MICHIGAN’S COMMENTS
(for all Michigan Dioceses)
Code: S. Support
N. Neutral
H. Hostile.
A. Angry
S. Discussion ought to lead to rapid decision making
S. Celibacy is a great gift. Mandatory celibacy causes too much duplicity, too oppressive
S. Celibacy is a gift; not all are called to it. I am in favor of options in almost all matters in the church.
Why isn't everything open to discussion?
S. While I favor optional celibacy, I think many are naive re: how this would impact the financial support of parishes/clergy; what happens if a divorce occurs? The pressures of being the pastor's spouse/children, --issues we have not dealt with as Catholics
S. Any other response is ludicrous
I favor opening the opportunity for married deacons to be ordained
In a larger context. The ordained priesthood is going through a huge identity crisis. An open, honest dialogue would consider, in a non-threatening manner, this issue along with the roles of women and laity. Celibacy is presently seen as a discipline, not gift; however, it takes grace to live a celibate life. Therefore, a spirituality surrounding it needs to be developed.
All things should be discussed
S. Protestant ministers are married and they do a good job. Of course, with family responsibilities it would be much harder to re-assign priests
S. I think optional celibacy, all things considered is still the better direction for the Church of the 21st century, which will be predominantly a lay church.
H. I have not time to waste, nor should others.
N. I worry about the term "open". Perhaps the Church could move away from mandatory celibacy as in Eastern Churches, but talking about it now as some sort of solution to pedophilia, etc. is not wise. Celibacy and perversion are not related.
A. What do you mean by open? We've discussed it to death for 40 years.
N. It would clearly be a waste of time.
N. Celibacy has been a great strength in our history. Jesus, Paul, Aquinas, Ignatius, John Vianni, Jose Maria Escriva, Francis, Dominic, JPII, John XXIII, & on & on have been celebates.
H. This is the body of Christ, not a police state
S. Honest dialogue is healthy. Fear of dialogue makes one suspicious
S. Something has to be done to address the critical shortages of ordained clergy. Importing priests is not the answer. It's a justice issue
S. The crisis of staffing our parishes and giving our people the Eucharist is deepening. Our bishops, as leaders and visionaries have/are failing the church.
S. I am not in favor of current priests rejecting celibacy. I am in favor of future priests being allowed to marry.
S. All priests and nuns should be able to marry at least once in their lifetime. They are not God. They are human beings like you and me. How are they expected to be great marriage counselors and leaders if they never personally experienced it? They need companionship too.
N. Do not feel marriage would be a helpful option. Being a priest I realize that I could not be committed to both church and wife.
S. I believe it should be optional
Celibacy stays the way it is
S. Long overdue
There is historic precedent for it in the Church. If we truly value sexuality and marriage why is it not good enough for the clergy (bishops, priests) but ok for deacons?
S. It may seem capricious, but celibacy as a sacrifice is a beautiful and profound way to serve the Lord.
I favor abrogating the canon on celibacy but oppose "open discussion" as the means to do so.
S. Though a man made law later in the centuries and not divine it could be changed, but like St Paul a person would be divided and not fully for the kingdom.
S. Why should we be afraid of a discussion?
S. Such a discussion is absolutely critical for our Church at this time.
N. I trust the Church's teaching
S. I value celibacy. Should be optional like the Orthodox Church.
S. Adult dialogue, not childish obedience, is called for.
S. Open discussion about any subject is always good.
S. I obey the church and yet I wish optional celibacy for priests
S. I would exclude religious order priests because of their vows with poverty, chastity and obedience
H. This question is so vaguely expressed that no valid, honest conclusions could be drawn. For example, "open discussion" could include dialog in which mandatory celibacy would be advocated as fruitful for the church and the persons and as worthy of continuation as "mandatory".
S. Let's get started
S. One cannot obtain sensus fidelium without discussion
S. It is five centuries late.
S. Open constructive discussion is healthy. I don't care for victimization stories or constant complaining
A. It boggles my mind that we can't even discuss issues that need discussion in our church. Our LEADERS have done a POOR JOB and yet we, those in the trenches, can't discuss this or other IMPORTANT issues. Why can't we have an OPEN DISCUSSION - what are we, Rome, or the bishops afraid of???
N. Celibacy has proven itself to be a positive state for pastoral work freeing one from a single family for the call of service in the larger family of the church
Fear: celibacy abandonment, male clergy will be kept.
