Father Spadaro and the Confusing "Minister of the Eucharist" -- The Introduction of Calvinist Hand Communion

(Mexico City) Sources of information about the pastoral visit of Pope Francis to Mexico includes the Twitter account of the Jesuit priest, Antonio Spadaro. Spadaro is the editor of the Roman Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica . He is considered to be one of those closest  personal friends to the Argentine Pope. On September 2013 he published the first media interview with Francis.

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The editor is very active on Twitter  and sends short messages several times a day, including on the Pope's Mass in Ecatepec in Mexico City. So  he also sent the above picture and wrote: "Ministri dell'Eucaristia" (Minister of the Eucharist). Such designation is explicitly rejected by the current provisions.

"Ministers of the Eucharist" are priests only, as the instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum 2004 reaffirmed. Did Father Spadaro mistake the "minister of the Eucharist" with communion helpers? A lapse or Freudian slip?

The picture shows namely without doubt extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, which are briefly mentioned in the German extraordinary minister of holy communion. It is to lay people who may be appointed in urgent need case, what the Pope's Mass was the case yesterday in Ecatepec.

Extraordinary ministers of holy communion: precedent for current interest?

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion not Ministers of the Eucharist

The introduction of the extraordinary minister of holy Eucharist is regarded as a precedent for a mechanism to establish changes in the Church.

In 1964 the Berlin Ordinarienkonferenz, the forerunner of the later Berlin Bishops' Conference, which included the bishops of the Communist GDR, issued by Rome's permission to employ "suitable laymen" the diaspora areas for Communion at home worship. The measure was justified to serve  the far-flung areas. In 1966 the exemption was extended. But then something amazing happened.

Although the measure for a given area was granted on the basis of a specific "emergency", it was dealt with in 1967 by the Pope Paul VI. approved instruction Eucharisticum Mysterium in its extension to the entire world Church. The GDR with its diaspora situation was atypical of the Catholic world. Because of the communist dictatorship and the isolation by the Wall, the situation there was also withdrawn from the direct view of the world public. Nevertheless, it served as a trial run which was totallly justified with a total ecclesiastical decision.

The situation is reminiscent of today's Amazon workshop and the attempt to receive permission there to allow  married "viri probati" ordination because of the alleged lack of priests. According to the ideas of the promoters, the "Amazon model" could be just as quickly extended to the entire Catholic Church. An exceptional situation serves to introduce an exemption. It's a breach in the wall that will quickly lead to the complete dam break.

As a result of the introduction of Communion,  priests in some churches no longer distribute Communion to let the layman take precedence. More often, there is no clear need for an extraordinary minister of holy communion, yet they are used. Even when in papal liturgies  it already comes to an undignified treatment of the body of Christ, as the World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro or at the Pope's Mass in Manila in January, 2015.

The Effective Rules for Communion Helpers

The Roman permission stressing the exceptional status: the layman is only an "extraordinary" minister of holy communion, to be used only "if necessary".

In 2004, the Congregation for Divine Worship called with the instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum the provisions of achievement:

[88.] The faithful should normally receive sacramental Communion of the Eucharist during Mass itself, at the moment laid down by the rite of celebration, that is to say, just after the Priest celebrant’s Communion.[172] It is the Priest celebrant’s responsibility to minister Communion, perhaps assisted by other Priests or Deacons; and he should not resume the Mass until after the Communion of the faithful is concluded. Only when there is a necessity may extraordinary ministers assist the Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law. 

[154.] As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.[254] Hence the name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone. Moreover, also by reason of their sacred Ordination, the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are the Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon,[255] to whom it belongs therefore to administer Holy Communion to the lay members of Christ’s faithful during the celebration of Mass. In this way their ministerial office in the Church is fully and accurately brought to light, and the sign value of the Sacrament is made complete. 

[155.] In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover, reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the norm of law,[256] for one occasion or for a specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the occasion. This act of appointment, however, does not necessarily take a liturgical form, nor, if it does take a liturgical form, should it resemble sacred Ordination in any way. Finally, in special cases of an unforeseen nature, permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priest who presides at the celebration of the Eucharist.[257] 

[156.] This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened. 

[157.] If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.[258] 

[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason. 

[159.] It is never allowed for the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to delegate anyone else to administer the Eucharist, as for example a parent or spouse or child of the sick person who is the communicant. 

