Fall, 2009

by Louise Haggett

1. Several have written to advise us that the Church does indeed have married priests, converts from other religions. Yes, we are aware, and this injustice is one of the reasons the organization was formed in 1992 by lay people. Since 1980 through a "Pastoral Provision" the Vatican has been ordaining into the Roman Catholic priesthood, married Protestant ministers and moving them and their families into the same rectories out of which they have been removing Roman Catholic priests who married.

2. Several wrote to advise us that the Roman Catholic Church is also in communion with the Polish National Church which allows priests to be married. There are also married priests in the Celtic and Eastern Rite traditions. In fact, the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church is the only one that forces its priests to mandatory celibacy. The only other exception are Buddhist monks, and in the early 1900s, the country of Japan outlawed celibate monks because of the sexual problems they were having, similar to what has been going on in the RC church for probably centuries.

CITI has also received several offers from Bishops and Archbishops of independent Catholic Rites (there are 15-20) offering incardination to our priests. We have no intention of being anything but Roman Catholic.

3. We received a few requests from some wanting to become priests. We can only suggest that you contact your local bishop as CITI does not do ordinations.

4. Some asked whether any of the priests in God's Yellow Pages are gay. Yes, there are a few partnered priests who have joined us.

5. Some sent specific ministry requests. Please provide your postal mailing address and more information will be sent, along with a list of married priests in your area.

6. Some asked how they can help effect the change in the church. Change will come by using married priests, especially inside church buildings where Communion services are taking place, or midweek Mass is now lacking due to priest shortages. You can also have a Home Mass or invite priests for other sacramental ministry. Catholics have a canonical right to use married priests. In fact, Canon 843 says that a married priest cannot refuse a sacrament that is requested (implying that a bishop cannot interfere). In the 1980s, the Catholic Church hierarchy told parishes they were not to use altar girls. Everyone ignored the Vatican and used them anyway. The Vatican finally made them legal in 1989. Other changes that have taken place through a groundswell:

Midnight Mass to 10 pm
Eating meat on Friday
Women simply stopped wearing hats in church
Mass in the vernacular (local language)

7. Some asked about online articles. CITI's printed quarterly newsletter Come As You Are comes with a membership of $50/year. It is also available on the website (see Fall, 2006). You can also log onto our blog for uptodate articles: rentapriest.blogspot.com

. 8. Married priests' ministry is nonjudgmental. Our motto: If the Church says no, call us with your reasonable request.

9. Some asked about financing a priest and his family within the church community. Since all other religions have a married clergy and individual churches in many instances with 250 families or fewer, they manage to support the family. The majority of married priests who are affiliated with CITI would tend to want to live in their own homes and many have outside jobs, so they would not be a financial burden.

To those who commented that priests would not be available 24/7. There are several instances among our priest affiliates where they are called by and respond to hospitals and funeral homes for urgent care for the sick, deceased and their families, because the local pastor was not available or did not respond.

10. Some asked about the celibacy rule. Celibacy was first made mandatory in Spain in the 4th century and then made universal in 1139. One of the chief reasons had to do with real estate: the institution wanted the homes that belonged to priests and their families once the priest died. In some instances, wives and children of deceased priests were sold to slavery in order to get rid of them. (Desire and Denial, Gordon Thomas author). Prior to 1139, Popes, bishops and priests were married. As late as the 15th century, Popes were still begetting children. One died of a heart attack while having sex at the Vatican. (Oxford Dictionary of Popes).

11. Some asked about the screening process for priests affiliated with CITI. Each name is checked with Bishopsaccountability.org's public and private list (private settlements), where names have been supplied by attorneys as well as victim organizations. This is more comprehensive than just media and/or criminal records. We also receive ordination and educational documents, birth certificates to make sure no names have been changed, along with two letters of recommendation, one from a former parishioner.

12. Someone asked if "homosexual priests constitute the majority of those in the hierarchy who are voting to retain celibacy?" We cannot answer that question, but would suggest you check the website of Richard Sipe, foremost researcher of mandatory celibacy, www.richardsipe.com, on which he provides a list of homosexual hierarchy.

13. Some believe that priests should not break their vows/promises. Others believe that the "Church is disobedient to God in this matter; that it clearly states in the Bible, in the writings of Paul books in the New Testament, that is better for people to marry."

14. Some quoted the hierarchy saying that married priests can providing sacraments only in "danger of death." That represents only one Canon law. There are 20 others that validate the sacramental ministry of married priests. (21 Canons)

15. Some believe that celibate priests are supernatural beings. Richard Sipe's research also indicated that only 2% of the clergy is truly chaste. (A Secret World: Sexuality and the Search for Celibacy, 1990, Sipe author)

We believe we have answered all questions posed to us. If there are others, feel free to write again. We invite you to join this lay movement that is about ministry and not protest. Your $50 annual membership fee will help us locate more married priests and promote their availability to the general public who may have spiritual needs. In 1996, it was determined that 73.3% of American Catholics no longer attend Catholic Church (Church World, Feb. 1996). An even more significant drop took place in 2002 after the beginning of the sexual abuse revelations among Catholic clergy. We need your help to continue this important work. We are also looking for volunteers who can distribute brochures and create more awareness, also to help us bring back more married priests to ministry.