The Pope just got done scolding Austrian priests for their disobedience in calling for married clergy (one thing) and female ordination (another.) So no sooner does the Pope say this when the Bishop of Antwerp, Johan Bonny, does almost the same thing.
In an interview with daily newspaper De Standard, The Bishop of Antwerp, Johan Bonny, said he was ready to ordain married men. He thinks that non-celibate priests might be an asset in Church pastoral work. The bishop said he appreciates celibacy because it can be a powerful attitude to have in “a consumerist society like ours, where sex is sometimes trivialised”: He reminded that the rule of celibacy does not pose essential doctrinal problems. It differs from the issue of women’s ordination in this respect. Bonny said that probably most of the Belgian bishops would welcome a change of direction with regards to the ordination of married men. Belgian Catholics might accept the ordination of women, but “this is a difficult issue worldwide.”
While he does not come out directly in favor of female ordination, he understates the difficulty with obvious purpose.
How does the Church survive her Bishops?
April 17, 2012 at 3:21 pm
so immature….it sounds like me kids. When one asks me for something and I say no and then the next one asks for the same thing. I just say "of course you may because I like you better." But like our naughty children I guess he cannot fire the disobedient ones…too bad, though.
April 17, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Not to be hyper-critical, but the Holy Father appointed this man as bishop. I have to ask: did the Pope know what this man's opinions were about these things before he appointed him bishop, or did Bonny spill it out after his ordination? Well, irregardless of what the case may be, Benedict can discipline or remove this flake from his office if he persists in his errors.
April 17, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Married or not married for male priests is a discipline, not doctrine, and could be dispensed with if the Holy Father so decided. (Unlike female priests which is a full blown doctrinal NO!) But it is my understanding that those married priests we have allowed when they came under special dispensation have a very high divorce rate. And those that call for it better open their wallets wider in order to pay salaries that will allow for support of a family.
April 17, 2012 at 5:33 pm
"How does the Church survive her Bishops?"
The same way She always has, with the protection of the Holy Spirit. The fact that the Church has survived two thousand years, with incompetent leadership, is one of the reasons I believe it is the true Church. If it didn't have supernatural help, it would have disintegrated 1900 years ago.
April 17, 2012 at 6:29 pm
I'm ready to rearrange the office furniture if my boss asks, and I think that having the furniture rearranged well might be an asset in my office work. Does that mean that I'm calling for rearranged furniture? No, it doesn't. At least based on the quote from the Bishop, it seems this post is uncharitable to the Bishop and unfairly twists his words.
April 17, 2012 at 7:20 pm
A woman cannot espouse the BRIDE OF CHRIST. Celibacy, not understood as a discipline, is an indication that the priesthood is not understood at all.
April 17, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Why is it that these people always want to lift celibacy for priests as a way of attracting more vocations but not other ? Seriously if we allow married priests why not married sisters or brothers? Sure there are their religious vows but are they absolutely necessary, doctrinally speaking of course. Since there are quite a few half empty monasteries and convents why don't we make them coed and maximize the use of space?
April 18, 2012 at 4:30 am
Proud hillbilly- I wish that someone would find a source of this rumor of 'married clergy have a higher rate of divorce'- I know a lot of married clergy and no one has divorced
(I do know two celibate Byzantine priests who decided to get married and be re-ordained as Orthodox priests) 🙁
Cavaliere- I know your post was a bit tongue in cheek- but celibacy is essential to the monastic way of life (of course)- Fr Abbot Nicholas of Holy resurrection Monastery advises men to first discern celibacy or marriage and then go from there- In the Roman-rite, discerning marriage would close the door of the priesthood
April 18, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Priest's wife – Well, that would be my former pastor, but since he become a monk a couple years ago I can't ping him for the source. Would if I could. I really don't care one way or the other on the subject of married clergy – I just think, like so many things, it needs to be done as something more than a knee jerk reaction.