Monsignor Bonivento: No, Scicluna, Celibacy Was Never "Facultative"
Monsignor Cesare Bonivento P.I.M.E., 83 - the former Bishop of Vanimo, New Guinea, a historian who has published on clerical celibacy - has asked the Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, on AldoMariaValli.it (8 February) to correct his historical lie that celibacy was "optional for the first millennium of the Church's existence".
- Celibacy has never been optional in the Catholic Church.
- The Church has always allowed both married men and celibates to be ordained, but it has always required all clerics to abstain from all sexual activity after ordination.
- There is not a single document of the Catholic Magisterium, whether of the Western or Eastern Church, which permits marriage or the use of marriage after receiving Holy Orders.
- This discipline goes back to the origins of Christianity and derives its teaching directly from Christ and the Apostles.
- The codification of this discipline took place from the Council of Elvira in 305, then with the Councils of Arles in 314, Amcyra in 314 and Neocesarea in 315, up to the great Council of Nicaea in 325, which taught the obligation of celibacy for all clerics.
- Celibacy was instituted by Christ, who invited all the apostles to follow him by leaving everything, even their families, which the apostles did (Matthew 19:27-29).
- Celibacy was taught by St Peter (Mt 19:27-29) and St Paul (I Cor 7; 1 Tim 5:9-10, Tit 1:89; Heb 7:23-28).
- Celibacy has been defended countless times by the Magisterium for over two millennia because of its biblical and patristic foundations, e.g. Siricius I, Innocent, Gregory the Great, the Council of Carthage in 390, Can. 2.
- It was legislated for the Church by Canon 3 of the Council of Nicaea and solemnly sanctioned by Canon 9 of the 24th session of the Council of Trent.
- Celibacy was the reason for the initial split between the Church and the Orthodox.
- It was not until 691 that the Council of Trullan II, yielding to internal pressure from the Eastern Churches, granted married clerics [but not bishops] the use of marriage when they were not serving at the altar, despite the strong opposition of Pope Sergius I.
- Monsignor Bonivento asks: "What is Monsignor Scicluna's role as the Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith? Is it not his duty to remind all the bishops of the Catholic Church that the bi-millennial discipline of ecclesiastical celibacy is based on the person of Jesus Christ himself?"
- Scicluna's statements are not a sign of clarity and courage, but only of very serious imprudence.
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- Celibacy has never been optional in the Catholic Church.
- The Church has always allowed both married men and celibates to be ordained, but it has always required all clerics to abstain from all sexual activity after ordination.
- There is not a single document of the Catholic Magisterium, whether of the Western or Eastern Church, which permits marriage or the use of marriage after receiving Holy Orders.
- This discipline goes back to the origins of Christianity and derives its teaching directly from Christ and the Apostles.
- The codification of this discipline took place from the Council of Elvira in 305, then with the Councils of Arles in 314, Amcyra in 314 and Neocesarea in 315, up to the great Council of Nicaea in 325, which taught the obligation of celibacy for all clerics.
- Celibacy was instituted by Christ, who invited all the apostles to follow him by leaving everything, even their families, which the apostles did (Matthew 19:27-29).
- Celibacy was taught by St Peter (Mt 19:27-29) and St Paul (I Cor 7; 1 Tim 5:9-10, Tit 1:89; Heb 7:23-28).
- Celibacy has been defended countless times by the Magisterium for over two millennia because of its biblical and patristic foundations, e.g. Siricius I, Innocent, Gregory the Great, the Council of Carthage in 390, Can. 2.
- It was legislated for the Church by Canon 3 of the Council of Nicaea and solemnly sanctioned by Canon 9 of the 24th session of the Council of Trent.
- Celibacy was the reason for the initial split between the Church and the Orthodox.
- It was not until 691 that the Council of Trullan II, yielding to internal pressure from the Eastern Churches, granted married clerics [but not bishops] the use of marriage when they were not serving at the altar, despite the strong opposition of Pope Sergius I.
- Monsignor Bonivento asks: "What is Monsignor Scicluna's role as the Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith? Is it not his duty to remind all the bishops of the Catholic Church that the bi-millennial discipline of ecclesiastical celibacy is based on the person of Jesus Christ himself?"
- Scicluna's statements are not a sign of clarity and courage, but only of very serious imprudence.
#newsZvtkdummnu