Welcome to the CORPUS Blog. CORPUS is a faith community affirming and rooted in a revitalized church including an inclusive priestly ministry. Please visit our web site: www.corpus.org Our Blog will be a portal to news, articles and resources enabling you to keep up-to-date in the Catholic Reform process.
The moment for change was 1967 when Pope Paul VI was given the research about the details urging a reconsideration for the church's teaching on sexuality. When a year later he issued his response that there would be no change, that the church's position on sexuality would remain the same. Celibacy was in the mix. His decision was a decision for me. I left the priesthood three years later. So probably the change for celibacy will come. But sadly it is centuries too late for many who cried out for a change because some could live with celibacy, some could not deal with it. What is my comment? Really it's more like a Lament. A secret cry in my soul because I miss the priesthood. and I love my wife and family at the same time. Always Leonardo
ReplyDeleteMy Mother raised three children, my brother Jim, born 1925, My family : Jim , born1925 died age 60, a successful engineer, Al, born 1924, died age 51 a lawyer/judge, and Midge born 1922, a Holy Name Sister for 69 years, turned from religious school teacher to U S government trained social worker, and advocate of the elderly , 1966 to her death at age 89; Three McMahon kids have catholic grade and high school education whereas the fourth ( Tom, this writer , born 1928 ) enters junior seminary at age 13 , right after catholic grade school, this fatherless boy whose father has died of a train accident in 1931 when Tom is Two never having a female teacher for the next twelve years as well as never consciously seeing my father kiss my mother. I was innocent ( latin =without knowledge ) of human sexuality particularly its beauty . I am ordained in 1954 , and successfully served the people of God for 26 years, , in seven diverse parishes , 12 years an army chaplain, 14 years of university education , well self educated historian and well educated now retired licensed California mental health therapist, exiled from my public priesthood because the bishop discovered my quiet 1967 marriage to Elaine (died 3 years ago ) and our raising two sons who have given us five precious grand children. Celibacy has a centuries long failure history and I am aware that no native American priest wants to be a bishop in America today and that vocations to the priesthood among American youth are virtually nil .
DeleteTom in San Jose,Ca. , 95 years old who often sings " younger than spring time am I ......."
Tom McMahon 2/12/2024