TITLE PAGE DEDICATION AUTHORS NOTE PROLOGUE GUARDIAN ANGEL

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CHAPTER 1

A PRIEST?
What is a Priest? How is a Priest different?

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CHAPTER 2

CELIBACY THE OTHER HALF OF THE PICTURE Motivation for becoming a Priest My body broken Other Half of the Picture

CHAPTER 3

VOWS AND PROMISES ONE : GENERAL Catholic Encyclopedia Theology of the Body An Ex-priest explains Clerics Discussion

TWO : RELIGIOUS ORDERS Redemptorists Franciscans Benedictines

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Discussion
CHAPTER 4 MANDATORY CELIBACY Path of Perfection Celibacy becomes a Shame A Fear-based Church Discussion CHAPTER 5 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Real Reasons for Celibacy Beginning of the Church untill 200 AD From 200 to 400 AD From 500 to 1000 AD From 1000 to 1500 AD 15th and 16th Centuries Up to the 21st Century

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CHAPTER 6

INSTRUMENTS OF CONTROL Obedience Secrecy Purity and Misogyny Gods Representatives Control and Power Clerical Arrogance

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CHAPTER 7

THE FRATERNITY Blind Obedience to the Hierarchy Hostages of the Hierarchy Enslavement by the Hierarchy Who can leave?

CHAPTER 8

HOW IS THE MIGHTY FALLEN DELUSION 1 : CATHOLIC TEACHING OF REDEMPTION Redemption and the Sacrifice of the Mass The Priest and the Sacrifice of the Mass

Elevation of Priests
DELUSION 2 : CELIBACY AND FATHERHOOD OF A PRIEST Celibacy A Celibate Priest as Christ? A Celibate Priest as Love? A Celibate Priest as Father?

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The Joy of Marriage

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CHAPTER 9

CERBERUS Mythical Three-headed Dog In the Presence of Christ

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CHAPTER 10

WHO IS LIKE GOD?

Michael
Enemies of the Bride Unholy Union Synagogue of Satan CHAPTER 11 HOPE LEFT FOR THE CHURCH? In Persona Christi With the Spirit of a Child The Wind bloweth... EPILOGUE NO ONE IS LIKE GOD! Pride of the Forest Watching and Waiting In awesome Wonder Wanna be a Catholic Priest? THE END

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NON EST SICUT DEUS is the story of a young man who feel called to serve God in a special way. The book is written, compiled and illustrated by Caeli Francisco in May 2012 Caeli Francisco Photos and Images : Internet References : Internet

Daniel 9:3, 21-22, And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee The tasks of our Guardian Angels, in short, are to teach us: Daniel 9: skill and understanding. 22, Now I have entered, to teach you, and so that you might understand; to reveal secrets: the three Angels expressed the Mystery of the Trinity and Unity, after which God said in Genesis 18:17, Can I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do?; to pray for us and carry our prayers to God: Tobit 12:12, When you were praying with tears . . . I offered your prayer [St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, OFM,],

Matthew 28

Matthew 28:19-20, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you...

Many are the motives that prompt the Guardian Angels constant devotion to our interests. These celestial patrons, we know, are close to the merciful Heart of the Redeemer; they understand, therefore, His untiring concern for our welfare and from that inexhaustible Fountain of Love they imbibe the tenderest affection in our regard. They know too, that we, their spiritual relatives, are destined to share their glory, to be their fellow-citizens in Heaven and one day to enter into their unending companionship. In the unselfishness of their love, they are anxious for the period of our probation to close triumphantly. One of the good offices which our holy Guardian Angel perform in our behalf, is to warn and admonish us. Such then he often urges us to leave those places, companionships, conversations, books and pastimes where danger threatens our soul and where, because of his Angelic purity and delicacy, he cannot bear us company. His voice cries out to us in various ways - through the counsel of a friend, through the reading of a good book, through the voice of conscience. How often, how lovingly, how mildly he instructs, warns, entreats and invites us!

Our guardian angel is most anxious to be our advocate at the throne of God, but if we do not heed his voice he will be compelled to be our accuser, for he can only fulfill his sublime task if we cooperate with him with ready willingness. If we harden our heart and refuse to heed his admoniti-ons, he will one day be compelled to reveal our sins before all the world. Disobedience on our part would therefore be not only the ba-sest ingratitude, but the greatest folly as well, for it is only for our own eternal welfare that our Angel thus warns us. For our Guardian Angel to reprove us, is an act very proper to love, for since love cherishes an inmost desire for the good of the beloved and shows itself also in deed, so it seeks to avert evil from the one be loved. The administering of reproofs is a means toward this end and this the Angel accomplishes by inflicting the sting of remorse of conscience. The moment we have committed sin, our Angel withdraws his consolations and pierces our soul with pain. He strives to awaken in our heart vehement qualms of conscience and to move us to true con trition and penance. How great are our obligations toward this true friend who thus warns us of evil, chastises us and fills us with anxiety when we have done wrong!

If there is one thing that we all appreciate, in fact deeply need, it is the sense of companionship. We want to know there is someone who is near us, who cares about us and who is ready to assist us in our needs. Being creatures of body and soul, we know that just because someone is near to us in body does not mean that he or she is near to us in spirit. A person can be a thousand miles away in space and yet be present to us in mind and heart, just as someone can be right next to us in body and yet not be present in spirit. Our Guardian Aangel is very real, even though he cannot be perceived by our senses. He has a mind that is always thinking of God and a will that is always united with God. Having been specially appointed as our companion through life, he exercises this companionship by his constant assistance in illuminating our minds and inspiring our wills.

The first function or role of our guardian angel is to instruct us as mes sengers of illumination to our minds. They have their mission among non-Christians entrusted to their care, to lead these people to the true faith and for the baptized, they serve as messengers of light for the virtue of faith. They assist the believer to believe more deeply, more clearly, more certainly, more accurately, more courageously and more zealously to share the faith with others. They are communicators from God to human minds to enlighten them on the mind and will of God. We can honestly say that we are never thinking alone. Our mind is always being influenced either by the spirits of evil whom God allows to try to seduce us into sin, or by the good spirits who are divine agents in leading us to God. We call this, discernment of spirits. The guardian angels are messengers of peace by teaching our minds the truth about God, about ourselves and about our relationship with those whom Gods providence has placed into our lives. The first meaning of peace is the experience of knowing the truth. How many people in our day are in deep internal conflict because their minds are not in possession of the truth. They are also angels of peace because they are sent by God to tell us what is the will of God in our lives. If knowing the truth gives peace of mind, responding to the will of God gives peace of heart. It is here especially that our angels are also our guides for they guide us to know what God wants of us and then guard us against the greatest danger in our lives, the risk of choosing our own will instead of the will of God. Being specially enlightened by God, whose face they constantly behold, the angels know what God expects of us and they are His principal agents in communicating this divine expectation to us. [Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.],

. A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and their gods. Priests also have the authority to administer religious rites, in particular rites of sacrifice to, and appeasing of, a deity or deities. Their office or position is called the priesthood. The word priest is derived from the Greek word presbyter, which is the term used for elder (as in elders of Jewish or Christian communities). In English, we have the single term priest that denotes both presbyter and sacerdos - presbyter being the minister who presides and instructs a Christian congregation and the sacerdos the offerer of sacrifices, which again within a Christian context, refers to the eucharist, as the performing of a mediatorial office between God and man. The New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews draws a distinction between the Jewish priesthood and the High Priesthood of Christ. It teaches that the sacrificial atonement by Jesus Christ on Calvary has made the Jewish priesthood and its prescribed ritual sacrifices, redundant. Thus, Christian priests have no priesthood independent or distinct from that of Christ: the one sacrifice of Christ, which he offered once for all (Hebrews 10:10) on the Cross, is considered present by some Christian denominations, through the Eucharist. The most significant liturgical acts reserved for priests in these traditions are the administration of the Sacraments, including the celebration of the Holy Mass or Divine Liturgy and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, (also called Confession).

Furthermore are the sacraments of Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction) and Confirmation (or Chrismation) also administered by priests (and/or bishops in the Western tradition). According to the New Testament, Jesus as High Priest, has made the Church a kingdom of priests for God His Father. (Revelation 1:6, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; Revelation 5:9-10, And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:and we shall reign on the earth; 1 Peter 2:5,9 - Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light). All who are baptized are given a share in the priesthood of Christ in that they are conformed to the image of Christ and made capable of offering true worship and praise to God as Christians. Therefore, the whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. Seen in this light then, the Catholic priesthood is a participation in the priesthood of Christ tracing its origins to Jesus Christ Himself. Thus the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the priesthood of all believers and involves the direct consecration of a man to Christ through the Sacrament of Orders, so that he can act in the person of Christ for the sake of the Christian faithful, above all in dispensing the sacraments. The priesthood is understood to have begun at the Last Supper, when Jesus Christ instituted the Eucharist in the presence of the Twelve Apostles, commanding them to "do this in memory of me.

Although it is assumed that the theology of the Catholic priesthood is rooted in the priesthood of Christ, it shares to some degree certain elements of the ancient Hebraic priesthood, (which functioned at the temple in Jerusalem, where the priests offered animal sacrifices at certain times throughout the year for a variety of reasons), in that a priest presides over a sacrifice, offering that sacrifice together with the prayers of the faithful, to God. Catholic priests and bishops presiding at the Eucharist, join every offering of the Eucharistic elements, in union with the sacrifice of Christ to God. By and through this action, the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist become one single united sacrifice (it does not mean that Christ is sacrificed again as if crucified again with every mass). Thus the memorial of which Christ spoke to his disciples during the last supper is not merely a recollection of the long-time-past passion of our Lord, but it is the real presence of these events at the here and now of every sacrifice of the mass and so the sacrifice that Christ offered once and for all on the cross remains ever present. Properly speaking, as expressed by St. Thomas Aquinas, "Only Christ is the true Priest, the others being only his ministers." Catholic ordained ministers are known as priests because by their celebration of the Eucharist, their offering makes present the one eternal sacrifice of Christ.

We live in a moment in history when all are searching for meaning:what is the meaning of my life; where am I to find the happiness that I desire? Our whole being cries out for purpose and, if we are honest with ourselves, for love. God has not left us alone. He has heard our cries, has loved us so much that he became man and dwelt among us, thereby answering our human longing. Christ instituted the priesthood so that we would not be alone when he goes back to His Father. The priest makes Christ himself present in the Eucharist through the daily offering of Holy Mass. It is the priest who leads men and women to God. The world needs priests, because ultimately the world needs Christ.

The priesthood is a call from Christ to live a relationship with him by serving his people. Not content to leave his people with simply the memory of his redeeming love, Christ chose certain of his followers (the apostles) to continue his work on earth until the end of time. The priesthood is an extension of this and is hence a continuation of the work of Christ in the world today. While the whole Church is a priestly people, sharing in the priesthood of Christ by their daily sacrifices, prayers and spreading of the Gospel, God calls specific people to serve in his name in the midst of the community. These people are priests.

The obligation to be celibate is seen as a consequence of the obligation to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Advocates see clerical celibacy as "a special gift of God by which sacred ministers can more easily remain close to Christ with an undivided heart and can dedicate themselves more freely to the service of God and their neighbour." Theologically, the Church teaches that priesthood is a ministry conformed to the life and work of Jesus Christ. Priests as sacramental ministers act in persona Christi, that is, in the person of Christ. Thus the life of the priest conforms, the Church believes, to the chastity of Christ himself. The sacrifice of married life is for the "sake of the Kingdom" (Matthew 19:2730, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life). This means that being celibate, is to follow the example of Jesus Christ in being "married" to the Church, which is seen by Catholicism and many Christian traditions as the "Bride of Christ".

Card. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) in his book Salt of the Earth, saw this practice as based on Jesus' words in Matthew 19:12, For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him rec-eive it. He linked this concept of celibacy and the phrase above, for the kingdom of heavens sake, with God's choice to confer the Old Testament priesthood on the tribe of Levi, which unlike the other tribes received no land from God, but had God himself as their inheritance. Numbers 18:2021,23 - And the LORD spake unto Aaron, I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. Pope John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis stated that the unchanging essence of ordination configures the priest to Jesus Christ the Head and Spouse of the Church. Thus, he said, the Church, as the Spouse of Jesus Christ, wishes to be loved by the priest in the total and exclusive manner in which Jesus Christ her Head and Spouse loved her.

