Ordination of Viri Probati

The fact of the matter is that there really is no lack of vocations to priestly service. It is merely that the Church authorities refuse to admit those who have the charism and feel the call.

Apr 27, 2017

By Robert Mickens
The fact of the matter is that there really is no lack of vocations to priestly service. It is merely that the Church authorities refuse to admit those who have the charism and feel the call. Married men, or those who would like to marry; women in any category; those who, for whatever reason, resist making a lifetime commitment to ministry but would be willing to serve for a time and season — all these are disqualified as candidates.

This has to be re-thought because a Church that sticks stubbornly to the non-divine rule of mandatory celibacy, when there is such a severe priest shortage, deprives the Holy People of God of the Eucharist for which they rightly hunger. This is not only an injustice, but it might also be an act of opposing the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis has signalled his willingness to allow for the ordination of, at least, the viri probati. But people close to him, such as Cardinals Walter Kasper and Christoph Schönborn, say the Pope wants the national episcopal conferences to take the initiative.

In fact, Francis was as clear as he could be in his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, that it is not the role of the papal magisterium to give “a definitive or complete word on every question which affects the Church and the world.”

He said, “It is not advisable for the pope to take the place of local bishops in the discernment of every issue which arises in their territory. In this sense, I am conscious of the need to promote a sound ‘decentralisation’” (EG, 16).

Francis is begging the bishops and all the faithful to join together in reforming and renewing the Church.

“I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelisation in their respective communities,” he says (EG, 33).

But, too many bishops seem incapable of what the Pope is asking of them, especially regarding the priesthood. For far too long, they have been afraid to ponder any change to the criteria the Tridentine paradigm imposed on how the Church identifies and selects its presbyters.

And it is a bitter irony that the now-sainted pope, John Paul II—the very one who began his pontificate by saying, “Be not afraid!”— was the man who instilled that fear in the bishops (and all who aspired to become part of the episcopate) when he forbade any discussion or discernment, any creativity or boldness, in exploring possible changes.

But this is exactly what Pope Francis is now calling for: bold and creative solutions to all the problems that inhibit the Church’s ministry and mission. And the vocations crisis is one of the most glaring.

Despite his prodding, too many bishops remain paralyzed by fear. They, and far too many priests, remain immobilised in the clerical club of their celibate, all-male fraternity or caste.

But not all of them.

Whom will the Holy Spirit prompt to speak up?--La Croix International

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