Petition regarding the shortage of Catholic priests

[Bambiraptor]

www.petitionthem.co.uk/?sect=detail&pet=4024

Hi, Sorry I can't work out how to put the link on, but above is the website for a petition about the shortage of Catholic priests in England and Wales.
It is basically asking the Catholic 'powers that be' to consider the possibiltiy of married priests and (shock horror) women priests at the next Catholic Bishop Conference.
It would be great to have lots of names so please sign the petition if you agree.
It may at least get a discussion going.

you could ask but it's not really down to the Bishops Conference is it?

The Catholic Church has ever professed to be a democracy

Sorry to sound negative. I would love to see married prisets and woman priests but this is not going to get them.

never professed to be a democracy

Tommy, I know it's not going to make a big difference, but at least they will know that people are worried about the priest shortage and the idea of married and women priests isn't abhorent to most of the Catholic laity.

bump.
Also if anyone knows how to do the link properly it would be greatly appreciated.

or just convert to a religion that isn't so patriarchal and morbidly afraid of sex.

pop the address between angular brackets for a link- as in link

(no spaces)

FWIW I think priests would be much better if allowed to marry or be female- far more relevant to most poeple

there you go

Thank you Tommy.
I think they would be far more relevant aswell, not to mention happier as human beings.

perhaps the shortage of catholic priests is a good thing...

zippi - it's not a good thing to the millions of Catholics in the world.
I don't understand what you mean.

Bump

My priest is a coverted anglican and is married. he is fab.

"perhaps the shortage of catholic priests is a good thing..."

In my experience, almost all Catholic Priests are extraordinarily kind and decent men who have chosen to devote their lives to their communities. Of course, a tiny proportion of sick individuals sought that position of trust and abused it, but tarring them all with the same brush is simple bigotry.

Allowing priests to marry or be female would increase their numbers, which would be a very good thing

I agree Upwind, in every profession there is a tiny percentage of criminals.
No one would want less doctors because of people like Harold Shipman.

I think married priests will come in in time -- in the UK in particular there are quite a few priests who converted to Catholicism when the CofE started allowing the ordination of women, and many of those are married and allowed to be married priests. I think it's getting hard to maintain a position of "no married priests" under those circumstances.

zippi, please explain your comment further. otherwise, i will be forced to interpret it as a blatant display of bigotry.

what a nasty little remark.

Lemonaid, it should be hard to maintain that position. It does seem to be a double standard.

oh and sheherazadethegoat, your comment wasn't much better.

Particularly hard in my mother's parish where a couple of years ago the junior priest left the priesthood after falling in love with one of the parishioners (whom he subsequently married). From the official reaction you'd think he'd been eating small babies or something -- while one of the more senior priests is a married ex-Anglican. General feeling of all round...

sorry if i offended you bossykate but the patriarchical nature of catholicism is fairly intrinsic. i don't see why folk are battling to change it when there are millions of other creeds to pick and choose from. there already are faiths that accept woman as ministers and allow priests to marry.

ok I'll withdraw it no problem

..it arises from experiencing attending a catholic church where the priest is a paedophile

there are many things wrong with the catholic church and because of the nature of the beast it is hard to see how they can be addressed..maybe therein lies the problem of a shortage of priests

The patriarchal nature of the C of E was also fairly intrinsic.

And that church bowed to pressure, and now ordains women.

People want to continue to worship in the faith they believe in - just because they don't agree with certain aspects doesn't mean they should change to another faith.

There is no reason why people shouldn't attempt to adapt their faith to fit with the times, or to put pressure on those in charge.

the nature of the beast???
Pleaaaassseeee!!!

Anyways, I would happily sign the pettition not because there is a shortage of priests but because I am convinced that being married would allow the priests a more realisitic insight on how the the life of most of their parishioners is. Besides, I do think that celibacy is not exactly healthy for your spirit when you are surounded by lovely lovable people. They also deserve to enjoy the happiness that comes from having another half (here says the recently separated MMSAI!)

"There is no reason why people shouldn't attempt to adapt their faith to fit with the times, or to put pressure on those in charge. "

Sadly ww won't see that coming in the times of the current Pope.