AustraLasia #120

APPEAL TO 'PETER' TO CHANGE CELIBACY DISCIPLINE

Bishops discuss needs of isolated communities

Vatican correspondent

VATICAN CITY: 4th December -- "It is the Petrine charism to discern whether a change in the discipline of clerical celibacy is approrpiate" said an English-language working group at the Oceanian Synod today, "However in isolated cases, such as obtain in some parts of Oceania, a special dispensation could be considered". The Bishops felt that such a dispensation would not compromise the rich gift that celibacy has been for the Church, and that the minds of the faithful may adjust quickly, given the ecumencial experience of other Christian traditions.

Nevertheless, this call was not unanimous. A French-speaking working group felt that ordaining married men "would create more problems than it would resolve", and called instead for a greater mobility of priests, and re-distribution of clergy from priest-rich to priest-poor areas.

The issue remains one of the great unresolved issues of the Synod and the wider Church.

BOSCONET: The trademark of the Salesian Website, Australia:

http://www.bosconet.aust.com

'AUSTRALASIA': rapid newslink for Salesians in Asia and Australia: http://www.bosconet.aust.com/ozlinkas.htm

Please forward any contributions to jbfox@ozemail.com.au