Volume 25, Number 3 December 2003
Optional celibacy bandwagon keeps rolling
The clamor for open discussion of optional celibacy keeps rising. Since the 163 Milwaukee priests took their stand in August, many bodies of priests have joined the National Federation of Priests' Councils to say they want a married priesthood discussed. Priest groups have spoken out in Chicago, Belleville, Ill., Los Angeles, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Syracuse, New York City, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New Ulm, Minn., and the list is growing.
Even where priests are not taking initiative to speak out, many of them agree celibacy should be on the table. To verify that, at least 16 regional CTAs, along with two individuals not affiliated with a local CTA, followed the lead of the Buffalo and Syracuse chapters and are mailing anonymous surveys to all the priests in over 40 dioceses. CTA Indianapolis completed theirs Dec. 10. One-third of their priests responded, and 84 percent of them said yes, they wanted celibacy discussed.
At press time surveys were underway in Oakland and in San Jose, Calif. They were being planned in Sacramento, Monterey, Fresno, and San Francisco; also in Des Moines and Dubuque, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, Oklahoma City, and Covington, Ky. Statewide surveys are being prepared in Ohio, New Mexico, Nebraska and Michigan.
Only Catholics lack clergy
Bishop Wilton Gregory, USCCB president, has said a married priesthood won't help the Catholic priest shortage because other churches with married clergy also have a shortage. He's wrong, says a Purdue University study reported in America magazine Dec. 1. The study found that since 1981 all Protestant denominations showed increases in clergy from three to 35 percent. The Catholic Church suffered a 22 percent loss.
Petitions to Eucharist Synod
The Corpus Christi Campaign petitions to the International Synod on the Eucharist in Rome in late 2004 or early 2005 are coming in at a steady clip. Developed by FutureChurch and CTA, the petition that appeared in October ChurchWatch has since been circulated by other organizations, including WOC, CORPUS, CITI, Inc., and the Denver-based progressive newsletter, LEAVEN. Next big deadline for petitions is on the Corpus Christi feast day, June 13. Many parishes will sponsor a day of prayer and education about the priest shortage and its effect on sacramental life.