CELIBACY RESEARCH

In 1991 I stumbled upon the priest shortage quite serendipitously, after being unable to find a priest to visit my Mom in a senior assisted-living center. This is what I discovered regarding the shortage of priests, and mandatory celibacy in the Catholic Church:

• Jesus’ disciples were mostly married men.
• Prior to the year 1139 when celibacy was made mandatory, popes, bishops and priests were allowed to marry.
• In the past 25 years, over 20,000 priests have left the priesthood to marry--an average of 400 per state--and 110,000 throughout the world.
• Since 1980, married Protestant ministers have converted to Catholicism and have been ordained into the Catholic priesthood.
• Over 10% of U.S. parishes have no resident priest.
• 40 or more churches are closing or have closed in Boston, Milwaukee, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and other cities.
• 21 church laws allow married priests to provide Catholic ministry if invited by baptized Catholics.
• Practice becomes custom; custom becomes law in the Catholic Church.*

WHY OPTIONAL CELIBACY IS TRIGGER TO REFORM

Following is the evolutionary process that experts believe will take place in the church:

The church created a crack in the "Berlin Wall" of mandatory celibacy by ordaining into the Catholic priesthood, married Protestant ministers. Because married priests are already ordained and still considered priests by law, they are the easiest tool to use to widen that crack, opening the door to other reforms. CITI believes that the church, by its silence for seventeen (17) years, has been allowing, maybe even expecting, the change to come from the people.

WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT CITI Ministries

• CITI uses ministry instead of protest as its strategy for affecting a married priesthood. To date, we assisted over half a million Catholics and other with spiritual needs, especially those turned away by the church. Our motto is, "Jesus Never Turned Anyone Away. Neither will married priests."
• CITI is broad based. Our Advisory Board consists of lay people, celibate priests and married priests. The board also spans from conservative to liberal Roman Catholics, working and praying together to reform through the people in the pews, as history has shown.
• CITI has been applauded by some bishops: "Don’t stop what you’re doing. God bless you," said one bishop in front of 350 people. "...I would appreciate your looking upon me as a ‘behind the scenes’ advisor...God bless you in your efforts to the serve the Church, God’s Holy People," said another.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Today, married priests are celebrating Mass in South American parish churches; the bishops are aware and say nothing. If your church is in vigil and has communion services on Sunday, invite a married priest to celebrate Mass for you.
• Form a home Mass community with friends/family, and invite a married priest to participate.
• Mail a copy of the enclosed release to your local newspapers to help create more awareness.

MINISTRY AVAILABLE THROUGH CITI

• Free referral service of married priests for pastoral and/or sacramental ministry in the U.S., Canada, Germany, the UK, and other countries through our "Rent A Priest" web site, http://www.rentapriest.com or toll free 1-800-PRIEST 9 (U.S.).
• God’s Yellow Pages lists faith communities and/or priests available start a Home Mass community in your area.
• RentapriestNews (formerly Come As You Are), CITI’s quarterly news and spiritual journal
• Catholic Resource Center book and tape division
• Seminars for married priests to focus on practical theology and our family-based spirituality.

WE NEED FINANCIAL ANGELS

Your tax deductible donation will pay for postage, printing and telephone charges to create more awareness, also for ongoing research concerning celibacy and clergy sexual abuse.

We appreciate gift certificates from Staples or Office Max for paper to print brochures.

Perhaps you know a financial angel who can provide a grant. Grant proposals will be available.

Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has." If we love our church and its rich traditions, especially the Mass, then what are we waiting for?

Thank you and God bless,

Louise Haggett, Founder, CITI, Inc.