[160.] Let the diocesan Bishop give renewed consideration to the practice in recent years regarding this matter, and if circumstances call for it, let him correct it or define it more precisely. Where such extraordinary ministers are appointed in a widespread manner out of true necessity, the diocesan Bishop should issue special norms by which he determines the manner in which this function is to be carried out in accordance with the law, bearing in mind the tradition of the Church.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: Twitter (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG 

Masonic Cardinal Bemoans Justifiable Criticism of His Masonic Attitudes and Advocates Dialog With Freemasonry

Edit: , while Gianfranco Cardinal Ravasi calls for dialog with Freemasonry, Pope Francis has recently insisted that there can be no dialog with the devil.  In a recent statement for Il Timone, reported by Rorate Caeli, Ravasi laments that there are "integralists" in the Church who lay the charge of Freemasonry against various churchmen. It's understandable that he'd say this, at least out of self-interest, for he himself is no stranger to endorsing masonic, occultic ideas in his own public practice, as he did in Argentina when he worshiped the goddess Pachama in November of 2014 under the auspices of his masonic, "Court of Gentiles" initiative, which he began under Pope Benedict, initially.  Is it really necessary to just ask?

As this prelate disparages faithful Catholics for being scandalized by his masonic postures, more importantly, he's insulted God by offering adulation for notorious and unrepentant sinners.  Surely, he has more love for masonic commandments than God's.

An interesting citation from the Credo Sanctum blog on the nature of Freemasonry, the current Pope and Vatican II:

This reputation will put access to our doctrines into the midst of the young clergy, as well as deeply into the monasteries. In a few years, by the force of things, this young clergy will have overrun all the functions; they will form the sovereign’s council, they will be called to choose a Pontiff who should reign. And this Pontiff, like most of his contemporaries, will be necessarily more or less imbued with the Italian and humanitarian principles that we are going to begin to put into circulation.

 Until the Catholic hierarchy starts to sort prelates like this out in a very real and meaningful way, both apodictically and apophatically, the desolation of Catholic institutions and the great confusion of peoples will continue.  Father Ray Blake seems to have some ideas.  Now THIS is dialog:

To those who deny the existence of God, and assert that the world is self-existing, and that all things in it occur by chance, and not by the providence of God, Anathema!

Deacon: To those who say that God is not spirit, but flesh; or that He is not just, merciful, wise and all-knowing, and utter similar blasphemies, Anathema! To those who dare to say that the Son of God and also the Holy Spirit are not one in essence and of equal honor with the Father, and confess that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not one God, Anathema!
To those who foolishly say that the coming of the Son of God into the world in the flesh, and His voluntary passion, death, and resurrection were not necessary for our salvation and the cleansing of sins, Anathema!
To those who reject the grace of redemption preached by the Gospel as the only means of our justification before God, Anathema!
To those who dare to say that the all-pure Virgin Mary was not virgin before giving birth, during birth-giving, and after her child-birth, Anathema!
To those who do not believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets and apostles, and by them taught us the true way to eternal salvation, and confirmed this by miracles, and now dwells in the hearts of all true and faithful Christians, and teaches them in all truth, Anathema!
To those who reject the immortality of the soul, the end of time, the future judgement, and eternal reward for virtue and condemnation for sin, Anathema! To those who reject all the holy mysteries held by the Church of Christ, Anathema!
To those who reject the Councils of the holy fathers and their traditions, which are agreeable to divine revelation and kept piously by the Orthodox Church, Anathema!
To those who mock and profane the holy images and relics which the holy Church receives as revelations of God's work and of those pleasing to Him, to inspire their beholders with piety, and to arouse them to follow these examples; and to those who say that they are idols, Anathema!
To those who dare to say and teach that our Lord Jesus Christ did not descend to earth, but only seemed to; or that He did not descend to the earth and become incarnate only once, but many times, and who likewise deny that the true Wisdom of the Father is His only-begotten Son, Anathema!
To the followers of the occult, spiritualists, wizards, and all who do not believe in the one God, but honor the demons; or who do not humbly give their lives over to God, but strive to learn the future through sorcery, Anathema!

Image: stolen  from Christopher Schaefer.

1,000 Missionaries of Mercy -- The Snag of the Unauthorized Bishops of China

(Rome) On Wednesday Pope Francis celebrated a liturgy for the 1,000 Missionaries of Mercy during the Ash Wednesday. They will go out into the world with the power of being able to forgive those grave sins whose forgiveness is reserved only to the.

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Church law provides for the following offenses:

Canon 1367: Whoever throws away the consecrated sacrament or for a sacrilegious purpose, steals them or keeps them, incurs latae sententiae excommunication reserved to thethe  Holy See: a cleric, moreover, must be subject to a further punishment, the dismissal from the clerical state is not excluded.

Canon 1370.1: A person who uses physical force against the Roman Pontiff incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; if the offender is a cleric, another penalty, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state, may be added according to the gravity of the crime..

