Discontent with Uganda group of priests

Dear Editor: I wish to express my disappointment with the Uganda priests who have formed the group called the Catholic Apostolic National Church which does not require celibacy.

This group is outside the Catholic Church and should not use the name catholic. True believers should stay clear of this heretical sect of deviant priests. Its members are likely to be excommunicated as was their leader Rev. Luciano Anzanga Mbewe.

Celibacy has an eminent spiritual dimension that greatly transcends the question of discipline. Stefan Heid, professor of Liturgy and Hagiography at the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archeology stated that “according to the judgment of the early Church, ecclesiastical celibacy has dogmatic relevance.”

Celibacy is a time honoured tradition that has been embraced and guarded by the Catholic Church for centuries as a brilliant jewel.

The Second Vatican Council confirmed that the Christian priesthood can be understood only in the light of the newness of Christ, the Supreme Pontiff and eternal Priest, who instituted the priesthood of the ministry as a real participation in His own unique priesthood.

To share authentically in the ministerial priesthood of Christ means to devote ones entire life to the faith while sharing with Christ his very condition of living. Indeed Jesus promised a more abundant recompense to anyone who should leave home, family, wife, and children for the sake of the Kingdom of God. (Luke 18: 29-30).

There is ample evidence in the words of Jesus and St. Paul (Matt. xix I2; Cor., vii, 7-8 and 32-35.) for looking upon virginity as the higher call, and by inference, as the condition befitting those who are set apart for the work of the ministry.

In the words of Pope John Paul II: “The value of celibacy as a complete gift of self to the Lord and his church must be carefully safeguarded …The life of chastity, poverty, and obedience willingly embraced and faithfully lived confutes the conventional wisdom of the world and challenges the commonly accepted vision of life.”

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6 Comments

  1. January 21, 2013

    There is much wrong with the practice of celibacy as it is made mandatory today for the priests in the Roman Catholic Church. There is absolutely nothing in the teachings of either Christ or St. Paul that forbid the marriage of the ordained ministers of the church. The verses of scripture referred to in Matthew and 1 Corinthians do not mandate celibacy for pastors or any church leaders. They show rather that some Christians are Divinely called – not humanly mandated – to a single life so they can devote themselves more fully to God’s service. It is a personal matter. The indvidual prayerfully discerns the call to the single state and joyfully surrenders to it for the glory of God and the gospel. It is not mandated by a religious institution. It is not forced upon him or her by other people. The genuine call from God to the celibate life includes the grace to remain morally pure. We are not seeing this today in the lives of many who are trying to live in a state of singleness imposed upon them by the Roman Catholic Church. St. Peter was married and apparently lived with his wife according to Matthew 8:14-15. St. Paul said a bishop must be “the husband of one wife” in 1 Timothy 3:2 This seems to imply that he must have only one wife not that he must be married. The practice of celibacy had a gradual development. The Spanish council of Elvira in 305 enacted decrees against the marriage of clergy. These decrees however were of limited extent and no serious effot was made to enforce them. For example St. Patrick, of Ireland, who died in 461, said his grandfather was a priest. In 1079 Pope Gregory V11 decreed priests must not marry. He was more successul but the practice was not entirely stamped out. The First Lateran Council in 1123 ruled the marriages of all in sacred orders were invalid. Then in 1545 the Council of Trent, in what they thought would be the last proverbal nail in the matrimonial coffin for the clergy, degreed that all priests who married would be excommunicated. But still a celibate priesthood is not universal. There are about nine million Catholics in what are known as the Uniat churches located primarily throught the Near East. Most prominate among them is the old church in Lebanon. Their priests are married men. But these churches, although they have somewhat different doctrines and practices, are united under the pope. Rome recognizes their ordination. Priests from these churches and Roman Catholic priests may exchange places in conducting church services, and may transfer from one church to another. There is a very subtil reason Rome allows this. These other branches of Catholism have what Rome calls “Apostolic Succession” and could ordain their own bishops and sever their ties with Rome. Rather than lose them the Pope makes an exception to the rule to keep them in the fold! This shows that the ceribacy of the priesthood is nothing but an arbitrary church reulation which the pope can modify or abolish any time he pleases. Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Pentecostal Evangelist. http://www.livinghopeministries.ca

  2. Jai
    January 12, 2010

    I agree with Joker. The word Catholic does mean universal. And no one can claim ownership of it. That said.. I admire someone who is faithfully able to remain celibate, and i also respect those who cant but still choose to serve. While we are busy quoting, what of 1 Timothy 3:2 (NIV)
    “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ..” ??

    I think it commendable if a man is able to be celibate and devote himself completely to the faith and service, but it is a roman catholic requirement, not a biblical one.

  3. Me
    January 11, 2010

    Blind men leading the blind. They sure will fall. And fall all those christian churches will. Catholic ain’t true christiany – never was and never will.

    • iam who iam
      April 10, 2010

      get serious if u think catholic isnt true xtianity 1st make a clear research and i suppose u must have left xtianity coz of miracles… not surprised

  4. W. Wansborough
    January 11, 2010

    Tell them: joker from New york.NY,Harlem.

    The word Catholic has no special significance for any religion.

    For example,
    Catholic tastes: means I have a very broad range of things that I like.

  5. joker from New york.NY,Harlem
    January 11, 2010

    catholic means universal,World wide.He is not using the name roman catholic.anyone can use the word catholic.

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