Still Waiting

The Bishop of the Diocese of Nashville is reportedly still "planning a response" to the dissenting Tennessee priest's video which outraged many Catholics. The video - which supported contraception and argued against priestly celibacy, papal authority, etc. - was recently pulled from the parish website after an uproar by concerned Catholics. According to a recent EWTN article, the bishop considers the priest's actions an "extremely serious matter" and is still "working to find a resolution within the canonical discipline of the Church." Similar sentiments were expressed by the diocese in early August, yet there has apparently been little progress.

[8/17]

Celibacy "is the most striking proof of God"

Cardinal Joachim Meisner on the "gift of celibacy": The German Cardinal said that "We must either say that the celibate man is crazy, or that there is a God", noting that "There is no other alternative. And when they realize he is not crazy... Convincingly lived, celibacy is the most striking proof of God."

Related: Why Priestly Celibacy?

[7/15]

Recent Remarks of Pope Benedict XVI: Some Highlights

The following are some highlights from recent remarks of the Holy Father made in connection with the close of the Year for Priests...

* Celibacy is "a scandal" to our world, a world which has 'no room for God', but it is "an anticipation, a foretaste [of life in heaven, in which 'we will be beyond marriage'], made possible by the grace of the Lord, that pulls us towards the risen world and helps us transcend ourselves" [Related: Why Priestly Celibacy?]

* "The priest is not a mere office-holder," but rather the priest "does something which no human being can do of his own power: in Christ's name he speaks the words which absolve us of our sins and in this way he changes, starting with God, our entire life."

* "It was to be expected that this new radiance of the priesthood [provided by the Year for Priests] would not be pleasing to the 'enemy'; he would have rather preferred to see it disappear, so that God would ultimately be driven out of the world. And so it happened that, in this very year of joy for the Sacrament of the priesthood, the sins of priests came to light - particularly the abuse of the little ones."

* "We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved [for abuse scandals], while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again; and that in admitting men to priestly ministry and in their formation we will do everything we can to weigh the authenticity of their vocation and make every effort to accompany priests along their journey"

* "Had the Year for Priests been a glorification of our individual human performance, it would have been ruined by these events [abuse revelations]. But for us what happened was precisely the opposite: we grew in gratitude for God's gift, a gift concealed in 'earthen vessels' which ever anew, even amid human weakness, makes His love concretely present in this world. So let us look upon all that happened as a summons to purification, as a task which we bring to the future and which makes us acknowledge and love all the more the great gift we have received from God. In this way, His gift becomes a commitment to respond to God's courage and humility by our own courage and our own humility"

* "God wants us, as priests, in one tiny moment of history, to share His concern about people. As priests, we want to be persons who share His concern for men and women, who take care of them and provide them with a concrete experience of God's concern"

* "The shepherd points out the right path to those entrusted to him. He goes before them and leads them. Let us put it differently: the Lord shows us the right way to be human. He teaches us the art of being a person. What must I do in order not to fall, not to squander my life in meaninglessness? This is precisely the question which every man and woman must ask, and one which remains valid at every moment of one's life. How much darkness surrounds this question in our own day! We are constantly reminded of the words of Jesus, Who felt compassion for the crowds because they were like a flock without a shepherd"

* "The Church too must use the shepherd's rod, the rod with which she protects the faith against those who falsify it, against currents which lead the flock astray. The use of the rod can actually be a service of love. Today we can see that it has nothing to do with love when conduct unworthy of the priestly life is tolerated. Nor is it love if heresy is allowed to spread and the faith twisted and chipped away, as if it were something that we ourselves had invented. As if it were no longer God's gift, the precious pearl which we cannot let be taken from us. Even so, the rod must always become once again the shepherd's staff - a staff which helps men and women to tread difficult paths and to follow the Lord"

Related: Priests & Vocations (Reflections)

[6/11]

Some More News Highlights

More recent news highlights...

* A "little nun with a commanding voice" in Pittsburgh foiled a recent robbery attempt by instructing a thief to return a wallet he had taken from a car via an open window. Reportedly, the thief apologized to the 5'3" sister and returned the stolen wallet

* Pope Benedict has apparently accepted an invitation to visit Ukraine in 2012. A formal announcement is expected to be forthcoming

* Reports indicate that a two hour long Eucharistic adoration service "in reparation for abuses committed by priests and for the healing of this wound within the church" will take place this Saturday at St. Peter's Basilica

* Pope Benedict recently told the Italian bishops that society is facing a "cultural and spiritual crisis, as serious as the economic crisis." He also encouraged the bishops not to give up their efforts to provide a true Catholic education

* A Catholic priest in Arizona is leading an effort to put an initiative on the ballot aimed at repealing/changing the state's new anti-illegal immigration law. The priest's initiative also seeks a three-year moratorium to prevent future immigration related legislation. It will reportedly be "a real challenge" for supporters to obtain the number of signatures needed to qualify the measure for the ballot [Related: Civics 101: Breaking the law is not okay]

