| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (30 min.) ; 166332123 bytes |
| Summary |
Five million Australians, one-quarter of the population, call themselves Catholic. At the core of their belief is the Mass, the ritual in which Christ becomes present to the faithful. Only a male unmarried priest can say Mass. The trouble is the Roman Catholic Church is running out of priests and soon won't have enough to conduct Sunday Masses. Though in some places there's been a slight increase in numbers studying for the priesthood, there are still too few to replace ageing and retiring priests. Priests are being brought in from overseas, and some former Anglican priests are filling parish vacancies. But these strategies may present more problems than solutions. Some Anglican-turned-Catholic priests are already married. So, if marriage is no impediment for them, why the prohibition on married Catholic priests? Many Catholics, including priests and some bishops, think it's time to abandon mandatory celibacy and to admit married men and women to the priesthood. In this episode, Geraldine Doogue examines how the church is dealing with a crisis central to it remaining a viable and relevant part of contemporary Australian life. We meet Father Stephen Byrnes, a Catholic priest who is married and has six children. The Pope himself granted permission for Father Byrnes, formerly an Anglican priest, to be ordained a Catholic priest. He's now one of a dozen former Anglican priests helping to fill parish vacancies around the country.But it's not enough. There's too much work for too few priests. Former priest Paul Collins tells of a petition, signed by 17,000 Catholics and 167 priests, which last year called for an end to compulsory celibacy and a move towards ordaining married men. We meet John Harmon, the last Catholic priest to be ordained in Tasmania in 2002. He has recently quit because of loneliness and an overwhelming workload. He doubts he'll ever return and thinks he may marry in the future.In the early centuries of Christianity many priests and even Popes were married. It wasn't until the 11th century that celibacy became compulsory. Geraldine talks to Jesuit priest and canon lawyer, Geoff King, about how this could change.PRODUCTION DETAILS:Compass Executive Producer: Rose Hesp |
| Event |
Broadcast 2013-03-21 at 01:50:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: G |
| Subject |
Intimacy (Psychology) -- Religious aspects.
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Priests -- Attitudes.
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Bishops -- Legal status, laws, etc.
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Celibacy -- Catholic Church.
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Priesthood -- Catholic Church.
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Australia.
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| Form |
Streaming video
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| Author |
Edmondson, Mark, director
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Doogue, Geraldine, host
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Bathersby, John, contributor
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Byrnes, Karolyn, contributor
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Byrnes, Stephen, contributor
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Cleary, Mary, contributor
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Collins, Paul, contributor
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DeGroot, Maureen, contributor
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Gallagher, Tracie, contributor
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Harmon, John, contributor
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King, Geoff, contributor
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Muscat, Tony, contributor
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