St. Paul, within the context of 1 Corinthians 7:25, ...concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord, recommends celibacy in 1 Corin thians 7:7, For I would that all men were even as I myself, but acknowledges that it is not God's gift to all within the church, ...every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. Garry Wills in his book, Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit, is of the opinion that the Church drew its inspiration from the ascetic monks who devote themselves to meditation and total abstention from earthly wealth and pleasures in order to sustain their corporal and spiritual purity - this after seeing that their initial efforts in propagating the faith were fruitless. The rationale behind such strict policy is that it significantly helps the priests perform well in their religious services while at the same time following the manner in which Jesus Christ lived his life. The author also mentioned that although the said policy insists on helping priests focus more on ecclesiastical duties, it also enabled the Church to control the wealth amassed by the clerics through their various religious activities naturally, this contributed to the growing power of the Catholic Church. It is said (by those against celibacy), he wrote, that mandatory celibacy distances priests from the experience of life thereby compromising their moral authority in the pastoral sphere. Upon this, the defenders of celibacy answers that the Church's moral authority is rather enhanced by a life of a total giving of self, because such a life is in imitation of Christ. This also, they argue, is a practical application of the Vatican II teaching that "man can not fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself."

123rf.com

1 Kings 19:7

Many men in the armed forces during the past 65 years under the stress of battle, isolation from families, deprivation and overwhelmGenesis 1:28, And God ing life-threatening fear and loss, can relate how thin and permeable blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and the membrane separating heterosexual and homosexual orientation replenish the earth; Genesis 9:1, And God blessed Noah and his sons, can be. Their feelings of friendship nowhere before experienced, maand said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth ke them aware of a capacity for love and closeness with men they did not imagine. Men in specialized work circumstances, Catholic priests and bishops among others, can duplicate the same realization when faced with emotional or sexual isolation and deprivation. At times this friendship and love are expressed by actionsdirect mutual sexual gratification. [Richard Sipe],

a man will love what is close to him, because man is a loving animal. (Ibid, R Sipe]

Matthew 19:12, For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for [Reference: Anne Morse], the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. he that is able to receive it, let him receive The obligation to be celibate is seen as a consequence of the obliga- it. tion to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the Christ speaks here of a twofold unaptness to marriage: 1. That which Kingdom of heaven. Advocates see clerical celibacy as a special gift is a calamity by the providence of God - such as those who are born of God by which sacred ministers can more easily remain close to eunuchs, or made so by men. Being in this state they are incapable of Christ with an undivided heart and can dedicate themselves more answering one great end of marriage and therefore ought not to marfreely to the service of God and their neighbour. Theologically, the ry. But God has given them an opportunity to serve Him in the single Church teaches that priesthood is a ministry conformed to the life state better than would they have been married. 2. That which is a and work of Jesus Christ. Priests as sacramental ministers act in per- virtue by the grace of God - such is theirs who have made themselves sona Christi, that is, in the person of Christ. Thus the life of the priest eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. This is meant of an unaptconforms, the Church believes, to the chastity of Christ himself. ness for marriage, not in body (which some, through mistake of this (Refer scripture, have foolishly and wickedly brought upon themselves, i.e. gays, lesbians and Catholics), but in mind. Those have thus made themselves eunuchs who have attained a holy indifference to all the delights of the married state, have a fixed resolution in the strength of God's grace to wholly abstain from them; and by fasting and other instances of mortification, have subdued all desires toward them. These are they that can receive this saying, BUT they are not to bind themselves by a vow that they will never marry. [Matthew Henry],

God has ordained marriage for the general advantage of mankind. Though it may seem sometimes to be disagreeable, it is not on that account to be despised. Let us therefore learn to use with reverence the gifts of God, even if there be something in them that does not please us. Above all, let us guard against any wickedness in reference to holy marriage for Satan has always endeavored to make it an object of hatred and detestation, in order to withdraw men from it. [Calvin],

All are not capable of receiving this saying. By this Jesus means, that the choice is not placed in our hands, as if we were to deliberate on a matter submitted to us. Any man who, without making any inquiry, lays upon himself an obligation to celibacy, is widely mistaken. God, who has declared it to be good that a man should have a woman to be his helper - (Genesis 2 :18, And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him), will punish the contempt of his own appointment, for mortals take too much on themselves, when they endeavor to exempt themselves from the heavenly calling. Christ proves that it is not free to all to make what choice they please because the gift of continence is a special gift a special grace. When he says that all are not capable of receiving it but those to whom it is given, he plainly shows that it was not given to all. And this reproves the pride of those who do not hesitate to claim for themselves what Christ so manifestly refuses them. This castration, therefore, is not left to free will; but the plain meaning is, while a very few men are by nature fit to marry, though they abstain, they do not tempt God because God grants them exemption. It is a foolish imagination that celibacy is a virtue, for it is not in itself more pleasing to God than fasting and is not entitled to be reckoned among the duties which he requires from us, but ought to have a reference to another object. Men's ears are stopped by I know not what enchantments of Satan so that, contrary to nature, and at it were, in spite of God, those whom God called to marriage have bound themselves by the cord of perpetual virginity followed by the deadly cord of a vow, by which wretched souls are bound. [Calvin],

No man can make a vow to avoid all manner of sin, even the slightest, because this is morally impossible. A vow binds according to the intention of the person who makes it; and this intention must be reasonable. [Catholic Encyclopedia],

Promises made to God: The Catholic Encyclopedia explains about promises made to God, that since it is impossible for me to deceive God as to any of my intentions, He knows whether I shall be faithful in my promises to him. God is protected against such a disappointment (of my not being faithful) on account of which, the failure to ful fil a promise to a fellow-man, is considered disgraceful. But, just as one can offer to God an existing thing, or a present action, so also one can offer Him a future action and perseverance in the purpose of fulfilling it. A failure to give to God what has been promised Him is a matter of importance and a very serious offence. By adding to our obligations, we declare that God deserves more than He demands. About making a vow to God, it explains that the making of a vow is approved by God because it is useful to man in that it strengthens his will to do what is right. A vow, even in an unimportant matter, presupposes the full consent of the will; it is an act of generosity towards God. One does not give unless one knows fully what one is doing. Every substantial error, which is really the cause of making a vow, ren ders the vow null and void. One who can say sincerely, "if Id known this or that, I would not have made the vow", is not bound by it. Vows that accompany ones entrance into a state of being, such as vows of religion, can only be rendered void by some really substantial error. The object of the vow must be something that is humanly possi ble, for no one can be bound to do what is impossible.

Both marriage and dedicated virginity are body-shaped and body-revealed commitments that are at once fully human, freely chosen and fruitful in their expressive love. Both require a certain renunciation and carrying of the Cross. Both rely daily upon the gift of Gods grace to survive and flourish. The gift of grace brings it about that the body (of a wife or husband, of a sister, priest or monk), is a temple of the Holy Spirit but temples in distinctive ways. Consecrated people give up for the sake of the kingdom the consolation, beauty and concrete warmth of family and marital love, but they work to build up all that is true and wonderful about marital love and life. Married people by their fidelity and commitment make enormous sacrifices to remain faithful and constant in sickness and in health. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have pointed out that a vocation to the priesthood and religious life rests upon love-filled and healthy vocations to marriage and family. To refute the secular worlds and in a certain measure that of many Catholics, opinion that a consecrated life can be equated with a rejection of sexuality and a covering up of the goodness of natural male and female fulfilment, by referring to what St Paul says in Romans 8: 20, For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Pope John Paul ll wrote that these words have a historical, social and cosmic dimension - they reveal what is written into the gift of our bodies and the secrets of our hearts. [Pope John Paul ll in Theology of the Body],

Elaborating on this, he points to Mark 12:24-25, where Jesus refers directly to the rising from the dead, For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. This, according to the Pope, is when embodied but transformed men and women neither marry nor are given in marriage. At this stage people will be perfectly in communion with the saints and in intimate and eternal union with God. Furthermore, Jesus confronts the Jewish authorities with a new and pro phetic way of life followed for the sake of love and for the kingdom. John Paul ll explains this remark of Jesus by saying that a consciously chosen virginity is undertaken, not out of fear, disgust or lack of love, but so that men and women can be enfleshed signs of the resurrected body in Gods kingdom.

(Col 1:24, Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church). People who live a life of dedicated celibacy (being chaste and unmarried) live prayerfully and in a spiritual intimacy with the Lord while serving His people in concrete, immediate and loving ways. They do not nullify their sexual identity but offer up to God the gift of their masculinity or femininity. [Pope John Paul ll in Theology of the Body],

In the sacrament of Marriage, a baptized man and/or a baptized woman vow to love, honor and respect one another. They promise to be faithful to one another, to honor their vows until the death of their spouse and to accept children lovingly from God. They make this pledge before the priest and other witnesses. The Church considers this bond to be sacred, unbreakable and binding until the death of one of the spouses. Marriage, like priesthood, religious, or single life, is a vocation a calling from God. The sacrament of marriage gives the husband and wife the grace to live a life focused on serving God through their love for one another and to raise their children in the Catholic faith. On the day of my marriage, as I spoke my vows to my beloved, I felt nothing but joy and happiness in the freedom to live my personal life out from under the oppression of mandatory celibacy. These vows made much more sense than the previous ones I had made in front of my bishop seventeen years earlier. The purposes of those were obedience and control, while the purposes of these were for love and companionship.

Making the two mutually exclusive is an abuse of ecclesiastical power, an injustice to priests and contrary to the will of God as found in the Scriptures as well as in the first 1000 years of Catholic Church tradition The 16th Century Reformers were correct when they taught marriage is a divine right that no ecclesiastical law can negate. When you read the arguments of these reformers against the practice of mandated celibacy, you will find that to date, little has changed. Mandatory celibacy defines the priest primarily by sex and places an inordinate amount of attention on his sex life. When the typical lay person meets a priest, they perceive him first and foremost as a celibate and have an internal dialogue that goes something like this: Is he really celibate? I wonder what he does with his sex drive. Is he gay? I hope hes not a pedophile. If hes attractive, they think, what a was te and if not attractive, no wonder he went into the priesthood. This does not occur because our modern-day society is preoccupied with sex but happens because a priest is viewed and understood primarily by sex and for this he suffers now, more than ever. Priests are not celibates; they are human beings.

The term "mandatory celibacy" implies that a priest is to abstain from sexual activity. It objectifies sexual intercourse and separates it from the union of heart and soul that a healthy marriage entails. It gives the impression that marriage is all about the conjugal act and tends to turn women into sexual objects. Yet, that is not what most priests are after. Like any other normal human being, they simply long to have another person to love and share their life with. But mandated celibacy makes of this normal, natural human desire something dirty and ugly - it shames a priest for having this desireand because celibacy is all about sexual abstinence, their sexuality is shamed too. This dark cloud, which all priests are forced to enter under upon ordination, hangs over the priesthood. They are forced to publicly declare that they will forever deny this important part of their lives.