Canon 1378.1: A priest who acts against the prescription of Can. 977 incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See..

Canon 977: The absolution of an accomplice in a sin against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue is invalid except in danger of death..

Canon 1382: A bishop who consecrates someone without pontifical mandate to bishop, as well as he who receives the consecration from him, excommunication reserved incurs a latae sententiae reserved by the Holy See.

Canon 1388.1: A confessor who violates the seal of confession directly incurs latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Holy See; but he who violates it only indirectly, he shall be punished according to the gravity of the offense.

Pope Benedict XVI. added with the Motu proprio Norma nonnullas of 22 February, 2013   another crime. The  excommunication is  latae sententiae, reserved by the Holy See,   to anyone who breaks the secrecy of the conclave.

In addition, there are other offenses, of which the individual priest can not absolve, but only the Holy See or the diocesan bishop. This includes the crime of abortion.

Whoever commits any of these offenses, is automatically excommunicated. He himself is excluded by the fact from  communion with the Church and is not admitted to the sacraments. That is, he may not even go to confession. If he does so, then the priest must deny him absolution and refer him to the bishop or the Pope. Would the priest nevertheless grant him absolution, this would  be null and void.

In order to obtain the possibility of absolution from sin, excommunication must be set aside previously.This can in some cases be accomplished by the competent diocesan bishop, in other cases, only the Pope.

Now Pope Francis with the Missionaries of Charity has issued an authorization to more than a thousand priests around the world, during the Holy Year of Mercy to annul these excommunications, as a condition for re-admission to confession and thus to reconciliation with the Church.

What happens to the seven illicitly consecrated bishops in China?

The Vatican expert Sandro Magister points to a very special case in which the matter may "not be so simple"...  "at least for a sin". It involves illicit episcopal ordinations, which were carried out in the PRC.To control the Catholic Church, the communist regime has created a Catholic organization obedient to the regime called the Patriotic Association. The CP has demanded that the bishops and priests renounce Rome and are required  to pledge their loyalty to the regime, while loyalty to the Pope and the Church is persecuted as "subservience to a foreign power."

The Beijing government, therefore,  officially determines who are  bishops in mainland China. Although these appointments are not recognized by  Rome, the regime allows the episcopal ordinations , mostly bishops of the regime, while bishops loyal  to Rome are forced to participate.

Currently, there are at least seven such bishops who were ordained without papal permission. They have undertaken more illicit ordinations. Anyone who participates in such an illicit ordination is automatically excommunicated.

This includes:

• Zhan Silu, bishop of Mindong (Fujian), consecrated in 2000
• Ma Yinglin, Bishop of Kunming (Yunnan) and President of the Chinese Bishops' Council, the variant of the Episcopal Conference loyal to the regime, consecrated in 2006
• Liu Xinhong, Bishop of Wuhu (Anhui), consecrated in 2006
• Guo Jincai, Bishop of Chengde (Hebei), consecrated 2010
• Lei Shiyin, Bishop of Leshan (Sichuan), consecrated in 2011
• Huang Bingzhang, Bishop of Shantou (Guangdong), consecrated in 2011
• Yue Fusheng, Bishop of Harbin (Heilongjiang), consecrated in 2012

Among the more than 1,000 Missionaries of Mercy  there is only one Chinese officially notified: Father Luigi Bonalumi from Hong Kong of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME). However, he only speaks the Cantonese spoken mainly in southern China, not Mandarin. Cantonese is only spoken by about six percent of Chinese. He will also, according to the official statement, exercise his authority only in the Diocese of Hong Kong.

Lifting of the excommunication of illicit episcopal ordinations remains reserved to the pope

On February 9  Curial Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and coordinator of the Holy Year has given the Missionaries of Charity written instructions. They show that they can forgive all sins mentioned in the Pope's name, except one: the forgiveness of an illicit episcopal ordination remains exclusively reserved for the Pope in the Holy Year.

Father Bernardo Cervellera, PIME, the chief of the press portal AsiaNews , has recalled how such cases have proceeded so far. The Holy See demanded of excommunicated bishops that they send a letter to the Pope,  setting out their situation, including an admission of guilt  by recognizing the responsibility of any wrongdoing, and asking for forgiveness.

Then the Holy See asks of the bishops, to make a public gesture and ask the faithful for forgiveness for the scandal they have caused them.

Dilemma of visible reconciliation

This was particularly true for those bishops who were more or less forced to take part in illicit episcopal ordinations. More problematic is the reintegration of illicitly consecrated bishops themselves. It is difficult to say they have been forced to episcopal dignity.