N. I freely accept celibacy. It was and is not forced upon me or anyone.
N. I am busy enough with parish life (I.e. caring for people). How could I possibly handle a wife, children in-laws, and extended family besides?
The former Cardinal of Milan (Italy) Martini suggested this "open discussion" a few years ago in an interview in English… A Discussion at the highest level.nothing new about this
S. I believe the argument is that it will ease the shortage of priests; and I feel very strongly it is not he solution. The family life is the solution!
H. We are married to Christ impurity, holiness and virginity and that's it! Celibacy’s our own gift to our Lord.
H. I wrote my master's theses on celibacy in the priesthood - it is a settled issue theologically.
S. Long overdue
Should not be mandatory
S. I would support optional celibacy rule
It is irresponsible not to.
S. I do not favor a married religious clergy but I do think celibacy should be optional for diocesan clergy
S. How about ordaining married deacons! Let celibacy be optional for priests!
S. No comment needed! Let's talk about the issue.
H. The church has spoken - that's all the discussion I need.
A. What will this discussion accomplish when the decision to change depends on one man?
47 yrs a priest. I would be a more generous person, if I had marital and parent commitment.
H. The church has spoken in our Holy Father's comments. No reason to discuss. The spirit of dissension leads to disobedience - voila our society which is accurately classified as having a DEATH-WISH- abortions, homosexuality, active/gay marriage, re-marriage
S. Discussion is necessary but it should not occur with the expectation that it is bound to change the discipline
We must be able to intelligently change or defend church discipline
H. I believe in celibacy as a spiritual gift. To open it to discussion would be disconcerting to the faithful and counter-productive.
S. In all my years of ministry I never met anyone who said they were closer to God because of it. So what purpose does it have? But I know of many for whom it is a terrible struggle.
S. Dialogue, dialogue
Nothing along with an open look at the clericalism and how it benefits or does not the life of the priest and church is genuine.
It's about time. Should be optional
H. This is not discussable as per magisterium!
H. I don't think this should be an issue. As a church we should concentrate on more important things like evangelization and teaching of the faith.
S. I very much favor optional celibacy. I don't think this will solve the shortage problem, but I firmly believe it would help to produce healthy and holier priests.
S. This rule is becoming more important than the availability of the Eucharist for Catholics. Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life celibacy is not.
H. This is a closed subject by order of our Holy Father
A. There has been a failure to make the case intelligently for celibacy and a failure by bishops to take practical steps to implement it for priests individually and corporately
N. Not now
S. Optional celibacy is a part of our tradition and really needs open discussion by all the people of God
S. Eucharist is central to Catholic life. Increasingly our people are being deprived of Eucharist due to lack of priests. Celibacy is a serious obstacle to more choosing to consider priesthood. Eucharist is more important to life of church than celibacy. Church currently has it backward.
S. I am comfortable with the tradition of mandatory celibacy, but have no trouble with a discussion of the church's teaching
H. This question does not imply nor reflect an opinion on whether celibacy should/should not be mandatory. What is the point of the question?
S. I also favor an open discussion on the ordination of women.
S. I am neutral regarding the ordination of married men, but the Latin Church should seek the advice of Eastern Catholic bishops regarding married clergy issue
S. I would like a Common Ground Initiative approach,"seamless web" of morality
S. Believe celibacy should be optional.
N. Only celibacy allows us to give full service to our church (our Bride).
S. Long overdue
S. The first 1000 years of the Church in the West we had a married clergy. The second 1000 years of the Church in the West mandatory celibacy. Now it's time to return to optional celibacy. Like the church in the East.
N. However, I favor mandatory celibacy. It is truly a gift from God and a blessing in serving the Church
N. Make it an option? As celibate I had more time to give myself to ministry. I had at least six proposals of marriage
S. I strongly feel celibacy should be optional for priests in the Catholic Church
S. This discussion is long overdue
S. We have married priests (those who have come from other denominations and have converted an been ordained) so why not look at married priest? So many who left would return.
H. Celibacy is what is best for the priesthood. If you believe this to be the problem and cause of the priest shortage then you do not understand the real problem
H. Direction has been given on the subject, and the tradition is clear. No benefit will come by further extension at the practice of married priests in the western rc. Therefore, discussion will not be a benefit to the church
S. With the ordination of pastors from other faith denominations this issue becomes more important to address.
N. No discussion will change the mandatory celibacy rule for diocesan priests
N. I do not believe "open discussion" will lead to anything productive since this is not a debatable matter right now.
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