This isolates them and makes them into an oddity that people often pity more than respect. The problem lies therein that celibacy is forced upon priests. The dynamic would change if celibacy was optional. They who reason that none has forced us to be ordained, are mistaken although our Call is from God, the Church has imposed celibacy upon God's call. One of the oldest teachings of the Church is ones obligation to live according to the dictates of their conscience. Leaving the priesthood is so taboo that even discussing it with faithful priests is perceived as sinful. Deeper still, even the thought of leaving is avoided by those who are repressing it, giving credence to the saying Sow a thought, reap an action

Some orders, especially monastic ones, make a fourth vow, i.e. Stability, by which they promise to remain at that particular monastery for the balance of their lives; and/or Perserverance. (Recognising that Diocesan priests make two or three Promises (not vows) of Obedien- the living out of the three traditional vows can be truly challenging, ce, Prayer and Celibacy: OBEDIENCE - to obey their bishop and his suc- Redemptorists take a fourth vow, that of Perseverance). If a man becessors; PRAYER - to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day; and CELIB- longed to a particular religious order and later on became a priest, ACY - not to marry. he would not make the promises because he is already bound by his Religious clerics make Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. POV- existing vows (no need to promise celibacy when you have vowed ERTY is usually interpreted as to own nothing individually, but rather chastity, for example). that the resources of the person belong to the particular Order. CHAST- An excommunicated priest is still referred to as Father because he ITY is interpreted as refraining from marital relations for the sake of has a right to that title until he is either dismissed from the clerical the kingdom, which implies a promise of celibacy. OBEDIENCE to their state or he requests a dispensation. He stays a priest, albeit an excom religious superiors. municated one. It is up to the diocesan bishop to request a dismissal. (In the western Church a cleric - religious or secular - cannot validly en Bishops have different approaches to this. Some like to wait and see ter into Marriage once ordained. Attempting marriage, he is excommu- if the person has a change of heart and some proceed very quickly. nicated but the Church, like a good mother, expects him back an expectation that rests upon the supposition that he leaves his civil wife The theological fact is that even when a pirest is dismissed or is disand re-accepts obedience to the Apostolic see). pensed, the ontological change is not reversed. He remains a priest forever and his proper title remains Father.

As members of a religious congregation Redemptorists embrace the evangelical counsels, taking the three traditional religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. POVERTY means that all possessions are held in common and that no member may accumulate wealth. CHASTITY means more than abstaining from sexual activity and its purpose is to make the religious totally available for service; it is also a sign that only God can completely fill the human heart. OBEDIENCE is not slavishly doing what one is told by the superior but being attentive to Gods will by prayerfully listening to the voice of the person in charge. Recognising that the living out of the three traditional vows can be tru ly challenging, each Redemptorist takes a fourth vow, that of PERSEVERANCE.

All Christians are called to be missionaries insofar as the love of God is something that is meant to be shared. Redemptorists, as a fuller expression of their baptismal consecration, fulfill this most basic vocation of all Christians by responding with zeal and creativity to the pressing pastoral needs of the most abandoned, especially the poor, and by devoting themselves entirely to evangelization. In order to carry out their mission, Redemptorists try to live like the apostles of Jesus and dedicate their entire lives to God and missionary work. In a rapidly changing world, Redemptorists constantly seek new ways to preach the Good News of Gods love. The Congregation maintains a long-standing interest in and commitment to moral theology by giving this theological discipline a strong emphasis in the initial formation of its seminarians and in the lifelong study of its members.

At first, only a handful of men followed the inspiration of St. Alphonsus Liguori,who founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1732, but today Redemptorists number 5,500 priests, brothers and students who have professed the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Redemptorists live in communities of priests, brothers and students. Besides working together, the members share prayer, their material goods and, really, their very lives. More than simply a convenient way to live, the lifestyle of a Redemptorist community is itself a proclamation of the Gospel to the poor. Like the apostles, moved and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, Redemp torists spare no effort to make a total gift of themselves to God who first loved them" (1 John 4:10). This response of love finds expression in the profession of the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.

POVERTY is a virtue. We should love God above all things and love

other things only insofar as they help us to love God. Without the virtue of poverty, which is a detachment from possessing things for the love of God, no one can get to heaven. No one should be greedy or make wealth the purpose of his life. Religious, by the vow of povThe Franciscan Rule of the Friars Minor is to observe the Holy Gospel erty, promise to live as a family, with all goods owned by the community and each member owning nothing personally. of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by living in obedience without anything of our own and in chastity, which constitute the three evangelical coun In poverty a Franciscan not only renounces the ownership of all possessions, giving them to the poor and promises to live a communal sels - the vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. Religious vows life with his fellow religious, but he entrusts his life to God's providare vows to live a form of life which has been approved of by the ence and accepts only the use of necessary things. As such FrancisChurch. OBEDIENCE is a virtue. We should obey all legitimate authority in our cans traditionally own no property, either personally nor as a comfamily, in our nation and most importantly in the Church. Without ob- munity, nor do they own or use money or financial instruments or investments. They rely entirely upon the charity of the faithful in eve dience no one can get to heaven. A promise made to God to obey an ecclesiastical superior in a religious community is called a vow of erything, accepting the use of things and consumables in exchange obedience. By it one makes himself a subject of the superior and pro- for their manual labor. mises to obey him in accord with the Rule of the community. In obedience a Franciscan not only promises to obey his legitimate superiors in the Order in everything that is explicitly contained in the Ru le and Norms of the community, but also obliges himself to do whatso ever the superior might command him so long as it is something good and licit. By this vow, the Franciscan religious obtains a childlike purity of heart which makes him pleasing to God and offers God the greatest of all sacrifices, that of his entire free will. CHASTITY is a virtue. We should be chaste in our family and in public life. Without chastity no one can get to heaven. Chastity for the laity means celibacy before marriage and respect for one's spouse in marriage. Chastity for the clergy or for religious means celibacy for life. In chastity a Franciscan not only renounces the goods of marriage, but also promises to avoid all familiarity with women, as well as every interior and exterior act which is against virginal purity. By this vow the Franciscan religious, while on earth, takes on the angelic life of purity which is the life of all the saints in Heaven.

OBEDIENCE. Placing himself in a community of brothers under an ab-

By his grace God calls men to accept Christ's gift of the evangelical counsels as embodied in the Rule of Benedict. These counsels channel the priests (or monks') pursuit of perfect charity and prompt them to offer to their brothers in the Church and to the world a sign of the heavenly kingdom. POVERTY. The evangelical counsel of poverty implies leaving all things for the sake of the kingdom. In the context of community living, the vow of poverty finds deeper meaning as a promise to share all that one is and has with one's brothers and with all men. This sharing of material goods will find its fullness in charity, which prompts a member to share also those treasures of faith, hope and encouragement that are the indispensable provisions of the community in its pilgrimage toward God. The sharing of material goods thus becomes an external sign of both simplicity and charity. The crying injustices and sufferings of people everywhere and the debasement, which affluence can so easily cause, make it imperative that the individual and the community live in true simplicity, sharing their goods with the less fortunate. CELIBACY. At the heart of this vocation is the mystery of divine love and election. In response to God's predilection, a member prefers absolutely nothing to the love of Christ and denies himself in order to follow Christ through a life of celibacy. Therefore, celibacy has con sistently been understood as an essential part of that special form of following Christ, which the Church has traditionally seen to be the religious life. In this regard, the mystery of the religious life stands out as a witness to the new age of the Kingdom and as such it is seen as a kind of martyrdom. Celibacy is sought for the sake of the kingdom and is a sign or witness to the kingdom that is coming. It implies leaving marriage in the interest of that kingdom where there will be neither marrying nor giving in marriage.

bot, the member further readies himself to follow the call of God by obedience. The member's obedience, which means giving heed to his abbot and brethren, must be seen as an expression of his faith and hope. By it he seeks to enter more fully into that mystery of loving obedience whereby Christ, fulfilling his Father's will, laid down his life for his brethren and opened for the future the hope of the resurrection. This is why the member seeks to place God's will before all selfish impulse and why his obedience becomes a manifesto of fidelity to his brethren, of his responsibility to his community, the Church and the world. The member's obedience, as the heeding and attentive listening to others becomes then that love of ones neighbour, which schools one for life in the family of God. Obedience is intended to liberate the member through the power of the cross, to give his natural talents the capacity for growth and to increase his dedication to that worship and service which are the vocation of the children of God.

Matthew 10:7-10, Preach as you go saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. You have received the Gospel without payment, give it to others as freely. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, no spare garment, nor sandals, nor staff.

CHURCH OF SAN DAMIANO

James 1:12, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him
(He-brews 2:18)?

Hebrews 12:7-8,11 - If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

1 Corinthians 1:1928, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.

MONTE CASSINO, WHERE ST BENEDICT WROTE HIS RULE FOR MONKS;

All persons are called to be priests to their peers in that the traditional clerical office of preaching and teaching is just one other vocation The Catholic Church regards celibacy as necessary on the path of peralongside many others that any conscientious Christian could properfection. This effectively divides the members of the Body of Christ inly and freely pursue. All traditional lay offices in the Church are forms to two groupsthe celibate piestly elite who should be seen as saof divine calling and priestly vocation, each providing unique opporcred and the ordinary lay people who strive for perfection. Other tunities for service to ones peers. Preachers and teachers in the than Catholics, the Protestants have a higher view of the Body of church must carry their share of civic duties, pay their share of civil Christ, calling the ordinary lay people together with the ministers a taxes and should participate in earthly activities such as marriage priesthood of all believers, thereby setting the same standards of and family life just like everyone else. conduct for everyone. This point of view is based on 1 Timothy 3:1-5 that then points to the responsibility of the clergy as examples to le- To require celibacy of clerics and religious men and women, lies bead their congregations with the wisdom that comes from and throyond the authority of the Church in that celibacy is a gift that God reugh the experience of building good family relationships. wards a very few people with and it is therefore for each individual, not for the Church, to decide whether he or she had received this gift. By demanding monastic vows of chastity and clerical vows of ceTo impute higher spirituality and holier virtue to the celibate clerical libacy, the Church is intruding upon Christian freedom and is contraand contemplative life, is contradicted by the Bible, which teaches dicting Scripture, nature and common sense. Because the Church is that each person must perform his or her calling with the gifts that imposing it upon clerics and religious, it has become a source of great God provides. The gifts of continence and contemplation are but two sin instead of a path of perfection and has lead to, according to Maramong many and are by no means superior to the gifts of marriage tin Luther, "great whoredom and all manner of fleshly impurity and and childrearing. Each calling plays an equally important, holy and ... hearts filled with thoughts of women day and night." virtuous role in the drama of redemption and its fulfillment is a ser- The marital estate is as indispensable an agent in God's redemption vice to God. Although it may be true according to the Apostle Paul plan as the Church; it is as indispensable an agent of social order and that the celibate person may better be able to preach and care for communal cohesion as the State. It is not simply a creation of civil God's word, it is still the Word and the preaching thereof that makes law, but a Godly creation designed to aid the state in discharging its celibacy better than the estate of marriage. In itself, however, the ce- divine mandate [John Witte, Jr.], libate life is far inferior. Before God, all persons and all institutions are equal by nature and therefore the traditional Catholic teaching that the clergy are higher beings with readier access to God and His mysteries, are wrong - they are not mediative channels of Gods grace between the laity and God but are together with the laity, fundamen tally equal before God.