They are also exposed at a reconciliation with Rome to an even higher probability of reprisals   and persecution. Quitting the Patriotic Association is a mandatory step and is understood by the Communist Party as an attack on their authority. The Beijing regime would, as it has  so often accused the Vatican in the past, of "interference in internal affairs".

For the situation of such a bishop in the Patriotic Association, the faithful have had reason to doubt the sincerity of his reconciliation.

The Holy Year of Mercy should probably have initially no effect on the painful question of episcopal ordinations in the People's Republic of China. Pope Francis attempted a  " rapprochment" of a different kind a few days ago by offering flowers to the Beijing regime and  excluded the question of episcopal appointments, the Underground Church, the persecution of Christians and human rights. Reactions from Beijing are not yet known.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Vatican.va/OR (Screenshot)

Lourdes Rector Encourages Moral Depravity

Edit: Andre Cabes, the rector of the shrine insists that Lourdes is a place of "encounter", but it doesn't matter to him that these are illicit and scandalous encounters in an open endorsement for gender ideology. This from the Telegraph:

[Telegraph] Married or not, straight or gay, you and your sweetheart will be welcome in Lourdes for Valentine's Day, officials announced on Friday.

"Come to Lourdes to say I love you," beckons a flyer put out by the Lourdes diocese, touting a "couples weekend" as part of efforts to boost dwindling visitor numbers.

"Come to Lourdes to say I love you," beckons a flyer put out by the Lourdes diocese, touting a "couples weekend" as part of efforts to boost dwindling visitor numbers.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/12155235/Lourdes-throws-open-its-doors-to-gays-for-Valentines-Day.html

Pope Francis: "No Dialog With the Devil"

(Mexico City) Yesterday, Sunday, Pope Francis, who is currently on a pastoral trip through Mexico, celebrated Holy Mass on the grounds of Ecatepec center near Mexico City. On this occasion, the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was brought there. The Pope made a short sermon, previously distributed to journalists with a restriction period on publication, but in which he introduced improvised parts.

"Let us remember what we have heard in the Gospel: Jesus never contradicts the devil in his own words, but contradicts him with the words of God, with the words of Scripture. Because men and women, about which we must be clear, with the devil there is no dialogue, you can't conduct dialogue with him because he will always beat us. Only the power of God's words can defeat him.

The Spanish original text was published by the Holy See. An official English translation of the pope's preaching is not yet available.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi Image: Vatican.va/OR (Screenshot) Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com Link to Katholisches.... AMDG

"Catholic" School President Wants to Expel Catholic Students: "Catholic Jihadis"

Emmitsburg, Md., Feb 11, 2016 / 03:42 pm (CNA).- Amid uproar over comparing struggling students to bunnies that should be drowned or shot, Mount St. Mary’s University president is now under fire for criticizing expressions of the Catholic faith at the school.

Already facing turmoil, the second-oldest Catholic university in the country is now seeing alumni and former faculty members publicly expressing their concerns over President Simon Newman’s disparaging remarks about the college’s Catholic identity – even reportedly calling some students “Catholic jihadis.”

Thane Naberhaus, a tenured professor who was recently fired from the Maryland university, told CNA that the president wanted to downplay the school’s Catholic identity because, in his words, “Catholic doesn’t sell.”

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/more-allegations-emerge-as-mount-st-marys-controversy-boils-48348/

Ingravescente Ætate -- Three Years Ago: The Resignation from Office Struck Light Lightning

(Rome) Three years ago today, Pope Benedict XVI. completely surprised the world with the announcement of his resignation. 17 days later, he resigned from the office of Peter and left the Vatican. He changed the course of history.

" Ingravescente Aetate ", because of advanced age, was the reasoning that went through like a thunderbolt in the Church. In fact, a real lightning bolt struck the same evening on the dome of St. Peter. A natural phenomenon, which inspires horror to this day.

At that time it was claimed by some quarters in order to placate that the like had been done often and was nothing extraordinary. But neither before nor since has the "like" happened.

Benedict XVI. is yet alive, as his recent public performances have shown, and in command of his faculties.

His resignation is not comparable to anything in church history. No pope before him has resigned for "age reasons" from an office held for a lifetime.

In ten months his successor, Pope Francis, will complete his 80th year. He would have left the circle of papal electors and therefore, de facto, also from among the "papabili".


Link to Katholisches...
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

Voice of America: "Meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kyril Part of the Message of Fatima"

(Rome) The Spanish-language newscast "El Mundo al Dia" Voice of America (VOA) reported on Wednesday yesterday on the of 5 PM (Washington time) broadcast of the general audience of Pope Francis in the late morning. "El Mundo al Dia" reported at time stamp 20'28'' of a prayer request by the Pope for good progress in the first meeting in Cuba with the Moscow Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Voice of America is the official state foreign broadcast of the US government. It broadcasts daily world news in English and 43 other languages from radio and television stations.

