10/22/2002

by Louise Haggett

LThe crucial shortage in the priesthood has created a “state of emergency” in the Roman Catholic Church and priests who have married are currently being sought by CITI*/Rentapriest (*Celibacy Is the Issue) to respond to the need for weekly and daily Mass during the upcoming Lenten season that begins February 13, 2002. Senior citizens in nursing homes who went without a Mass on Christmas or New Year’s Day this year will be the first to receive the blessing of a celebrated Mass if married priests can be located in their respective areas. This emergency “all points bulletin” is to locate the thousands of married Catholic priests who have blended into society as a family man since the late 1960s (average—400 per state) so that the spiritual needs of those left behind by the Catholic Church can be fulfilled.

“State of Emergency” is provided for by Canon Law, especially as it applies to anointing of the sick. In this instance, married priests can be called upon to perform any sacrament. Twenty other Canons in the Church’s Code of Canon Law validate all sacraments of a married priest. One such Canon (290) confirms that “ordination is forever”…a priest is always a priest.

Canon 27: “custom becomes law in the church.” CITI Ministries is a 501.c3 nonprofit organization of laity who are concerned about a church for our children’s children. For this reason, CITI is creating “custom” by recruiting married priests and promoting their availability through its website, www.rentapriest.com, where some names, phone numbers and email addresses of married priests may be found. One can also call 1-800-PRIEST 9 for the information. A database holds an additional 2,500 names.

Over 23,000 priests have left clerical ministry since the 1970s, 90% to marry, and a large percentage of dioceses have no new ordinations scheduled in 2002 to offset priests who are retiring or leaving. CITI Ministries intends to provide names and phone numbers of as many married priests as possible in each diocese so that no one will go without spiritual, sacramental or pastoral need if a celibate priest is not available.

Volunteers are needed to help develop local lists of married priests, as well as to assist in its distribution to nursing homes, hospitals, hospices, jails and to those who are homebound or for Aids ministry. Write info@rentapriest.com or call 1-800 PRIEST 9 (In Canada, 1-888-PRIEST 9). Financial gifts are also needed to promote this important ministry.