The unintentional ridicule of lay people about a priests sex life or sex ual acumen does not occur because our modern-day society is preoccupied with sex, but happens because a priest is viewed and under stood primarily by sex. For this, priests who are not celibates but human beings, now suffers more than ever. The problem lies therein that celibacy is forced upon priests: no celibacy, no entry into the priesthood. The dynamic would change if celibacy was optional. They who reason that none has forced us to be or . dained, are mistaken although our Call is from God, the Church has imposed celibacy upon God's call. A leading Cardinal recently claimed that the sex abuse scandels rocking the Roman Catholic Church were due to priestly celibacy. Calling for a change of vision, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, leader of the Catholic Church in Austria, said the causes of sex abuse by priests can be found in 'priest celibacy' and 'priest training'. When asked for his opinion, Cardinal Schoenborn said the problem lies with the issue of priestly celibacy and the issue of personality development. It requires a great deal of honesty and a change of vision both on the part of the Church and of society as a whole. But despite calls by a number of theologians and lay Catholic organizations to abolish priest celibacy, the Vatican sees the issue as strictly 'non-negotiable'. Although the issue of celibacy was to be discussed at a 2-day conference hosted by the Vatican's Pontifical Lateran University, which is under the control of Pope Benedict XVI, nothing is known of what has been decided. Hondurian Cardinal scar Andrs Rodrguez Maradiaga, who was attending the conference, was asked about Cardinal Schoenborn's comments

He dismissed them by saying, 'I don't understand how there can be a relation between priestly celibacy and paedophile cases within the Church because abuse also takes place where there is no celibacy. We cannot blame the whole of the clergy for a few who have fall en and who have sinned. It is thought that many Catholic priests privately believe a married clergy is the obvious solution to a number of problems confronting the church, from the shortage of priests to the recent sex scandals. [Nick Pisa], The Roman Catholic Church is in a profound crisis. Its name is SEX, its symptom is sexual abuse of minors by clergy, but its core is celibacy. Sexual abuse of minors by priests as men bound by a vocational requirement of perfect and perpetual chastity and presented to the public as sexually safe, is a major social and religious problem. [Richard Sipe],

Sexual abuse by the clergy is criminal in that it defines the symptom of an institution rocked to its very foundations, gasping for air and trying desperately to keep its head above water. Or as one bishop had put it blintly, the institution to which I belong is rotten to its core. The public became more aware of the sexuality of priests through various elements, of which Cinema is an example, that prepared them to think the unthinkablepriests can be sexually active. Movies touched, however deftly, on problems of clerical immaturity, masturbation, homosexuality, sexual abuse of women, or conflicted loving relationships, abuse of minors and abortion. A starkly negative view emerged in the last three decades of the twentieth century of the priest as a manipulator and frankly sexual sinner as in the movie Mon signor of 1982. Documentary films recording the crisis have proliferated, widening the degree of knowledge and awareness of priests and bishops abusing minors. In spite of contradictions during this half-century transition, church officials reinforced the equation that priest equals celibate. An official spokesperson for the American bishops asserted on television as late as January 2001that 99 and 44/100 % of priests are celibate. The average American neither challenged the statement nor was convinced by the hyperbole. The crisis is not simply abuse of minors. It involves three distinct elements of concern: sex, money and loss of credibility in moral authority. These storm clouds on the clerical horizon were harbingers of the massive forces that combine to threaten the very foundations of the churchs sexual assumptions. Beyond the symptom of sexual abuse by clergy is the threat to the problematic equation, on which all of the churchs reasoning about sexual behavior rests, that priest equals celibacy. When that myth dissipates the whole sexual structure of Catholic teaching about sex falls like a house of cards.

The Celibate/Sexual agenda of the Roman Catholic Church includes the questions of: masturbation; pre-marital sexual activity; sexual activity after the death of a spouse or post divorce; contraception; the homosexualities;. abortion; the requirement of non-marriage, perfect and perpetual chastity for ordination to the priesthood; a married priesthood; ordination of women; and the appointment of bishops. Those who claim that these issues are completely settled and require no dialogue only intensify the crisis of confidence in the authority of the church and expose it to ever-greater disdain for its hypocrisy.

It is precisely the public glimpse into the hypocrisy of the secret celibate system revealed in the priest sexual abuse issue that has inspired an unprecedented degree of rage against the hierarchy of the church and mobilized historic demands for accountability, transparency and reform. The reality of celibacy, with all its powerful contributions to culture as well as its aberrations and perversions, is a neglected area of the study of human sexuality. It is a far more vital area of life and culture than most people think. [Richard Sipe],

Does this seem like what Jesus wanted to establish on earth? It doesn't for He said Fear not! and St. John said, There is no fear in love; and Perfect love casts out fear. But here, perfect fear casts out love. Today in the Catholic Church almost any disagreement to almost any degree with almost any church leader on almost any topic is seen as dissent; the slightest whiff of disagreement is confused with disloyalty and certainly is disagreement with statements from Rome, even on non-dogmatic or non-doctrinal matters, seen as close to heresy. There is "pressure to conform" and it is an intense pressure, particularly within official church circles. This is the last thing the church needs right now. In the midst of one of the worst crises ever to face the Catholic Church, the sexual abuse scandals, what we need is not fear-bred silence but a hope-filled willingness to listen to any and all voices for the Holy Spirit works through everyone. It is much easier to What compounds this frustration over the church's unwillingness to listen to someone who invites, rather than commands. How wonderbe critiqued is the mystique which, in an increasing measure, has sur ful if everyone in the Catholic Church could be afforded that symparounded the person of the pope in the last 30 years such, that any thy. Then we could listen to the voices of all sorts of people who hahint of critique or questioning of his policies, his way of thinking, his ve much to offer the church, by way of their own expressions of their exercise of authority etc. is equated with disloyalty. Because of this personal research, that is, the experience of their lives as faith-filled mystique, the unquestioning obedience by the faithful to the pope is Christians. [James Martin, SJ], required and is a sign of the ethos and fidelity of a true Catholic. But when the pope's authority is intentionally extended to the Vatican curia, there exists a real possibility that unquestioning obedience to Something has been happening in the Church, especially since Pope very human decisions about a whole range of issues by the curial de- John Paul II became the Bishop of Rome - and up till today - and that partments and cardinals also becomes a mark of one's fidelity as a Ca is restorationism. This is the carefully planned dismantling of the thetholic and anything less is interpreted as being disloyal to the pope. ology, ecclesiology, pastoral vision, indeed the opening of the windows of Vatican II in order to restore a previous, or more controllaThis engenders a fear-based church that creates clergy and members ble model of Church through an increasingly centralised power strucof religious orders who are frightened of speaking out, terrified of re- ture. This is a structure that now controls everything in the life of the flecting on complicated questions and nervous about proposing crea- Church through a network of Vatican Congregations led by Cardinals tive solutions to new problems. It leads to the laity, with boundless who ensure strict compliance with what is deemed by them to be orexperience on almost every topic but who have a hard enough time thodox. Those who do not comply, face censure and punishment, e.g. getting their voice heard, giving up. It empowers minuscule cadres of theologians who are forbidden to teach in Catholic faculties. This con self-appointed watchdogs who, with little to no theological backtrol and power-structure is built upon the fear that without such supground, freely declare any sort of disagreement as tantamount to in- ervision and control, and that if any freedom in decision-making is alciting schism - and are listened to by those in authority. It creates lowed - even in less important matters - this will open the door to difear. vision and a breakdown in the unity of the Church. [Bish Kevin Dowling C.Ss.R.],

Church leadership should, instead of giving an impression of its power, privilege and prestige, rather be experienced by the world as a humble, searching ministry together with its people. In order to discern the most appropriate or viable responses that can be made to complex ethical and moral questions, it should therefore be a leadership that does not presume to have all the answers all the time. If any Church leadership presumes to criticise socio-political-economic policies and policy makers or Governments, it must also allow itself to be critiqued in the same way in terms of its policies, its internal life and especially its modus operandi. The leadership of the Catholic Church has acquired a certain mystique, which has surrounded the person of the Pope in an increasing measure in the last 30 years. Such is this mystique that any hint of critique or questioning of his policies, his way of thinking, his exercise of authority etc. is equated with disloyalty. There exists more than a perception that an unquestioning obedience by the faithful to the Pope is required and is seen as a sign of the ethos and fidelity of a true Catholic. When the Popes authority, however, is intentionally extended to the Vatican Curia, the possibility of unquestioning obedience to the Curial Departments and Cardinals now also has become a mark of ones fidelity as a Catholic. Anything less than such obedience and fidelity is interpreted as being disloyal to the Pope, who is charged with stee ring the barque of Peter. Diversity in living and praxis, as an expression of the principle of subsidiarity, has been taken away from the local Churches everywhere by the centralisation of decision-making at the level of the Vatican. In addition, orthodoxy is more and more identified with conservative opinions and outlook, with the corresponding judgement that what is perceived to be liberal is both suspect and not orthodox and therefore to be rejected as a danger to the faith of the people. [Bish. Kevin Dowling C.Ss.R],

This means a desire for a more controllable model of church through an increasingly centralized power structure, which now controls everything in the church through a network of Vatican congregations led by cardinals who ensure strict compliance with what is deemed by them to be orthodox. The restorationist model presents a serious theological problem: because Vatican II was an ecumenical council, that which the restorationist project is seeking to implement in the church in place of the reforms mandated by Vatican II, does not have the magisterial authority of an ecumenical council. In the restorationist moment, we are seeing decrees, pronouncements and decisions that are not infallible, but the theological or pastoral interpretations or opinions of those who have power at the centre of the church.These are, however, presented to Catholics as if they are quasi-infallible. We are told that these non-infallible statements of theological opinion from the churchs center are binding on all of us and that we must hold them firmly by internal assent. This creeping infallibilism goes hand in hand with an antagonistic attitude to the world outside the church, to secular culture. It goes hand in hand with a fearful and inward-focused attitude on the part of the churchs leaders, in which uniformity and control are emphasized above all. The result of the preceding developments in the restorationist moment of Catholicism is that precisely when the church needs strong moral authority to address the complex questions caused by a global cul tural shift to post-modernity, its leaders restorationist project is undermining that moral authority. The movement away from servant lea dership to the imperious style of a royal court, fragments the moral witness of the church in the world today. And so one of the churchs most significant treasures, its social teaching cannot be communicated effectively to the world at large, because the behavior of her own leaders fundamentally undercuts what those leaders want to proclaim to the world about social justice and respect for human rights. [William Lindsey],

At the heart of the Vaticans restorationist project is the desire for control.

A common critique of theistic religion is the extent to which religious rules and doctrines created by human beings for the purpose of main taining power and control over others are attributed to a divine source. Pretending that human rules are God's rules help prevent them from changing or being questioned. If there were any divine origin to religious rules, we shouldn't be able to trace their development in hu man history. A strong example of this is the celibacy of priests in Catholic Christianity, as demonstrated by its historical development and lack of consistent adherence. Over time, rules about sexual abstinence grew from a belief that sexual intercourse makes a person unclean, based largely on the belief that women are less pure than men and hence constitute a form of ritual contamination. Attitudes about ritual cleanliness have played an important role in religious violence generally; attitudes about the inferiority of women have been important in violence towards them. In fact, the continued existence of an all-male, celibate priesthood cannot be divorced from an accompanying view of women as less moral and less worthy than men. The denigration of both women and sex was accompanied by a denigration of marriage and family. The Council of Trent, called to combat the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation, made an interesting statement about the church's position on family values: If anyone says that it is not better and more godly to live in virginity or in the unmarried state than to marry, let him be anathema. Another factor in the push for clerical celibacy was the problematic relationship the Catholic Church had with real estate and inherited land. Priests and bishops were not just religious leaders, they also had political power based on the land they controlled. When they died, the land might go to the church or the man's heirs and, naturally, the Church wanted to keep the land in order to retain political power.

The best way to keep the land was to ensure that no rivals could claim it. Keeping the clergy celibate and unmarried was the easiest way to accomplish this and making celibacy a religious obligation was also the best way to ensure that the clergy obeyed. Catholic apologists deny that such worldly concerns were part of the decision to impose celibacy on priests, but it can't be a coincidence that the final push towards celibacy occurred when conflict over land were increasing. Due to the doctrine that sexual intercourse with a woman makes a man unclean, married priests were prohibited from celebrating the Eucharist for a full day after sex with their wives. Because the trend was to celebrate the Eucharist more and more often, sometimes even daily, priests were pressured to be celibate just to fulfill their basic religious functions and so eventually they were prohibited from ever having sex with their wives. Celibacy was thus somewhat common by 300 CE, when the Spanish Council of Elvira required married bishops, priests and deacons to permanently abstain from sex with their wives. The pressure this put on marriages was not important to the Church, neither were the consequences, which for the wives and fami ly, would get worse. In 1139, the Second Lateran Council officially imposed mandatory celibacy on all priests. Every priest's marriage was declared invalid and every married priest had to separate from their wives. As far as the Church was concerned, this left them to whatever fate God had in store for them and they did not care if it even meant leaving them destitute. Many clergy realized that there was little religious or traditional basis for such a step and so they defied that order and continued in their marriages. [Austin Cline],

Contrary to what defenders might say, there is nothing whatsoever about the nature of the priesthood which makes celibacy necessary or essential. In the 1967 encyclical Sacerdotalis Caelibatus, written to reinforce the Sacredness of Celibacy in the face of growing calls to rethink it, Pope Paul VI explained that while celibacy is a "dazzling jewel," it is not required by the nature of the priesthood itself. This is clear from the practice of the early church and the traditions of the Eastern churches. The history of clerical celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church is thus one of contingency and political expediency. The doctrine of sexual abstinence, supposedly designed to increase priests' purity, is inseparable from the political and worldly concerns of Christianity at a particular time and place in history. Isnt it strange that, despite this requirement, there are many married Catholic priests who seem to be doing as good a job as unmarried priests? If celibacy is so vital, why do married Catholic priests exist at all? This isn't something that the Roman Catholic Church is anxious to advertise. They'd much rather keep the matter quiet in order not to confuse the rank and file Catholics. In this context, "confuse" seems to mean "let them know that when we say that celibacy is a requirement, we don't really mean that it is necessary." In effect, then, greater control over Catholic believers is maintained in part by ensuring that information, which might cause them to question the decisions of the hierarchy is not publicized too widely. Like any organization, the Catholic Church depends upon the ability to control its followers in order to ensure its survival. A current Catholic priest who wants to get married must choose between marriage and the priesthood (even though celibacy isn't an essential feature of being a priest), while a married Lutheran priest can apply to become a Catholic priest and keep his wife - he doesn't have to choose. Naturally, this causes some hard feelings for those Catholic priests who leave the clergy in order to pursue marriage; yet others are hoping that the presence of such married priests will eventually allow priests who have left to marry to eventually return.

