Will the next synod focus on ordaining married men?

Last updated on: August 13, 2016 at 11:41 am by Deacon Greg Kandra

Will the next synod focus on ordaining married men? 2016-08-13T11:41:32-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It should be noted: the Church is already ordaining married men, both as priests and deacons.

But the question needs to be asked: should the Church ordain more of them, and make this practice more widespread? The need is great and will only grow in the next few decades, as more priests retire or enter eternal life.

Austin Iverleigh has some thoughts in Crux:

In much the way that access to the sacraments of the civilly divorced and remarried was the neuralgic question in the family synod – the issue around which disagreements coalesced – in a future synod on the ministries it will be the priestless parish.

And just as there was a longstanding, controversial proposal in response to the divorced and remarried issue – Cardinal Walter Kasper’s invitation to consider the Orthodox approach – there is one for priestless parishes.

A solution has been kicked around the yard for many years by Fritz Lobinger, a retired German bishop who lives in Durban, South Africa.

During 50 years in South Africa, and traveling to many parts of the world, he observed how many Christian communities in remote areas are led in practice by small groups of committed, mature lay people.

His solution is to ordain them after a brief training, so that they can administer the sacraments within that community alone.

These “locally ordained ministers” – Lobinger says it is important not to call them priests, even though it would involve precisely the same sacrament of priestly ordination – would be, in effect, a parallel priesthood, complementary to the existing norm in the Latin rite of a celibate, seminary-trained priest sent by his bishop to different parishes or missions.

Lobinger points to a precedent in Acts of the Apostles 14:23 when St Paul and Barnabas appointed – or ordained – “elders” in the young Christian communities, the term referring not so much to the age of the people but their maturity or fitness for the task.

These were teams of men who were not sent to their community but came out of it; who ministered to the community part-time, while continuing to work at their professions; and who had families.

This shows, says Lobinger in a book published recently in Spanish, that the Church for a number of centuries ordained local leaders chosen by the local community, who had proven their worthiness over some time.

Francis has given many signals of his willingness to open up the question of ordaining married men, even encouraging local Churches to put forward proposals.

Read it all. There’s much more background and analysis.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

August 13, 2016

Archbishop plans to propose Father Jacques Hamel for sainthood, no miracle required

Next Post

August 13, 2016 This is what being liberated from tyranny looks like

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution politics Politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized Vatican VATICAN vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the wife of Abraham?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Rebecca Rachel Sarah Leah

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »