In my opinion, the Vaticans action today removing any and all prior restrictions on the ordination and service of married presbyters in Eastern Catholic Churches is a great blessing to the whole of Christendom. Such a reversal of policy is more than simply an administrative act, but the moral undoing of a longstanding immoral abuse of Papal primacy vicariously enacted quite some time ago at the behest of certain Latin hierarchs and lower clergy in different parts of the world. Many have written numerous times here and elsewhere regarding this matter and the need for Rome to simply allow our Churches to exercise what is their right as affirmed even by the conciliar magisterium of the Church to govern ourselves according to traditional praxis. We can and should be grateful to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, for his courageous action taken today. We can only pray that this will contribute both to the healing of wounds within our communion, as well as the wounds outside of full Catholic communion by learning the lessons of the past and relegating the pain of the previous wounds inflicted to the mercy of Christ. We have all inherited a history none of us created. But we can make our future together for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. For our Eastern Catholic Churches, it is an opportunity now to finally work to ensure that our parishes are well supplied with even more presbyters to support the flock we have and serve as apostles for the flock we are yet to have by the grace of God. The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few! May God give increase to the laborers and to a faithful expression of our Eastern Catholic life - with celibate and married clergy serving together - in faith, praxis and mission.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 00:16:22 +0000
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