Former priests who marry are allowed to do some things for the Catholic Church, but not everything and with the growing shortage of priests, the church may be forced to tap this resource. That, however, will require dropping mandatory celibacy, for it doesn't make any sen se to require priests to be celibate if they can get around the rule by simply leaving, marrying and then coming back. The rules about clerical celibacy will not change any time soon. John Paul II helped ensure this by making great efforts to foster and encou rage very conservative forces within the Catholic Church with an eye towards preserving his legacy and Pope Benedict XVI certainly isn't going to shift into a more liberal direction. Just as the imposition of celibacy was done largely for reasons of political and religious power, the retention of celibacy will be decided on for similar reasons. [Austin Cline],

ORTHODOX CATHOLIC PRIEST WITH WIFE AND CHILD,

the husband of one wife.

I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 4:16

(refer: 1Timothy 6:20)

CHURCH FATHER TERTULLIAN;

It is decided that marriage be altogether prohibited to bishops, priests and deacons, or to all clerics placed in the ministry and that they keep away from their wives and not beget children; whoever does this shall be deprived of the honor of the clerical office.

(Matthew 4:8And Jesus, 10, Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of him, and said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my na- them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt me receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great). Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve).

Luke 9:46-48

Revelations 12:12, Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time,

1Timothy 4:1-3, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith: Giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; forbidding to marry....

Matthew 19:12

IF ANY ONE IN SOUND HEALTH HAS CASTRATED HIMSELF, IT BEHOOVES THAT SUCH AN ONE, IF ALREADY ENROLLED AMONG THE CLERGY, SHOULD CEASE FROM HIS MINISTRY AND THAT FROM HENCEFORTH NO SUCH PERSON SHOULD BE PROMOTED.

Matthew 23: 9, Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
ALL MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY ARE FORBIDDEN TO DWELL WITH ANY WOMAN, EXCEPT A MOTHER, SISTER, OR AUNT

Christians were slandered by some Romans for participating in incestuous behavior and practicing cannibalism. It was written that members of the Christian community were involved in incest during their evening meals, a skewed version of Christians being literally brothers and sisters.

For me, the title "Father" is closely connected to the vow I have taken to live a life of celibacy. I have chosen not to marry a woman and generate children. That denial for the kingdom of God of what is very natural, doesn't eliminate my responsibility to be a father. I must use my love and creativity to serve the needs of others to whom I am committed through the church. When people call me Father they challenge me and remind me to love the people of the kingdom and not shirk my responsibilities of fatherhood.

Matthew 19:11, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given; 1 Corinthians 7:9, But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

Genesis 1:28, Be fruitful and multiply,

Genesis 2:18, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper who shall be with him

For the Holy Spirit was promised to successors of Peter not so that they might make known some new doctrine, but that they religiously guard and expound the Deposit of Faith transmitted by the apostles.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8)?

I [name and surname], Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, promise and swear to be faithful henceforth and forever, while I live, to Christ and his Gospel, being constantly obedient to the Holy Roman Apostolic Church, to Blessed Peter in the person of the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, and of his canonically elected Successors; to maintain communion with the Catholic Church always, in word and deed; not to reveal to anyone what is confided to me in secret, nor to divulge what may bring harm or dishonor to Holy Church; to carry out with great diligence and faithfulness those tasks to which I am called by my service to the Church, in accord with the norms of the law. So help me Almighty God.

Obedience is the carrying out of orders from one's lawful superiors with the intention of carrying out their will. Catholics especially prize obedience, because of Christ's own example and because in their law ful superiors they see the representatives of Christ himself. (Romans 13:1, Let every soul be subject to higher power - for there is no power but from God). It is the teaching of the Church that obedience is part of justice, one of the four cardinal virtues, which are in turn subordinate to the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. Faith is greater than obedience and therefore, if obedience acts to harm the faith, then a Catholic has a duty not to obey his superior. On this, St Thomas Aquinas said, "Now sometimes the things commanded by a superior are against God, therefore superiors are not to be obeyed in all things (Summa Theoligica II-IIQ) and St Paul said in Galatians 1:8, But though we , or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema. The truths of our faith were received even by Jesus Himself as, one can say, a tradition or handing down from His Father: John 7:16, Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine but His that sent me. Likewise, Our Lord hands the Faith down to us as a tradition through those of our lawful superiors who are obedient to the Faith.

(John 17:8, Because the words which thou gavest to me, I have given to them). Many Catholics, forgetting that Catholic obedience is relative to the Faith and Tradition, think obedience is an absolute with on ly one opposite, disobedience. They are mistaken. True obedience has two opposites: Error by Defect disobedience; Error by Excess false obedience. According to St. Thomas, true obedience is a balance between the twin errors of defect and excess, which are disobedience and false obedience (IIaIIae, Q104,5 ad 3). This second error is common among Catholics who, when they follow orders to depart from Tradition, think they are being obedient. God, through His Catholic Church, has absolute authority over my conscience BUT in the last resort God meant me to judge (discern) whether the hierarchy appointed by Him, is departing from His teaching. According to Galatians 1:8-9 has obedience to men limits, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. The Pope as the Vicar of Christ, is given by Christ direct authority over the whole Church, BUT he is not infallible in everything he says or does. Therefore, I will gladly obey the appointed servants of God, legitimate bishops or priests BUT not when I know they are leading men away from God. Church punishments are terrifying instruments of God's law when valid BUT when they are without foundation they are not valid (Old Code of Canon Law #2242; New Code of Canon Law #1321; Acts 5:29, We ought to obey God...rather than men). There is no reason why those who obey God rather than men should be accused of refusing obedience. Pope Leo Xlll said in his Diuturnum Illud, For if the will of rulers is opposed to the will and the laws of God, these rulers exceed the bounds of their own power and pervert justice, nor can their authority then be valid, which, when there is no justice, is null.

Revelation 13:2, And ...the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority.

Matthew 28:18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Psalm 33:4, For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth; 85:11, Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven)

Phillipians 2:10-11, at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

Isaiah 42:8, I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.

Many Catholics use natural law as a road map to guide their sexual behavior. For instance natural law often trumps the dictates of Humanae Vitae in matters of family planning. Some behaviors labeled by the Church as contrary to natural law (masturbation one instance among many) should be open for examination and dialogue in the minds and hearts of many serious Catholics. According to Aquinas, grace builds on nature. i.e. the glory of God as man fully human. Many sexual abusers have words for the spi ritual, the mysterious and the mental-emotional-sexual dimensions All the concerns, problems, violations, scandals and horrendous efof celibacy, but they do not practice it. They cannot tolerate the exafects of clerical malfeasance do not invalidate the good that clergy do mination of the reality of their humanity, sexuality or behavior. Much and have done. But we are talking about a systemic infection, or a of their talk about mystery sounds good and can be useful in the men systemic dysfunction, cancer - call it what you will. tal gyrations necessary for a man or woman to wrestle with - in Fr. Ro The ideal to be like Christ who was thought to be celibate (based on bert Barrons words, 1999 - the unreasonable, unnatural and excestradition not biblical evidence) is an unquestionably noble goal. Celi- sive expression of love that religious celibacy is meant to be. bacy can be lived in the service of humanity. Some men and women from the time of the Fathers of the Desert to the present have pursued the practice of celibacy with remarkable productive results. Celi bate men and women in a number of (other) religious traditions have inspired many to live as fully as possible because they, the celibates, live fully. They serve unstintingly in parishes, missions and schools as teachers, scholars, artists, scientists and spiritual leaders pointing the way to spiritual realities and a righteous, reasonable life. Roman Catholic leadership has, however, failed to deal credibly and openly with all of human sexuality. Although for them sex is all sin, a chronic problem with church pronouncements about sex, is their use of the idea of natural law as they define and apply it. The Vatican represents their interpretation of sexual human nature as an absolute determination. They isolate the idea and impose it as an instrument of control. This approach fails to acknowledge that natural law is also the inherent practical and reasonable guide to conscience independent of revelation.

The patristic writers of the church often represented the demon of lust as woman. Medieval clerics and their predecessors extending through the Church fathers, finding much of their basis in St. Paul, were markedly anti-feminist and in reality, misogynist. For clerics, Eve was the archetypal human woman whose gluttony and pride caused man to be driven out of heaven. The religion called Catholic Christianity, has an extensive history of in terpretation and re-interpretation of even its most essential theological aspects. Extending back to the early Church fathers, the superiority of virginity over marriage and chastity in marriage to sexual activity, were emphasized. Sex and sexuality were seen as evil in its nature and therefore, within a male-centered world the inability of these men to deal with their sexual desire was projected upon all women. They painted an image of woman as insatiably sexual and thus, for them, all women became the epitome of evil. Based on this view, there are many writings which contain misogynist aphorisms, anecdotes, parables and confessions within the canons of early patristic writings. Important examples of misogynist rhetoric can be found in the writings of Jerome and Tertullian. Tertullian addresses womankind, on behalf of Christianity, as follows: Do you know that you are each an Eve? The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age; the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the devils gateway; you are the unsealer of that forbidden tree; you are the first deserters of the divine law; you are she who persuades him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily Gods image upon man, so that on account of you the Son of God had to die. Many of the Early Christians, such as Epiphanius, believed that virginity was the foundation of the church, or that only virgins could reclaim that angelic state, by which man becomes worthy of heaven; sex was looked down upon by Jerome and others of his authority, even for procreation. By the 6th Century the Church had settled into a set of moral teachings that expected virginity from all men and women with a higher vocation, tolerating marriage only for less gifted believers.

In general, the Church looked at marriage as a necessary evil, as an unavoidable reduction of perfection, which was virginity/chastity. Jerome, in the same arguments advanced by Augustine, does not say that the Church condemns the institution of marriage, but that it subordinates and regulates it the Church knows that in any great house there are vessels not only of gold and silver, but also of clay and wood. Jerome states in no uncertain terms that for a Christian, chastity is always preferable to the marriage state. That is why we say, while marriage fills the earth, virginity and chastity fill paradise. Thus, Jerome compares being chaste to the state of angels and any type of sexuality to the state of lowly beasts. Although the argument that the human race would die out if the principle of chastity was truly implemented on a massive scale, Jerome called it absurd. In relation to virginity, he refers to Matthew 20:16, Many are called, but few are chosen, comparing chastity to salvation as an allusion to Scripture He also says, There is no question that the Lord loves virgins more than others for the former have chosen willingly a way of life that was merely recommended; their free choice makes them superior. The natural idea that the sexual organs and the sexual relationship within marriage are to be enjoyed, would in traditional Christianity largely be seen as impious at the very least, probably as a sinful deviation from true Christian morality, for the body was of the devil. In comparing the virgin woman to the married woman Jerome wrote, it becomes obvious that the only woman who is free from some of the corruption of her gender is the one who becomes a-sexual through chastity in aspiration to emulate the angels. Marriage indeed must end in death, but the life on which I have resolved is independent of sex. For me, virginity is consecrated in the persons of Mary and of Christ. The understanding one gets form reading this traditional Catholic understanding of human sexuality and its relation to religion as a social institution, is that there is a great spiritual and religious imbalance in Western Civilization.