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On the the Pope's greeting  to the German pilgrims Voice of America reported:

"A few hours before the start of his historic pilgrimage to Mexico, Pope Francis made reference to a meeting  which after 1,000 years is almost unknown today. With a gesture of reconciliation, the Catholic Church will meet  with the Russian Orthodox Church, separated because of the Eastern schism since 1054 [Actually, Moscow didn't break with Rome till much later as a result of the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople], between

both their highest representatives in Havana on Cuba under the auspices and through the agency of  President Raul Castro. According to some historians, the approach is part of the conversion process of the Russian people, which began under the pontificate of John Paul II., and is part of the message that was revealed by the Virgin of Fatima when she appeared in the beginning of the 20th century to three shepherd children."

What did the German spokesman say at the general audience on behalf of Pope Francis?

"Dear friends, in the coming days I will visit Mexico. I ask you to accompany my Apostolic Journey and the meeting with Patriarch Kirill in Cuba with your prayers. Thank you so much! I wish you a good start of Lent. "

Voice of America reported that Havana was chosen as a meeting place, because, among other things Cuban President Raul Castro mediated the meeting.[How heartwarming.]

The US Government station sees connection between meetings in Cuba and apparition of Fatima

In addition, the official foreign transmitter of the US government provided a link between the meetings and the Message of Fatima on the conversion of the Russian people. At the time when Mary appeared to the shepherd children in Fatima,  Russia was in the midst of the revolution. With the February Revolution, the [legitimate] czarist regime had been overthrown. With the October Revolution, shortly after the apparition, the Bolsheviks violently seized domination and established the totalitarian Soviet Union, which officially existed until 1991. Our Lady had requested the consecration of Russia  to her Immaculate Heart at Fatima, then Russia will be converted, otherwise it would "spread her errors throughout the world, which will give rise to wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated, but at the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph."  "The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me which will be converted, and in the world is a time of peace to be given."  From  the so-called Second Secret of Fatima.

It is astonishing that the official foreign transmitter of the US government establishes a link between the meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill and the Fatima message of 1917.  It is a relationship which has not been picked up on by any official Catholic media, certainly not the media of the Vatican.

Voice of America was founded in 1940 under the leadership of Nelson Rockefeller as an instrument of propaganda during World War II. Its present name was given to the transmitter in 1942. The Spanish-speaking section of Voice of America is the oldest non-English department that aired programs to counteract Nazi influence on Latin America.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Bild VOA (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

"Homo-Bishop" Vera Lopez: "Pope Francis is, 'muy cuco'"

(Mexico City) Bishop Raul Vera Lopez of Saltillo in Mexico, because of his social commitment and recently his activism known through the Church for the recognition of homosexuality, is the media favorite ahead of a Pastoral Visit by Pope Francis in Mexico. On Sunday, El Universal , the largest daily newspaper in the country published an interview with him. The bishop described Pope Francis as "muy hábil, muy cuco", as "very clever, very clever."

Pope Francis has "numerous changes" ahead, but they seem "more cosmetic" says El Universal . It was a statement with which Bishop Vera Lopez disagreed because "the problem" is the priests: "We are the problem." [You got that right.]

As regards the remarried divorcees, the Bishop hopes for the synod, as Pope Francis "is very skilled, very skilled, muy cuco', as my people say, very smart." The people, says the bishop, would expect the Church to be more "human". He knew people who would leave the Church because of this matter. "That's what it's like with the gays," said Vera Lopez.

El Universal : Let's talk about this topic: you celebrating mass with the gay flag. Should the Church recognize the marriage between two persons of the same sex?

Vera Lopez: Their identity is their identity. I think we in the Church have to be much more objective and should examine the subject, but from a different angle.

"It is a question of mentalities"

El Universal : From the point of view that we are all children of God?

The Scriptures have been conceived as "too narrow," so the bishop. The biblical story is not about homosexuality but about unethical exploitation. The people of Sodom were barbarians, the city an economic center. There was much lack of respect for the person there. The narrative described moral decline. "Reading will show us," said Vera Lopez.

El Universal : So, it's a battle of interpretations?

Vera Lopez: No, it's a battle of mentalities, not the interpretations.

Bishop Vera Lopez belongs to a small circle of church and media representatives with whom Pope Francis will meet behind closed doors in confidential meetings during his Mexico trip.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: El Universal (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG