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priests have rights? Are their rights sometimes in conflict with the laity's
right to the sacraments? At the present time, the shortage of priests
has reached epic proportions. The result is that priests are being
overworked and still many people are being denied the sacraments.
The U.S. National Conference of Bishops met in June 2000 to discuss the
study it had commissioned, "Impact of Fewer Priests on the Pastoral Ministry."
Some of the highlights of the study were:
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The ratio of priests
active in parishes to Catholics has risen dramatically to 1: 2,185.
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The number of new priests has
dramatically declined.
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42% of dioceses have reduced
the number of Masses.
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More than 25% of parishes in
the U.S. lack a full time priest.
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Many dioceses have started to
close parishes.
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Many priests suffer from stress,
exhaustion, isolation, and low morale.
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The consequences seem obvious. On the one hand, priests are being
asked to do more and more work because of the shortage. On the other hand,
many people are being denied the sacraments.
Charles Morris, in
his book, American Catholic, says, "If a religious stock analyst
were to rate the American Catholic Church, he might say, Dynamite product,
great market, but you need to shoot some upper and middle managers."
Some bishops have told their
people to expect "priestless Sundays." One bishop's solution was to try
to convince priests to continue working past 70, their retirement age.
Bishop John Myers told his senior priests (70 and over), in Peoria. "The
Church needs you. The number of priests available to serve our parishes,
schools, hospitals…is down." He reminded senior priests, "You are
a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." "Tu es sacerdos
in aeternum." He even offered them more money, if they
work past age 70. Thirty priests have left the Peoria diocese during Myers'
tenure, according to NCR. Recently, he was moved to Newark, N.J.
What does the Catholic laity
think about the shortage of priests? The majority of the laity believe
there should be married priests and that women should be eligible to be
priests. Gallup polls show that in 1999, 71% of the laity supported
ordination of married men; 77% supported having married priests return
to the active ministry; 64% supported the ordination of women, despite
the Vatican's order not to talk about it.
It seems as if the
gap between the thinking of the institutional leaders and the laity is
growing wider. We desperately need visionary leaders from the laity,
priests, religious, and bishops to discuss these problems and to come up
with practical solutions, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Veni,
Sancte Spiritus.
John Sheehan |
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ARCC
Light is published eight times per year by the
Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church. For membership
information, contact ARCC, John F. Sheehan, National Coordinator, PO Box
85, Southampton, MA 01073
Phone/fax 413 527-9929
E-mail: arccangel@charter.net
Suggested dues are $25.00 per year, and include a subscription to
ARCC Light and a copy of ARCC's Charter of Catholic Rights. ARCC
Web site: http://arcc-catholic-rights.org/
Editor, ARCC Light:
Christine M. Roussel, PhD
3416 93 Street -Apt C3, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Phone: 718-457-5448, Fax: 212-728-8111
Email: Croussel@willkie.com
Layout and Design:
Ingrid H. Shafer, PhD
Email:ihs@ionet.net |
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WRITE TO US!
Our readers are invited to join in our ongoing conversation about
rights in the church. We are anxious to learn of your experience
and your ideas concerning our cause, the pursuit of justice in the church.
Write us at one of the addresses shown in the box at left. We will
be happy to publish letters judged to be of general interest.
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