The teachings of Christianity focus on the personal spiritual life, not the integrity of the Christian society as a whole. However, in its essen ce personal spiritual life is diverted by the poisons of misogyny, selfhatred and the guilt of being born originally sinful

The misogynist and homophobic Church authorities has exacerbated the culture of shame that has long compelled Catholics to hide from their sexualities. Fortunately, most Western Catholic and mainline Protestants have come to understand another great biblical truth: by their fruits you shall know them. In its latest moves, the Church has only further alienated itself from those who are seeking healthy, life-giving and honest expressions of their sexuality rather than the harmful, secretive affairs that estrange us from ourselves, from one another and from God. The newer generations of Catholics will not have inherited the churchs reign of sexual guilt that marked those who grew up Catholic 40 or more years ago. Until the church authorities begin to deal with our human, God-given sexuality in ways that propel us towards growth and greater wholeness, the relevance of the Vaticans teaching authority will only continue to dwindle within the generations to come.

The core of it produces and promotes men who tend to sociopathy. The dichotomy between the Churchs stated goals and values and its operational methods and practices produces and encourages clerical hypocrisy. Sociopaths (psychopaths) are not men who fail to know right from wrong; they are men who know what is right, but dont care. The altruistic agenda of clerical life makes it an exquisite cover for sociopaths and men vulnerable to narcissism. More broadly, clerical culture produces in many men an acquired situational narcissism, characterized by a sense of entitlement, superiority, lack of empathy, impaired moral judgment and self-centeredness. Identification with and incorporation into a powerful and godly institution can confer a sense of grandiosity and moral justification for ones personal behavior - qualities that can favor a mans promotion within the clerical system. There are priests that aim at becoming bishops and they succeed. There are bishops who dont speak out because they know they will not be promoted to a higher see, or that it will block their candidacy to the cardinalate. This type of careerism is one of the greatest ills in the church today. It stops priests and bishops from speaking the truth and induces them into doing and saying only what pleases their superiors. Vatican experts have written that it is easier to get promoted saying the right things (even employing sexual tactics) than being righteous. Gregory Aymond, archbishop of New Orleans addressed a Vatican Congregation on the requirements for accreditation of seminary programs. He counseled that training programs should assist the ongoing growth of candidates toward a healthy sexuality from the beginning as a foundation for celibate chastity. However, celibacy is neither well taught nor well observed by Catholic clergy. The prospect of contamination by the clerical culture, creates a world of imaginary superiority and importance.

In their estimation bishops still prevail as the final arbiters of their sexual behaviors despite bows to civil law and courts that function only according to mans inferior laws. Grand Jury reports and depositions of priests and bishops in civil cases of clergy abuse provide glaring examples of this attitude. The church prides itself on its easily-given forgiveness and its highlyprized secrecy, but when the sexual abuse of youngsters by its priests and bishops are exposed, their excuse is that they merely sin like all other men. Their conspiracy of secrecy is not only sinful but it is criminal and its cycle of pretense is pathological and pathogenic. Andrew Sullivans conclusion is stripped of all pretense when he says: And when it's clear that at the center of this kind of pathological secrecy and shame is the current Pope, then it is (also) clear that the entire institution is corrupt from the top down. [Celibacy, Sex & the Catholic Church, Richard Sipe],

Notwithstanding current concessions about reporting clergy crimes to civil authorities, clerical power over sexual sin remains constructed. The concessions are executed with the conviction that the Churchs determination encapsulates Gods own knowledge and immutable law about human sex.

The Christian faithful, conscious of their own responsibility, are bound by Christian obedience to follow what the sacred pastors, as representatives of Christ, declare as teachers of the faith and as leaders of the Church.

Lies, denial, arrogance, selfishness and cowardice such are the notes of the structure within which Catholic priests now live, however individually virtuous many of them nevertheless remain. Celibacy is that structures central pillar and must be removed. The Catholic people see this clearly and it is time for us to say so.

Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 3:5, 1 Peter 1:15-16 Hebrews 7:26.

Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.

Ephesians 3:5, His holy apostles and prophets...

the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanc tification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:1-2). 15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Ephesians 3:8, ... who am less than the least of all saints.

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.

3:1, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. 7:24 7:26, such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7:24-26).

Since the Second Vatican Council the leadership of the last two popes has reduced the Church to a conservative traditionist machine that re placed the richness of universality. The papal hierarchy consider themselves Gods faithful remnant on earth and are doing everything possible to ensconce the institution within this mentality. Why has the Church turned in on itself, destroying itself? The anser lies in one word, fear. Fear of change, fear of modernity, fear of women, fear of losing control and fear of the future. To crown it all, fear has been so institutionalized that it is considered a virtue, especially for their clergy. The only remedy for fear is faith, but it is a faith difficult to fully express within the Church because what the hierarchy considers to be authentic faith, is so limited. The arch-conservative movement in the Church today is being manned by priests sitting at their bishops feet looking for a pat on the head and willing to do anything to get it. The whole infrastructure of the priesthood demands that upon ordination, a priest be so entrapped within the hierarchy of the church, that they will bow to every whim of his bishop in total obedience. This makes the drawing and maintenance of healthy personal boundaries nearly impossible and explains why leaving the priesthood is sometimes necessary as one seeks to develop better and stronger personal boundaries. The arch-conservative shift during the past three decades is certainly more complex than the emotional health of priests.

Rapid social and technological change, also a characteristic of this era, is causing the ground on which we stand to shake. In their anxiety people, which includes the pope and his clergy, often fall prey to the easy black and white answers of fundamentalism to quench their existential angst. Although fear-based, it promises security because seeking refuge in something more concrete, such as the Pope, the bishop, the leader of an order or the doctrines of biblical fundamentalism is easier than trusting the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into the future. Creating idols, of which control at all costs is one, are a perennial problem, especially during times of anxiety and so has the conservative camp in the Church become more concerned with control than with the message of Jesus Christ. Jesus was very progressive in his day and violated all kinds of religious laws in order to show love and compassion and for Him, compassion always trumped legalism. Any priest who truly want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus will, after a while, find Church teachings that no longer seem credible, such as artificial birthcontrol, mandated celibacy and papal infallibility. Also, the Papacys argument against womens ordination becomes irrational when viewed objectively outside of celibate male prejudice, which again shows an odd hierarchial preoccupation with sexual function. Whenever a priest is expected to preach and teach what he no longer believes, or is beginning to seriously question, hes on a collision cour se with his conscience, with his bishop and eventually with the entire hierarchy.

To make matters worse, he will find his faith becoming even less representative of the arch-conservative church, which he serves a Church that has systematically fostered the belief with priests that they are wedded to the Church and dependent upon it for their survival both physically and spiritually. Therefore, blind obedience is required of them. Harmony can not be restored by any absolutist religion (which is what the Catholic religion has become) that expect peo ple to submit to their agendas. People within and without the church together with the evolution of world societies, are demanding something different; something that would allow the breaking forth of the Holy Spirit in new ways.

It is time for the papacy to acknowledge that ascribing the title "Vicar of Jesus Christ" unto itself was a grasp for power that has led to a kind of papal idolatry. This blurring of the distinction between Peter and Jesus Christ needs to be corrected. No matter how hard you may try to explain papal infallibility, in the end it is nothing but idolatry. The claim to infallibility is not necessary unless the agenda is power and control. How does one call Jesus Christ to accountability? Where is Christ's voice of correction to "Peter" in the Church today? The Church would gain more respect by dropping this foolish claim, especially since it has been proven to be in error on so many occasions and is continuing in its ecclesiastical dogma of infallibility to silence Christ.

Just when we have achieved a measure of stability, we may be undermined from below and called to a new direction. Whatever our social burden, whatever our economic constraint, we must keep asking anew, "What am I called to do?" Then, with planning, the paying of dues and sufficient courage, we must find a way to do it. It is painful, but not half so much as looking back on our lives and regretting that we failed to answer the Call. The 'vocatus' is to become ourselves as fully as we are able; the task is to find out how. We are judged not only by the goodness of our heart, but also by the fullness of our courage. Relinquishing the security we have struggled to obtain may be frightening, but not so much as deny ing that larger person we are called to be. The soul has its needs and they are not served well by paycheck and perks. [James Hollis - The Middle Passage], FIRST VOICE: "I am Priest. Vocation. Vows. Celibate. But, God calls me to change. I seek freedom. Love." SECOND VOICE: NO! Heretic! Shame! You can't leave! FIRST VOICE: "But, God calls me to change, freedom, love ..." SECOND VOICE: I am your God. I am the Church. I own you Priest. I am your wife and any other is a whore. Fear me. Fear me damn you. I speak for God. I am your God. I hold your soul and will punish you. FIRST VOICE: "Goodbye." SECOND VOICE: You can't live without me. How dare you leave. I am your world. Fear me. Fear me damn you. You're a failure. You should have never been ordained. You damn Sinner, sinner, sinner! Bad boy. Bad, bad boy... FIRST VOICE: "I'm free. Goodbye. When we recognize and withdraw the projections that money and power represent, then we are obliged to ask in radical form: What am I called to do? This question must be asked periodically and we must listen humbly to the answer. We may, in our individuation process, be called to incarnate many kinds of energy.

Matthew 18:19, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

, Christ, our Lord and God, was once and for all to offer himself to God the Father by his death on the altar of the cross, to accomplish there an everlasting redemption. But because his priesthood was not to end with his death, at the Last Supper on the night when he was betrayed, he wanted to leave to his beloved spouse the Church a visible sacrifice (as human nature demands) by which the bloody sacrifice, which he was to accomplish once for all on the cross would be represented, its memory perpetuated until the end of the world and its saving power be applied to the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit. The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the min istry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different. In this divine sacrifice, which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross, is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner (CCC paragraph # 1366).

That substance is changed into the living, historical, geographical Jesus Christ. The oblation that Christ offered on the cross is literally reenacted on the altar. Why? For two good reasons, because on the altar is the real body and blood of Christ. And on the altar is Christ with a human will and at the heart of sacrifice is not what is offered the heart of sacrifice is why it is offered. And Christ's human will no less offered himself in the sacrifice of the Mass just as truly as he did on the cross on Calvary. The power therefore of transubstantiation and oblation in the holy sacrifice of the mass is our faith. That what Jesus Christ did at the Last Supper changing, as St. Augustine says, the bread and wine into Himself in such a way the moment He pronounced saken me? the words of consecration, Jesus was holding Himself in His own hands. God became man in order to sacrifice himself on the cross by dying for the salvation of the world. Having died once on calvary, he continues offering himself in every mass so totally that he would be willing to die every time that mass is offered. [Fr. John F. Hardon, S.J.]

Psalm 22, My God, my God, why hast Thou for-

Luke 19:10, For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.

the One mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5) priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18), High priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:10; 6:20); holy, blameless, unstained : He is a man ordained by Christ to continue the Savi(Hebrews 7:26); by a single offering he has forever perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Hebrews 10:14) ours work of Redemption until the end of time. He is therefore a per son specially chosen to proclaim the Gospel of salvation and lead the faithful to their final destiny. But he is mainly a person who receives unique powers at ordination to consecrate and sacrifice and to reconcile a sinful people with their God. As one who proclaims the Good News, a priest is given the grace not only to teach the truths of revelation but inspire his hearers to follow what he teaches. As a leader Hebrews 8: 4, For if of believers, he is to be the primary former and sustainer of a Christihe were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are an community. priests that offer gifts according to the law).

What makes a Catholic priest most distinctive, however, and by divine will sets him apart from other men is the power that Christ gives him over the Holy Eucharist and over the sins of mankind. God became man in order to sacrifice Himself on the Cross by dying for the salvation of the world. Having died once on Calvary, He continues offering Himself in every Mass so totally that He would be willing to die every time that Mass is offered. Pope John XXIII echoed the exclamation of St. Augustine, O wonderful the dignity of priests; in whose hands the Son of God is made flesh as in the womb of the Virgin. [Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.],

Acts 10:34 Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; Romans 2:11 , For there is no respect of persons with God.

