communion. This prohibition has been repeated by the Pope, but always by the Dutch bishops as well.

Different faith 

Why such celebrations are unlawful? Because Supper and Eucharist, although reference is made to both the creation and the command of the Lord, are not the same. The Roman Catholic Church believes that in the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ is sacramentally preset at the cross and that the bread and wine are transformed and really substantial in the Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is - in the words of the Second Vatican Council - the source and summit of ecclesial life. According to the Catholic view, only a valid ordained priest transform the Eucharist. Protestants have no validly ordained priests. Protestants do not believe in the real transformation of bread and wine and have a more symbolic understanding of this sacrament. [It can't be a sacrament at all, actually] That is the reason why the Church does not allow a joint celebration. The Church also prohibits that non-Catholics receive the Eucharistic Communion or that Catholics participate in Protestant communion. Thus confusion is with regard to this sacrament, for us Catholics, the heart of the faith, to be avoided. 

Harmful to Unity

Superficial ecumenical acts like the common celebration of the Eucharist / Communion Service are harmful to the unity and don't bring ecumenism even a step further. On the contrary, the unity is only then no unity in the faith, but a unity in feeling. It's about discovering that we as a church or religious community and not as a single parish or community through common reflection, discussion and study to learn what the Lord wanted it with his church and with his sacrament of unity.

 Prayer for Unity

 Meanwhile, we pray in the parishes and communities for the assistance of the Holy Spirit. He alone can bring about real unity step by step. Moreover, ecumenism is much wider than the unity between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant ecclesial communities. It also relates to our relationship with the Orthodox Churches of the East. ... "(Translation: Gero P. Weishaupt)

What does canon law say?

Concelebrated (intercelebration) with ministers of ecclesial communities which are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, according to canon law, one of the very serious offenses in the sacramental-liturgical field, the - is treated by the Glaubenkongreation (see - such as sexual abuse of minors . Liturgical Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, No. 172 c).

The Code of the Catholic Church (CIC/1983) reads:

 "Catholic priests are forbidden, together with priests or ministers of Churches or ecclesial communities which are not in full communion with the Catholic Church to concelebrate the Eucharist"

(Canon 908). "Who is guilty of illicitly worshiping in community is to be punished with a just penalty"

(Canon 1365). By law, the bishop or the professor for sanctioning. In the diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch, the bishop could refrain from sanctioning because the responsible minister had taken after a canonical warning from his plan distance.

Link to kathnews... 

Bildquelle: nl.wikipedia.org, user Karrow

Holland: Catholic Grade Schools to be Abolished

School Federation:  "The connection to the Church is already minimal at present" -- Auxiliary Bishop:  This enables the foundation of  "truly Catholic" grade schools, which the state had frequently suspended many in existence with disapproval.

Amsterdam (kath.net/KNA)  A large part of the Catholic grade schools in the Dutch diocese of s'Hertogenbosch will remove the description Catholic during the foreseeable year of 2013.

As the newspaper >>Trouw<< online (Monday) reports, that according to the determination of the scholastic board Signum, a large number of the 24 schools will eliminate the word "Catholic" from its self-description.

"The connection to the Church is already minimal now", stressed the Signum president Jan Timmers.  Of a break with the Church one could not say.  "We have been disengaging from the Church for years", says Timmers.  So, the schools will also celebrate the Islamic Ramadan at some time between Easter and Christmas.  Also the description of the scholastic mission statement will no longer be relegated directly to the Catholic Church, but to the "individuality of each child".

The Auxiliary Bishop in s'Hertogenbosch, Rob Mutsaerts, informed the report the following that it is better to
remove the designation "Catholic", because it doesn't correspond any more to the school's concept and moderating content.

This may enable the foundation of "truly Catholic" grade schools.  Till now the state has denied such new foundations and it has adversely managed numerous existing Catholic grade schools.