www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News New article on celibacy controversy

Friends,

The latest issue of Eastern Churches Journal contains a lengthy article on the history of the celibacy controversy among Eastern Catholics in the so-called "diaspora." This is frankly the best, most informative article that I have ever seen on the subject. Apparently it was originally drafted as a study for the Australian Bishop's Conference, and is therefore pretty thorough.

The article brings to light many facts that I have never seen documented elsewhere. One fact in particular caught my attention. As documented in the article, at one point Pope John Paul II was prepared to clearly and unambiguously remove all restrictions on the ordination of married Eastern Catholic men in the diaspora. However, a prominent Eastern Catholic bishop intervened to prevent this: Metropolitan Stephen Kocisko of Pittsburgh!

The article cites an interview with Metropolitan Stephen, in which he explains his reasons for intervening. Metropolitan Stephen was afraid that if the ban were lifted, the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of Johnstown would be proven to have been right all along on this issue. He was also concerned that it would fuel bitterness among older priests who were forced to choose celibacy, and in some cases had to end engagements when the ban was enacted. Therefore, he did everything in his power to keep the ban intact.

Has anyone else seen this article? I found this to be a very surprising but somewhat disturbing fact. Has anyone heard this before?

Anthony

Anthony --

Very interesting indeed, particularly about some of the remaining unfortunate tension and residual bitterness between the ACROD and the Pittsburgh Metropolia.

Brendan

I find it interesting but not surprising that the paper was unsigned. Does anyone know who the author might be?

Yup!

Many of us know all too well how we were sometimes our worst enemy.

He once told me that the only reason a seminarian wished to get married (to a woman) was in order to feel up her body. I asked him if this was the only reason for marriage? Didn't get a reply.

Later that year I met a girl (who is my wife now) who convinced me that marriage and love was more than that. Thank God for God-fearing women!

I once told her about the late Archbishop's statement. We had a good laugh. Some are so out of touch with the reality of male-female relationships in marriage. One can find many women to 'feel up' if one really wanted to - even in consensual affairs.

Joe's points are VERY well taken. I too heard about the Pittsburgh/Johnstown dichotomy and how a change in celibacy would cause a lot of bitterness - but also how many Johnstown priests might reconsider their ecclesiastical jurisdiction!

I know that this might seem an obviosity, but the fact is if people get too far away from their family (both men and women) then their ideas about how people live with each other are going to get real screwed up. Marriage becomes not much more than legalized sex. How sad.

Christ is Risen!!

Is it time to admit past mistakes (in the spirit of Pope John Paul II) and tell the Johnstown people that we love them - even though there were past church leaders whose pride were at stake?

Some may worry about possible clerical divorces and their "scandal," but what about the many man-boy "scandals" resulting from un-developed or mis-developed sexuality incubated in the asylum of mandatory celibacy and protected and/or fluffed off by irresponsible parties?

I highly recommend a new book entitled, "On the other side of the altar."

Has anyone ever thought of taking a group of Eastern Rite Catholic and Orthodox and Latin Rite Catholics and make a Pilgrimage of reparation asking each others forgivness for the times we offended one an other? A couple of suggestions for stops could be Minneapolis Mn,(The Fr Alexis Toth controversy). Shenindoah Pa. the Oldest Eastern Rite Catholic church in the USA. (I heard that there was a lack of love between the Latin and the Eastern Rites. The Johnstown area ( I heard that during the Celebacy Crisis that a priest was stabbed, if someone has more info on that it would be appriciated. Any other suggestions would be also appriciated.
Hear's hoping that you have had a very happy Pascha and a very Wet Easter Monday :}

Ted,

It is good to read your posts! You are correct, there was a problem at this parish. The article in Eastern Churches Journal describes how the pastor there, Fr. John Voliansky, was expelled from the country because he was a married priest. It is pretty sad that the first Eastern Catholic priest in the United States faced such treatment. A lot of healing and forgiveness still needs to occur.

In 1998 the Australian Bishops Conference issued an official statement that they do not object to the presence of married Eastern Catholic priests in their midst. It would be a big step forward if the USCCB would issue a similar statement, although they have not done so to date.

Anthony

P.S. The next time that you are in Pittsburgh it would be good to see you again.