Hebrews 9:22 Leviticus 17:11, the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Matthew 19:17, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Thus, were ye formerly workers of iniquity and associated with workers of iniquity; but now ye are separated from them and united together to work out your salvation with fear and trembling before God (1st Corinthians 6:11).

partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)

, As the sacrifice of the Mass is not conceived save in dependence on the sacrifice of the Cross, so the Christian priesthood is not explained save in dependence on and as sacramental participation in the priesthood of Christ. Whereas Christ offered himself, every other priest offers something outside himself and in so doing, becomes that, which he offers, i.e. his own sinful self (as we all do during the mass). The priests offering, therefore, is a confirmation of himself as the victim that is offered. To be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Christ Jesus), the priest must, like Him, offer himself. In other words he cannot be content to offer Christ to the Father in the sacramental signs of bread and wine without offering himself with these to the Father.

In showing reverence and honor to the priest one shows reverence and honor to Christ Himself, for the priest in a very true sense is another Christ.

Matthew 20:25-28 , Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise dominion over them, and they that are great excercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among Catholics should show reverence and honor to the priest becau- you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minisse he is the representative of Christ Himself and the dispensor of His ter; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: mysteries. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. [Adrian Rogers, Love Worth Finding Ministries],

[Robert T. Weaver ],

[Guardian of Truth Foundation ]

Placing himself in a community of brothers under a leader, or a fraternity of priests under a bishop, the member further readies himself to follow the call of God through obedience. Obedience, which refers to a giving heed to the dictates of the leader, brethern or bishop, can be seen as an expression of the faith and hope of the member. Through celibacy he seeks to enter more fully into that mystery of loving obedience whereby Christ, fulfilling his Father's will, laid down his life for his brethren and opened for the future the hope of the resurrection. This is why he seeks to place God's will before all selfish impulse and why his obedience becomes a manifesto of fidelity to his brethren and of his responsibility to his own community, the Church, and the world. Far from being an attempt to crush the human will, which is considered to be radically evil or from being a mere technique to insure efficiency of institutional operation, the member's obedience becomes that love of neighbor, which schools one for life in the family of God. Celibacy and obedience, therefore, are intended to liberate the priest or brother through the power of the cross in order to give his natural talents the capacity for growth and to increase his dedication to that worship and service which are the vocation of the children of God.

At the heart of the priestly and religious community vocation is the mystery of divine love and election. In response to God's preference, a member (priest or brother) desires absolutely nothing to the love of Christ and denies himself in order to follow Christ through a life of celibacy. Therefore, celibacy has consistently been understood as an essential part of that special form of following Christ , which the Church calls the religious life. Celibacy is embraced as a declaration of the priest or community of brothers intense dedication to God and of an intimate solidarity with Christ, which furthers their openness to the call of God for His service. Therefore, celibacy is not sought for its own sake, but for the sake of the kingdom as a sign and witness to the kingdom that is coming, being called with an heavenly calling, even with the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. It implies leaving unchosen something good (marriage) in the interest of that kingdom where there will be neither marrying nor giving in marriage (Matthew 22:30). Celibacy implies a rigorous self-denial and active self-restraint, which is vital if the persons life of prayer to God is to be preserved and be fruitful towards spiritual growth for himself and others. Seen as a sign for the coming kingdom and of its spiritual fertility that manifests itself in the love for and service to one's brothers, celibacy (like entering marriage and raising a family), becomes a way of self-sacrifice in union with Christ.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory (1Corinthians 15:51-54).

, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In Luke 16:16 since the time of John the Baptist the Gospel of the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed.

But He said to them, I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose. (Luke 4:43). How can this be possible? Can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born again? (John 3:4). verily, verily,

Acts 28:30-31.

John 3:3,5-6, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Matthew 19:12).

priestly celibacy is a privileged mode of living a supernatural fatherhood and is a fulfillment of the masculine human nature. The phenomenon of paternity itself, beginning with the prime analogue of fatherhood in God, cascades into the biological, natural and supernatural expressions of fatherhood in men. The specific supernatural fatherhood of the priest is derived from his ordination, by which he is configured to Christ the Head and becomes an instrument of Christs fatherhood in the order of grace, exercising his ministry in the triple office of priest, prophet and shepherd and fulfilling, within the plan of salvation, both the procreative and perfective dimensions of human paternity. To exercise this supernatural fatherhood a priest need to be celibate - a condition that is inscribed with its own natural and super-natural logic, an effective way of generating life in the order of redemption and the normative mode of exercising priestly paternity.

Perhaps the most pointed New Testament reference to the theology of the spiritual fatherhood of priests is Pauls statement in 1 Corinthians 4:1415.

When the Son of God came into the world, He surrounded His Incarnation with an aura of chastity. His mother, He made sure, would miraculously conceive Him without carnal intercourse. She would be a virgin before birth, in birth and after birth, as the Church solemnly teaches. Christ was, in the words of the liturgy, flos matrius virginis (the flower of a virgin mother). Indeed, He made sure he was brought up in the virginal family of Mary and Joseph. All through His stay on earth, Christ stayed a virgin: He never married and the only special love he showed was for pure souls, such as the two Johns, the Baptist and the Evangelist. Behind the Churchs legislation is therefore first of all the revealed fact that the Son of God was a virgin. If a priest is another Christ, he has to be like Christ in order to portray and preach Christ to the people. Is it not proper that, like his Master, he too should not marry? Be coming another Christ in imitating Him, is the first and fundamental motive for priestly celibacy - a motive, however, that is not based on natural reason. I say natural reason, for you dont argue yourself into celibacy. It is based on the deeper wisdom of faith, without which no one can remain celibate. It requires much prayer, easy communion with God and above all, it requires a great love of Jesus Christ and of course, a great deal of grace from the Savior who called him and ordained him to the priesthood. He will obtain, as God wants him to obtain, the graces that he needs to be what the priest professes to be a mediator of the Savior to a sinful, sex-ridden world, an ambassador of Christ, the virginal Son of the Virgin Mary.

Every man wants to be a father. The option he has, is what kind of fatherhood he will experience. This is the capstone for, as only priests who are faithful to their celibacy know, their celibacy is as true a fatherhood as that of a woman dedicated to a life in a religious community is a genuine motherhood. And let no one steal that mystery from our faith. The priest is emphatically not a pious bachelor but is wedded to the Saviors work in this world, of which celibacy is the obvious and congenial, happy, enjoyable expression of the priests relationship to God and man. Celibacy gives the priest extraordinary freedom from the worries and cares that necessarily go along with marriage and rearing a family. He has freedom of interest to devote himself exclusively to his priestly ministry and not be bound, as he would be in marriage, to preoccupations with so many things that would, therefore, divide his interests between the priesthood and his duties as husband and father of a natural family

for we walk by faith, not by sight (1 Corinthians 5:7) ; therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (1 Corinthians 5:17) for as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (John 5:21).

verily, verily (John 3:3) (1 Corinthians 2:14, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned)

Jeremiah 17:9-10, The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind (Ephesians 2: 3), Matthew 6:33, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

(Gen-esis 2:23-24, And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh; Matthew 19:4-6, And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder). honourable in all, and the bed undefiled)

(Hebrews 13:4, Marriage is

Ephesians 5:25-33,

In Genesis, the eros between Adam and Eve is part of the divine plan from the beginning and of the original blessing of creation. Nothing satisfies the erotic longing of Adam until the creation of Eve. Following the fall, this relationship is tarnished when the first man fails to see his wife as a blessing from God. However, the erotic love of man and woman is a part of the original blessing of creation that has been damaged but not removed by original sin. From the beginning this blessing is linked with a re-creation of the ori ginal unity of man and woman in their sexual acts and the fruit of it, 1 John 3:18, My their offspring. The conjugal act, when enjoyed, satisfies one of the little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed deepest longings of the human heart that can lead to perfect human and in truth. fulfillment. One needs to be careful, however, that the enjoyment of sexual love not be viewed as a sort of saviour: there is a power and drive to erotic love that forever pursues what it cannot fully grasp unending unity with the other; eros dooms us to the tragic unhappiness of compulsively seeking what can never be found. If eros were to succeed in making a perfect one from two, it would destroy human nature. That is why Christ needs to be part of this union of a man and his wife; why Christ forvever needs to be the Saviour of their love. Ephesians 5:32 Eros leads to life through the desire to be one with the beloved and This is a great mystery: but I speak yet retain self-identity. This can be fulfilled through the act of procrea con-cerning Christ and the church? tion. Each child procreated forges a unique unity between the partners - a unity that not only preserves the individuality of husband and wife but manifests that individuality in a new way and is an endu ring expression of their union. Such a child is alive, a living sign, a sacrament if you will, of the union of man and woman and a realization of the dream of eternal unity of lover and beloved. They become one flesh with us and dwell among us. The unity achieved by a married 2nd Corinthians couple in procreation includes but also transcends a merely physical 12:2-4 unity of various DNA strands. Each child creates in the parents a new unity, for man and woman together become parents to this child. A new and shared dimension is added to them both. She makes him a father; he makes her a mother. [Christopher Kaczor],

They share a lifelong unity as parents of their child. By begetting a child, they will forever be related to one another in a bond that remains as long as the child lives. In addition to the physical unity achieved in the child and the familial unity of becoming parents to this child, characteristically a unity of affection and desire also arises between the parents ordered to the care of their child. Among happily married couples, this is most obvious as both mother and father busy themselves in direct and indirect collaboration in raising their children. They coordinate plans and cooperate in the running of a home. Indeed, the unity of love and affection for children is sometimes enough to overcome or at least check marital hatred. Even turbulent marital strife characteristically does not shatter the unity of affection and desire achieved through procreation. The procreation and education of children realizes in its own way the Being-in-Love-and-Begetting-a-Childs deepest desires of eros for enduring unity, even after eros itself has long since departed. United physically in the body of the child, united by parenthood in the beget ting of the child, united by affection in the care of the child, the procreation and education of offspring realizes, in a certain way, the desire for two to become one. The procreation and education of children should not be understood therefore in opposition to eros but rather as a fulfillment of the deepest aspirations of eros. If we understand marital love to include storge, philia and agape, the procreation and education of children make an even more profound contribution to enhancing love and achieving love's aims. [Christopher Kaczor],

Isaiah 42:8, I am the LORD: that is my name and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images

Grace is more than mercy and love, it superadds to them. It denotes, not simply love, but the love of a sovereign, transcendently superior, one that may do what he will, that may wholly choose whether he will love or no. There may be love between equals and an inferior may love a superior; but love in a superior, and so superior as he may do what he will, in such a one love is called grace: and therefore grace is attributed to princes; they are said to be gracious to their subjects, whereas subjects cannot be gracious to princes. Now God, who is an infinite Sovereign, who might have chosen whether ever He would love us or no, for Him to love us, this is grace.

Matthew 23:8-10, ...do not be called 'Rabbi,' because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, the Messiah

for one is your Father, which is in heaven

(1 Corinthians 4:15, For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do Genenot have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel sis 3:4-5, And the serpent said unto the woman God doth know 1 Corinthians 1:12- that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye 13, What I mean is that each one of you says, I belong to Paul, or I shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas, or I belong to Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

By Obedience the Franciscan religious obtains a childlike purity of heart, which makes him pleasing to God and offers God the greatest of all sacrifices, that of his entire free will. In Poverty a Franciscan not only renounces the ownership of all possessions, giving them to the poor and promises to live a communal life with his fellow religious, but he entrusts his life to God's providence and accepts only the use of necessary things

In Chastity a Franciscan not only renounces the goods of marriage, but also promises to avoid all familiarity with women, as well as every interior and exterior act which is against virginal purity. By this vow the Franciscan religious, while on earth, takes on the angelic life of purity which is the life of all the saints in Heaven. Religious vows are the greatest sacrifice that a Catholic can offer to God, after that which the Priest offers in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. When a vow is fulfilled then God is honored. And one fruit that comes from honoring God is the good example this gives to others for their salvation. By promising to observe the Gospel Life of the Apostles, the Franciscan religious promises to observe a unique and very perfect form of Marian Consecration, living as he does each day, to strive to ever more perfectly observe the words of Our Lady at Cana, doing whatsoever Our Lord says in the Gospel and through His Vicar on earth, the Roman Pontiff.