* Shameful: According to reports, a group of women who have had relationships with priests sent an open letter to Pope Benedict requesting an end to priestly celibacy [Commentary: These (brazen!) women imagine that these men would honor vows to them even though these same men failed to honor vows to the all-holy God?] Note: Click here for the importance of & reasons for priestly celibacy

* More bad news: A Jesuit investigation found that some 205 allegations of abuse have been made against priests at the order's schools in Germany. The investigation reportedly revealed "decades of systematic abuse and attempts of a cover-up" in the order, for which a Jesuit official acknowledged "shame and guilt"

* Well said: An editorial penned by a Fall River priest concerning a recent decision to bar a child with lesbian 'parents' from admission to a Catholic school has indicated that the decision "wasn’t a bigoted decision at all, but a courageous, principled, and undoubtedly difficult one, seeking the good of the eight year-old boy and the rest of the children at the school." He noted that "there is a requirement, for the good of the child, that the parents commit to raise the child in a situation that at least does not contradict the values and formation given at the school" and that "If the child’s education will not be coupled to a way of life consistent with it, the parents and school would be placing the child in a spiritually and morally schizophrenic situation - which is obviously harmful." [Related: Defending the Indefensible | Catholic education begins at home]

* More immigration-related news: According to at least one source, the Mass of Reception for the new Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles was "marked by clear indications that support for immigrants will be a priority" for the future leader of the nation's largest diocese. The multi-lingual service included a "lengthy homily" spoken in English and in Spanish. During the talk, Cardinal Mahony said that "A good shepherd here will of necessity work tirelessly for just immigration policies and for the protection of the dignity of all our immigrants", whereas the Mexican-born Archbishop Gomez (now a citizen of the U.S.) said, that "God is with us, and in his loving eyes, no one is a stranger for him, and no one is an alien for any of us." Archbishop Gomez is the first Hispanic archbishop of Los Angeles. He has been "active in the Hispanic community" and has served as chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church [Related: Civics 101: Breaking the law is not okay]

[5/27]

Clearing up some confusion

To clear up some confusion regarding recent events, please note the following...

* The Italian group that plans to 'ordain' a woman this month cannot validly do so. Even if a schismatic or heretical group (or a Catholic group for that matter) manages to maintain valid orders, they can't successfully confer them on a woman even if they try. For more information, please click here.

* Some overseas prelates who have called for an end to priestly celibacy have essentially joined "the abominable conspiracy against clerical celibacy" (Pope Gregory XVI). Please note that popes & saints have repeatedly praised priestly celibacy. Ending priestly celibacy would harm, NOT help the church. For more information, please click here.

* Catholic schools that have refused admission (or readmission) to pupils of lesbian 'parents' have NOT acted unjustly, nor are they "punishing" the children. Rather, the schools have taken appropriate measures to maintain their Catholic identity and they should be encouraged not to back down in the face of fierce pressure. For more on this topic, please see the following recent articles (click to view): Defending the Indefensible | Catholic education begins at home

[5/13]

A Couple Updates

The following are a couple of updates to previous news briefs...

* The controversial, dissenting priest shown in online videos rejecting Church teachings and violating "many" liturgical norms, has at the same time both 'apologized' and reaffirmed his position against priestly celibacy & the all-male priesthood. Fr. Pfleger's short, incongruous statement - which contained at least one error of logic (e.g. that women should be ordained simply because they stood at the foot of the cross) - failed to address his violations of liturgical norms or reasons for the Church's position regarding priestly celibacy (click here) and the all-male priesthood [e.g. that it is impossible for the Church to ordain women (click here)]. His contradictory statement appeared on the diocesan website, apparently unchallenged.

* Update on stabbing at Phoenix parish: The daughter of the parish employee who was stabbed has indicated that her mother is expected to be released within a week. She also indicated her gratitude to the heroes who helped, including the priest who risked his safety to protect the woman. Both victims were reportedly in stable condition. According to police, the attacker had demanded his baptismal records.

[4/16]

Scandals & Agendas

Be warned, those with an agenda are finding recent abuse scandals a fresh new opportunity to push for married priests and as well a chance to advance feminist ideals. Faithful Catholics should be prepared to counter their arguments. The following resources may be of assistance... (Click link to view)

* Why Priestly Celibacy?

* Top Reasons Why Women Can't Be Priests

[3/11]

Ignorant Australian judge condemns priestly celibacy

A non-Catholic judge in Australia has been sharply rebuked by Catholics after he called for the Catholic Church to end the "cruel, cruel" practice of priestly celibacy. The ignorant judge implied that celibacy may be a factor in clerical abuse and claimed it must be "agonizing" for priests to be celibate. Even an opponent of priestly celibacy admitted that there have been "so many studies that show it's not the vow of celibacy that prompts a man to abuse a child."

"Holy virginity and that perfect chastity which is consecrated to the service of God is without doubt among the most precious treasures which the Founder of the Church has left in heritage to the society which He established." (Pope Pius XII, "Sacra Virginitas", 1954 A.D.)