Theodore,

Excellent idea. How radical!

I once suggested that our bishops begin a pilgrimage oddysey around the country allowing pilgrims to travel in some sort of caravan from town to town, from monastery to cathedral, preaching the Gospel.

Call it the Third Great Awakening!

Can you imagine if a number of bishops (Catholic and Orthodox) got together and conducted such a thing with promotion of the sacred mystery of confession, common prayer services, and anointing/healing services?

Leave the accountants behind to worry about the books. They (our bishops) should lead us in a spiritual oddysey like we've never seen before: forgiveness and love; going to the places you itemized. Bringing the Otpust to the parishes across the country.

Dear Anthony:

You posted:

The underscored sentence piqued my curiosity again.

Correct me if I am wrong but 21 Eastern Catholic Eparchs/Bishops, led by his Eminence, Met. Basil Schott of the Pittsburgh Metropolia of (your) Ruthenians, are all members of the USCCB.

Can't the Eparchs, possibly through the good offices of Met. Basil, work with the corresponding USCCB Committee or Subcommittee for such an "official" statement? I am sure many, or all, of the Eparchs are members of such working bodies.

Also, I read somewhere that the Eastern Catholic Bishops have NO voting privileges but each one has deliberative powers in the proceedings of the national Conference(!?).

I think the Eastern Bishops should have the right to vote on ALL matters concerning the Catholic Church in the U.S. (East and West) and should request the USCCB hierarchy to consider this. Unless, the Codes (East or West) of canons proscribe against this?

Thanks for your anticipated response.

AmdG

Christ is Risen!

"He once told me that the only reason a seminarian wished to get married (to a woman) was in order to feel up her body. I asked him if this was the only reason for marriage? Didn't get a reply."

I once had a celibate BC priest tell me, in rather vulgar language, that there isn't much more to marriage than putting things in different openings. Once you get over that attraction/obsession, you find that celibacy isn't all that bad.

I thank God every hour of every day for my beautiful, devoted wife...

In Christ,
Theophilos

You must also remember that there are priest who do not "like" women. Therefore, some of the comments they might have said would be expected.

Good for you! and your wife!

Is love a mere obsession? That priest was a dolt. I am personally "obsessed" with my wife because I love her. Reducing love down to mere attraction is so adolescent; like something you'd hear from one not getting any. Sour grapes.

What comes with marriage is having a partner in life, a counselor and challenger, a reason not to get lonely, pillow talk, and someone to hold hands with.

As for putting things in different openings ... that was really sick of him. What other 'openings' was he thinking of?

And to think the same priest directs marriage preparation and hears confessions of married people! We do have a lot of holy and respectful priests, but now and then we do get a few hopeless cases. We should pray for them.

Amado,

In such matters there are many "behind the scenes" activities that we are not privy to. I was told several years ago by a reliable source that there was a movement within the USCCB to issue such a statement, but that it was quashed. I can't verify the reliabiliy of this statement, but it seems believable in light of what transpired with the Ruthenian particular law.
Today there are some new bishops involved, and things could turn out differently.

Anthony

Dear Friends,

What with about 15 married priests throughout my extended family, I really should not participate here due to issues of personal bias . . .

But after dealing with the Administrator today, I'm ready for anything!

Don't think that you Ruthenians are the only ones with bishops who are more Roman than the Pope!

Don't even think that!

I could tell you stories, but I won't because my own bishop might read this, and I've asked him for something that has yet to come through . . .

The current Pope is a real "angel" with respect to the East, and I keep telling you folks that.

He is a traditionalist, even when that means married priests

He is also a celibate who, in his younger years, loved to hug and kiss women in crowds as he passed by.

Fr. Andrew Greeley once mentioned this.

He is a sociologist (Oh, sorry! I'm not supposed to mention the social sciences here! ).

The Pope did not use celibacy as an excuse to avoid all contact with women.

And I think that a number of traditional RC's and "celibacy or death" people have lousy attitudes toward sexuality, as Cantor Joseph so eminently pointed out.

I'll go one step further.

When are we going to bring back the ancient tradition of married bishops? You know, bishops with one wife and all that.

And just to make things crystal clear, I'm not advocating that bishops should have MORE than one.

One is more than enough, thank you very much . . .

Alex