The stories of the crimes of priests struggling to maintain celibacy were hidden for many years. We the Church hid them from the faithful for fear of scandals. Those whom we advised to close their mouths can no longer hold their tongues. The pains they underwent, especially as victims of sexual abuse have overcome them. Today our belief that celibacy could keep its luster up to the end of the world has proved to be a myth. We all priests are now categorized as organized hypocrites for two thousand years.
Are we aware of what harm we are doing and have been doing to the name of God? What a privileged status we have been enjoying in the Catholic Church on account of celibacy! The name which has been valued, “celibacy produces saints.” We have enjoyed the earthly glory of celibacy, but the lie is now exposed to the world. We are obliged to lower our heads as we move among the faithful.
Who will stop the media not to humiliate us by continuously washing our dirty linen in public? If we were ourselves to wash it, but we are forced to wash it in prison and by paying enormous sums of money. With all the good will of the Church, or a diocese, it will be hard to pay and finish as long as celibacy is adored as an idol in the Roman Catholic Church. How does a diocese guarantee that the new priests will be angels?
Should we come back to castrating boys in order that they remain in the choir to sing “soprano”? So should it be in order to maintain celibacy with a guaranteed fruit of not touching a woman. But if celibacy will demand this action to guarantee its existence in the Roman Catholic Church, then celibacy will no more be divine. It will be human manipulation.
The suffering of the priests themselves are more than what one can tell. We are certain, we married priests now, that we can make a difference as priests. Our wives are aware of the humiliations they have borne as the Eves who have stolen a golden egg, the celibate priest of God. They have eaten, so they are told, a common bread by themselves. Hence they are labeled selfish women. Together with us they offer themselves as victims for the welfare of the Church. Our thought are their thoughts. We dream the same thing to do all we can to bring back into the harvest, which is truly lacking workers. We have no reason to be proud, since we too are victims of an admired celibacy. How we longed to grow wings as we put on celibacy on our ordination day. The wings only remained as shoots without growing. We are sorry for that.
It is the name of God at stake. The sincerity of the Church by calling us “other Christs,” priests of God, all that comprises our priestly vocation is truly and sincerely noble. To represent Jesus on the altar, to use His words as our own, and to act in the name of Jesus makes us shudder, and go into our skins. It is a fact that none of us deserves by right to be a priest. “You have not chosen me, I have chosen you,” says Jesus. “Do this in memory of me.” Truly and sincerely we say: “I am not worthy that you come under my roof (in my heart),” because knowing, the little we can know of Jesus, none of us can truly be the replica of His personhood.
We, the married priests’ prelature take as our Lenten pledge to offer Masses for the priests who are still under cover of celibacy, continuing to offend God, for fear of losing their position in life. What does a good name serve, or a good job, while it has no heavenly merits. An immoral status satisfies the individual priest, while mystically he is contributing nothing to the mystical body. He is a thorn in the flesh.
Be in contact with us, we shall help you to come out of your miserable situations. We ask you as well to pray for us that we may proceed making proper plans to realize our mission.
God bless you.
Yours Sincerely,
Archbishop E. Milingo.
Are we aware of what harm we are doing and have been doing to the name of God? What a privileged status we have been enjoying in the Catholic Church on account of celibacy! The name which has been valued, “celibacy produces saints.” We have enjoyed the earthly glory of celibacy, but the lie is now exposed to the world. We are obliged to lower our heads as we move among the faithful.
Who will stop the media not to humiliate us by continuously washing our dirty linen in public? If we were ourselves to wash it, but we are forced to wash it in prison and by paying enormous sums of money. With all the good will of the Church, or a diocese, it will be hard to pay and finish as long as celibacy is adored as an idol in the Roman Catholic Church. How does a diocese guarantee that the new priests will be angels?
Should we come back to castrating boys in order that they remain in the choir to sing “soprano”? So should it be in order to maintain celibacy with a guaranteed fruit of not touching a woman. But if celibacy will demand this action to guarantee its existence in the Roman Catholic Church, then celibacy will no more be divine. It will be human manipulation.
The suffering of the priests themselves are more than what one can tell. We are certain, we married priests now, that we can make a difference as priests. Our wives are aware of the humiliations they have borne as the Eves who have stolen a golden egg, the celibate priest of God. They have eaten, so they are told, a common bread by themselves. Hence they are labeled selfish women. Together with us they offer themselves as victims for the welfare of the Church. Our thought are their thoughts. We dream the same thing to do all we can to bring back into the harvest, which is truly lacking workers. We have no reason to be proud, since we too are victims of an admired celibacy. How we longed to grow wings as we put on celibacy on our ordination day. The wings only remained as shoots without growing. We are sorry for that.
It is the name of God at stake. The sincerity of the Church by calling us “other Christs,” priests of God, all that comprises our priestly vocation is truly and sincerely noble. To represent Jesus on the altar, to use His words as our own, and to act in the name of Jesus makes us shudder, and go into our skins. It is a fact that none of us deserves by right to be a priest. “You have not chosen me, I have chosen you,” says Jesus. “Do this in memory of me.” Truly and sincerely we say: “I am not worthy that you come under my roof (in my heart),” because knowing, the little we can know of Jesus, none of us can truly be the replica of His personhood.
We, the married priests’ prelature take as our Lenten pledge to offer Masses for the priests who are still under cover of celibacy, continuing to offend God, for fear of losing their position in life. What does a good name serve, or a good job, while it has no heavenly merits. An immoral status satisfies the individual priest, while mystically he is contributing nothing to the mystical body. He is a thorn in the flesh.
Be in contact with us, we shall help you to come out of your miserable situations. We ask you as well to pray for us that we may proceed making proper plans to realize our mission.
God bless you.
Yours Sincerely,
Archbishop E. Milingo.