Matthew 5:34-37, But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Genesis 28:20, If God will be with me,

that it is lawful to vow or promise strict obedience to a religious superior, because such superior can exact obedience only in things that have the sanction of God or of His Church. A vow is a deliberate promise made to God to do something that is pleasing to Him. The vows most frequently made are the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, taken by persons living in religious communities YOU MUST NOT HAVE ANY OTHor consecrated to God. The vows of poverty, chastity and obedience ER GOD BUT ME require that those who make them shall not possess or keep any property or goods for themselves alone; that they shall not marry or be , YOU MUST NOT MAKE ANY guilty of any immodest acts and that they shall strictly obey their IDOL, NOR BOW DOWN TO ONE, NOR WORSHIP IT lawful superiors. Persons living in the world are sometimes permitted to make such vows privately, but this should never be done without the advice and consent of their confessor. It has always been a custom with pious YOU MUST NOT TAKE Christians to make vows and promises to God; to beg His help for some special end, or to thank Him for some benefit received. They have THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN promised pilgrimages, good works or alms and they have vowed to erect churches, convents, hospitals or schools.

We are not bound to and positively forbidden to keep an unlawful oath or vow. We are guilty of sin in taking such an oath or making such a vow and guilty of still greater sin, by keeping them. The Second Commandment forbids all false, rash, unjust and unnecessary oaths, blasphemy cursing and profane words. An oath is rash when we are not sure of the truth of what we swear; unjust when it injures another unlawfully; and unnecessary when there is no good reason for taking it.

May the God who allows and invites me to make this commitment strengthen and protect me to be faithful to it. [Copyright Congregation of Holy Cross],

I (name) stand in the presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and my Lord, in the assembly of his church, amid the Congregation of Holy Cross and before you, (name and office of the person receiving vows) to profess my dedication and my vows. I believe that I have been called by the Father and led by the Spirit to offer my life and my lifes work in the service of the Lord for the needs of the church and the world. Therefore I make to God forever/for year(s) the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, according to the constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Saint Michael has always been the warrior Angel, fighting Satan and his demons from the beginning and in the course of time, all the enemies of God's own People. He is the great prince, who standeth for the children of thy people (Daniel 12:1). As of old, so today: St Michael is the great defender of the Church of Christ on earth; he is both the heavenly Prince representing the King of Heaven and the heavenly protector of God's own people against both human and diabolical enemies. As long as Satan persists in his attacks, the heavenly champion, the Prince of the heavenly hosts, will continue to shatter his plans with the war cry of old: "Who is as God?" As God's special legate to His people, St Michael is introduced in the Scriptures to Moses in Exodus 23:20-22, Behold I will send my Angel who shall go before thee, and keep thee in thy journey, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared. Take notice of him, and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be contemned, for he will not forgive when thou hast sinned, and my name is in him. But if thou wilt hear his voice, and do all that I speak, I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and will afflict them that afflict thee. These words of God reveal the great divine love and solicitude of the Lord, together with man's duties towards Guardian Angels in general. As long as God's children are exposed to the attacks of Satan in this world, Saint Michael's battle cry: "Who is like God?" will continue to scare and shatter all the forces of evil and his powerful intervention in the struggle on behalf of the children of God will never cease. [Pascal P. Parente],

Exodus 15:11, Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders? Psalm 35:10, All my bones will say, 'Lord, who is like thee, who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him and the afflicted and the needy from who robs him?

Revelations 12)

Daniel 11:37, Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women...; Revelation 12:9,12,17 - And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, call ed the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And the dragon went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John 4:13-14, Everyone who drinks this water (the churchs hierarchy and the world) will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Its becoming a power claiming to act for God, to be as God, in the midst of the Christian Church, its flouting His truth and mocking His own Holiness, defies imagination. The Papacy has both a fraudulent sacramental system and false pretenses that have ruled the world from the very same seven-hilled city where the pagan Roman Empire once ruled by military force. Nonetheless, we trust the Lord of Grace to save many precious Catholics from this system. All the powers of darkness and apostasy cannot shake the Lord Gods power and promises. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

1 Timothy 4:1-3, Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. The specter of Trent still hangs heavy over the modern priest who is tempted to believe its Catechism: Bishops and priests being, as they are, Gods interpreters and ambassadors, empowered in His name to teach mankind the divine law and the rules of conduct and holding, as they do, His place on earth, it is evident that no nobler function than theirs can be imagined. Justly, therefore, are they called not only angels, but even gods, because of the fact that they exercise in our midst the power and prerogatives of the immortal God. However true this may be, not more than one in 20 semi narians ordained today is equipped to hear Confessions or counsel penitents or parishioners. Not one in 10 seminarians ordained today is qualified to preach.

Luke 20:35-36, But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

In a hundred years time bishops and priests will think they are marching behind the banner of the keys of Peter, when in fact they will be following our flag The reforms will have to be brought about in the name of obedience. DallAlto It is needless now to put the Masonic sects upon their trial. They are already judged; their ends, their means, their doctrines and their action, are all known with indisputable certainty. Possessed by the spirit of Satan, whose instrument they are, they burn like him with a deadly and implacable hatred of Jesus Christ and of His work; and they endeavor by every means to overthrow and fetter it In Ipso # Nevertheless, it grieves us to think that the enemies of the Church, joined in most wicked conspir-acy, scheme to weaken and even, if possible, utterly wipe out that wondrous edifice, which God Himself has erected as a refuge for the human race.

Permanent Instructions, or Code of Rules It becomes the duty of the secret societies to make the first advance to the Church and to the pope, with the object of conquering both. The work for which we gird ourselves is not the work of a day, nor of a month, nor a year. It may last for many years, perhaps a century What we must ask for, what we should look for and wait for, as the Jews wait for the Messiah, is a pope according to our wants. We require a pope for ourselves, if such a pope were possible. With such a one we shall march securely to the storming of the Church (The Permanent Instruction of the Alta Vendita).

19TH CENTURY SYMBOLS USED BY THE ITALIAN CARBONARI

, ...that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world (I John 4:3); ...ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists... (I John 2:18).

Most national leaders and their news media are actively promoting globalism that is, without a doubt, the unofficial but clearly understood universal religion. Anyone who holds nonconformist views, i.e pro-life, Jesus-only theology, anti-UN, anti-illegal immigration, questioning official government explanations of national tragedies, etc. is being viciously ridiculed, impugned and marginalized by the national media responsible to central governments.

The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office [not the holiness of his life] when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful ... he proclaims in an absolute decision a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. For that reason his definitions are rightly said to be irreformable ... in no way in need of the approval of others and do not admit of appeal to any oth er tribunal. Obliged to submit to their bishop's decision ... submission of the will and intellect must be given.

Silver and gold have I none had nowhere to lay his (Acts 3:6).

head (Matthew 8:20

Through some crack or other in the temple of God, the smoke of Satan has entered .

The latest round of reports began with allegations, described as explosive, that were made in Rome in November 1996 by an archbishop. According to these, members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy are secretly involved in formal satanic worship a charge that has been confirmed as true by a well-known Vatican insider. Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, 71, is a formerly high-ranking cleric who first spoke out about satanism in the Vatican and took a lot of heat for it. Card. Ratzinger as the Vaticans chief doctinal enforcer, has banned charismatic healing sessions and exorcisms during Mass in such a way that a diocesan bishop can now forbid another bishop from conducting exorcisms in his diocese a direct slap at Milingo, who as an archbishop, has been able to conduct his wildly popular healing sessions wherever he wanted. Millingos successes with exorcism has angered the Vatican, which success caused his removal from his post as Special Delegate for the Pontifical Council for Migrants and stripped him of his archbishops rank, rendering him unimportant to the Curia. This happened around the time the Vatican decided to play down the existance of the devil a mode of action by which evil came to be seen as a pervasive, deceptive force rather than as a personal being which can possess humans. This emphasized psychology, for according to such a view, most cases brought to the Churchs attention come from psychiatric disturbances, not demons.

Commenting on the growth of evil in the world and the need for more exorcists to aid the many people afflicted by demonic activity, Milingo stated in1996, The third dimension of evil is the most dangerous, subtle and terrible; the third dimension is people who follow instructions in satanic sects. Im sorry to say, our Church belongs to this third dimension and Judas Iscariot was one. The devil in the Catholic Church is protected from the official Church exorcist by certain Church authorities who forbid the exorcist to do his job. One reason for his success was that Weishaupt got many Christian leaders to join the Order by convincing them that the Illuminati was for the sake of Christ. Weishaupt received a special thrill out of being able to deceive Christians, including Catholics and especially the clerical hierarchy of the Catholic Church, in this fashion. On one occasion, after having persuaded a Protestant leader to join his unification effort he wrote, You can't imagine what respect and curiosity my priest -degree has raised; and, which is wonderful, a famous Protestant divine, who is now of the Order, is persuaded that the religion contained in it is the true sense of Christianity. O MAN, MAN! TO WHAT MAY EST THOU NOT BE PERSUADED. Who would imagine that I was to be the founder of a new religion. [Gary H. Kah],

"

John 15:12-14, This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you?

Mark 10:15, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein,

The infant mind is a stranger to guile. It has not yet learned to practice duplicity - no dodging, no evasion of the truth, no desire to cover up - how beautiful in their transparent simplicity! Everybody loves such little children for the same reason that you love holiness. A little child has a willingness to be known and appreciated as he is. He has not once thought of trying to conceal his real character. Little children are also confiding. Until they have learned by revolting experience that there is a vast amount of falsehood and deception in the world, their simple hearts are altogether unsuspicious and trustful. Little children are affectionate, naturally inclined to love, easily and spontaneously gushing forth their warm affections. Treat them kindMatthew 18:1,3 came the disciples unto Jesus, ly, smile on them and you will not fail to win them; being simplesaying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus hearted in bestowing their love, they need only see the manifestatisaid, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as lit- ons of love towards themselves and they give their hearts, returning tle children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. love for love without stint or fear. Yet another characteristic of the little child is a spirit of candor. He has no motive for wishing what is true to be false.[President Finney],

Psalm 8:1-2,4, O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him,

Romans 5:5, hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. , My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Behold, he that keepeth Israel ) shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (Psalm 121:2,4,7-8).

Psalm 37:13 him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

, The Lord shall laugh at

Psalm 2:4, He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. G

[John W. Ritenbaugh],

Judges 14:8 - he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

Amos 3:8, The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

Psalms 102:6-7, I am like an owl of the desert.. I watch

I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high; will you rest upon my little bed? said the Spider to the Fly. There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin and if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in! Oh no, no, said the little Fly, for I've often heard it said, they never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed! Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, dear friend what can I do, to prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you? I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice; I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice? Oh no, no, said the little Fly, kind sir, that cannot be, I've heard what 's in your pantry and I do not wish to see! Sweet creature! said the Spider, you're witty and you're wise, how handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes! I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf, if you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself. I thank you, gentle sir, she said, for what you're pleased to say, and bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day.

Job 8:13-14, So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web; Isaiah 59:5-6, They weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly, tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair and I've a many curious things to shew when you are there. Oh no, no, said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, for who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again.

The Spider turned him round about and went into his den, for well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again: So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly and set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly. Then he came out to his door again and merrily did sing, Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing; your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head; your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead. Alas, alas! how very soon the silly little Fly, hearing his wily, flattring words, came slowly flitting by; with buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew, thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue

Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last, up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast. He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den, within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again! And now dear little children, who may this story read, to idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed: Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye, and take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly. [Mary Howitt

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hand hath made, I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed: When through the woods and forest glades I wander, and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze;. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God; to thee, How great thou art, how great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God; to thee, How great thou art, how great thou art!

But when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die- I scarce can take it in that on the cross, our burden gladly bearing, he bled and died to take away our sin. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home-what joy shall fill my heart! Then shall I bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim: My God, how great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God; to thee, How great thou art, how great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God; to thee, How great thou art, how great thou art! O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. (Psalms 104:24)