Many were shocked in September 1992, when Rent A Priest made its debut at a national Roman Catholic Church leadership conference in Washington D.C. No one had ever taken a seemingly "irreverent," light-hearted approach regarding such serious issues in the Church, namely mandatory celibacy for priests and nuns, shortages in the clerical priesthood and the advent of circuit-rider priests (traveling from parish to parish for Sunday Mass celebration).

As a mainstream "traditional" church going Catholic, I became aware of these issues myself only after cursory research because of an inability to find a priest to visit my Mom in a senior assisted-living facility the previous year.

Catholics had been conditioned to expect an automatic "change of guard" (pastor) every few years in their parish. All of a sudden with no explanation, a new one would show up. No one ever knew why the last one left or where he went. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that 20,000 (400 per state average) had left in only twenty years, 9 out of 10 to marry.

Many Catholics still don't know that since 1980, the Vatican, under the auspices of Cardinal Law of Boston has been converting and ordaining to the Catholic priesthood, married Protestant ministers, families and all. (In one Maine parish, a priest who married was replaced by a married priest.)

Sensing a terrible injustice and the lack of priests especially for seniors fired me up to locate and nudge back into ministry, priests who married, thanks to my husband's frequent flyer miles and 21 canon laws that validated their priesthood and sacramental ministry-priests forever.

Originally developed for priestless parishes, a surprising response to Rent A Priest came from Catholics who don't go to church (73.3% of the total American Catholic population--48 million).

CITI's "restoration of a married priesthood" is not necessarily an advocacy to place married priests back at the altar under the jurisdiction of today's Vatican. We are restoring the dignity of married priests by acknowledging their existence and the ministry that Jesus called them to in the first place-- feeding His sheep-wherever and however. Like Jesus, these are holy people whose ministry has no denominational boundaries. While the group may be exclusive, the work is Catholic, interfaith and ecumenical and the need is worldwide.

Ezekiel 37:1-10 (see p. 4) speaks of the awakening of dry bones and breathing new life in them. This is what has happened to married priest couples whose ministry was oppressed by the institution, and who become affirmed today whenever they meet and minister to/with people in need. God's people whose lives are touched by married priests also experience the new spirituality that is being breathed into their dry bones.

These are the reasons I have given my life to this cause. CITI began with a sales bonus, and is like a big rubber band. We are letting go and letting God--letting the Holy Spirit stretch us as far as He/She wants. We appreciate your support.

Louise Haggett, Founder and President