AmericanPapist Comments
Great. Now can they aim some of that Dominican rebuke to the nutty nuns of the same order in the U.S. (Sophia ain't calling, gals - it's actually a guy named Sambi, and he's p----d.)
I have two aunts who are Dominicans. I don't know what you're talking about, but they're some of the holiest ladies I've ever known, and they do really good work--one in a school and another in a hospice. If they're nutty, it's news to me.
I don't think Paul was making a general claim about the Dominican sisters in the U.S., at least I hope not. The Knoxville Dominicans are shining lights of virtue, as are the Dominican Sisters, Mary Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor. I'm sure there are many, many others.
Yeah, I was a bit jumpy there because of my beloved aunts (one of whom is suffering from dementia and another who is two weeks removed from a major stroke but is recovering and is anxious to get back to her hospice). My apologies for my snippiness and not giving Paul the benefit of the doubt! :)
Many Dominican sisters and nuns on the West coast aren't trailing too far behind the sentiments of these Dominican theologians in the post, practicing Asian and New Age, alongside newly renovated chapels that look more Protestant than Catholic.
"Actually, the current situation for priests *is* the only one possible in the Roman rite."
I was under the impression that though priestly celibacy was the practice of the Roman rite that this is something that could be changed. Am I mistaken, or did you mean to say that the "situation" is the only one that is currently possible?
The dutchs are so lazy...Is it so hard to train a permanent deacon?
A couple of points.
1) Priestly celibacy is the only current practice within the Roman Rite, but a married secular clergy is possible. While I don't expect that to change anytime soon (nor do I want it to), it is perfectly possible that the Holy Father or one of his successors might adopt a different practice.
2)I hope the Dutch Dominicans themselves are looking for marriage for themselves. Can anyone imagine what kind of life a married Dominican would live? Would their wives join them in choir? St. Dominic would be rolling in his grave.
It was by no means a general statement. Many congregations of Dominican sisters in the U.S. have recently merged, and they are among the ones in need of the rebuke. Perhaps shrinking numbers, declining attraction to younger vocations and aging populations are rebuke enough!
The Nashville and Ann Arbor Dominicans are too awesome for words. That goes ditto to the fine Hawthorne sisters of Rosary Hill, NY, who care for many terminally ill people. If only their errant sisters at St. Catharine, KY and elsewhere followed their example, they would enjoy the same success in numbers.
"Can anyone imagine what kind of life a married Dominican would live?"
Yes, a married couple who are neighbors of mine are Dominicans of the Third Order. Their marriage is a Christian witness.
She shoots, she scores! :)
That's a very good point. If Dominican brothers and priests, or sisters and nuns, are unhappy being celibate, why don't they just transfer over to the Third Order? It's not like it was just invented yesterday.
And if a married couple is unhappy being married, why don't they just downgrade to friends? It's not like friendship was just invented yesterday.
FACT: There are married Catholic preists in the Roman Rite.
priests...sorry
It's difficult to decide if my Dutch brothers are serious or not. From what I hear from other European OP's the Dutch OP's long ago surrendered to the Zeitgeist and have been planning for their inevitable demise ever since. They understand this to be the will of the Holy Spirit as documented in the work of the VC2. This is an opinion of others. Just looking at the Dutch document (in translation) I see a number of trendy "solutions" to the so-called priest shortage. These solutions are more like guarantees that my Dutch brothers will continue their decline into Protestantism. As I have said many times on other blogs: what young man in his right mind wants to join a football team that never plays football? What young man in his right mind wants to join a football team that believes playing football is a violent repudiation of sportsmanship? As for the "rebuke," well, I'm surprised to see even this mild response from Santa Sabina. By nature we are not inclined to discipline our brothers. We have some really bad history here...
Fr. Philip, OP
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