"Now, however, We want you to rally to combat the abominable conspiracy against clerical celibacy. This conspiracy spreads daily and is promoted by profligate philosophers, some even from the clerical order. They have forgotten their person and office, and have been carried away by the enticements of pleasure. They have even dared to make repeated public demands to the princes for the abolition of that most holy discipline. But it is disgusting to dwell on these evil attempts at length. Rather, We ask that you strive with all your might to justify and to defend the law of clerical celibacy as prescribed by the sacred canons, against which the arrows of the lascivious are directed from every side." (Pope Gregory XVI, "Mirari Vos", 1832 A.D.)

Related: Why Priestly Celibacy? [Note: This article includes refutation of the argument that celibacy has led to the abuse scandals]

[2/24]

Please give it up!

The future head of the Swiss Bishops Conference is making waves by calling for an end to priestly celibacy. He claims the bishops are "quite unanimous" in supporting his view. His proposals to the Vatican, thankfully, have been rejected. If only the Vatican would finally silence those who attack priestly celibacy - "one of the purest glories of the Catholic priesthood" (Pope Pius XI), "among the most precious treasures" (Pope Pius XII), "a brilliant jewel" (Pope Paul VI), "a gift...In it is contained a spiritual treasure" (Pope John Paul II)

"It deeply hurts Us that...anyone can dream that the Church will deliberately or even suitably renounce what from time immemorial has been, and still remains, one of the purest and noblest glories of her priesthood. The law of ecclesiastical celibacy and the efforts necessary to preserve it always recall to mind the struggles of the heroic times when the Church of Christ had to fight for and succeeded in obtaining her threefold glory, always an emblem of victory, that is, the Church of Christ, free, chaste and Catholic." (Pope John XXIII, 1960 A.D.)

[Related Resource: Why Priestly Celibacy?]

[11/30]

Important refreshers for Catholics

Considering recent events, it seems opportune for Catholics to refresh their memories on facts regarding priestly celibacy, apparitions, and homosexual 'marriage'...

* Priestly celibacy: In a recent clarification, a Vatican spokesman has denied that the hold up in publishing the Apostolic Constitution regarding Anglicans entering the Catholic Church concerns the issue of celibacy. The clarification says that the delay in publishing the document is "purely technical in the sense of ensuring consistency in canonical language and references" and anticipates the document will be completed "by the end of the first week of November." The clarification reaffirmed earlier statements that ordination of Anglicans who are married will be a special - but not unprecedented - exception to the rule of celibacy and that this would occur on a case by case basis. According to the clarification, the ordination of seminarians who had converted from Anglicanism is "purely speculative." In all cases, married Anglicans who receive a special exception to the rule of celibacy and are ordained as priests would be prohibited from serving as bishops. Some faithful Catholics fear the arrangement may threaten the rule of priestly celibacy, but Vatican statements have affirmed that celibacy will be the norm in the Church even for converted Anglicans. It is important for today's Catholics to keep in mind the very important & weighty reasons for priestly celibacy, reasons which are summed up here in the article 'Why Priestly Celibacy?' (click above link to view)

* Marian Apparitions: Once again alleged visions are causing controversy in the Church. The most recent example is occurring in Knock where a "Dublin-based clairvoyant" has been predicting 'repeat apparitions' of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the historic shrine. The Archbishop has condemned the alleged apparitions and warned his flock about them, but thousands of people have disobeyed him. Disobedience is also rampant in other alleged apparition sites (e.g. Medjugorje). Therefore, it seems a fitting time to remind Catholics of some basic facts such as: (1) Most alleged apparitions are false, (2) Alleged apparitions may be more likely to be false than true, (3) Misplaced belief in false apparitions may be dangerous, (4) Apparitions may not add to the deposit of the faith, which was completed with the apostles, (5) Information from apparitions is not required for salvation, (6) Persons should not propagate or promote unapproved apparitions (including "reading, publishing, possessing, translating, and distributing literature which treat of unapproved apparitions"), (7) Unexplained "phenomena" do not guarantee authenticity of an apparition, and (8) Persons should not center their faith around an apparition. For additional reminders, please click here.

* Homosexual 'marriage': Sadly, a group of Catholics in Maine is working against the Church in an effort to keep 'legalized' homosexual 'marriage' in the state. Some of their comments suggest that these poorly formed Catholics feel it's somehow "charitable" to offend God if it makes a group of sinners happy. During this confused age, it is especially important that Catholics know how to counteract such misguided reasoning with facts such as those in the earlier news brief entitled "The End of Freedom in America?" (click here to view)

"[L]et all be warned and strengthened with special care against wrong principles and false teaching" (Pope Leo XIII, "Rerum Novarum", 1891 A.D.)

[11/2]

Expect deafening silence

The silence is likely to be deafening from those who rage an ongoing assault on celibacy both from within and outside the Church concerning a recent abuse scandal. This time, the priest in question was a former Episcopal 'priest' who received a special exception to be ordained as a married Catholic priest. He has now been removed from his parish in Arkansas after an allegation of a homosexual assault against a man in his early 20s. Clearly, the priest's being married did not prevent the scandal... But don't expect to hear about that from liberals who use the clerical abuse scandals as an excuse to end priestly celibacy.

[Related: Reasons for priestly celibacy]

[8/10]