Theological Studies Faculty Works Theological Studies 12-5-1992 Church, Hierarchy, and Churches: Popular Catholic Misconceptions Thomas P. Rausch Loyola Marymount University,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/theo_fac Part of the Catholic Studies Commons Recommended Citation Rausch, Thomas P. “Church, Hierarchy, and Churches: Popular Catholic Misconceptions,” America 167 (December 5, 1992): 445-449. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Theological Studies at Digital Commons @ Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theological Studies Faculty Works by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. 1)1 LLMliLK 5. I')'J2 AMERICA VC1|, NO. Ifi Church, Hierarchy and Churches: Popular Catholic Misconceptions By THOMAS P. RAUSCH IN JANUARY 1991 Archbishop Rembert Weakland, O.S.B., of Milwaukee made headlines when he published the draft of a pastoral let- ter for his archdiocese. In it he stated his willingness to present to Rome A number a married male candidate for ordination to the priesthood—when a Catholic community that met certain conditions of faith and vitality was of theses not able to find a celibate priest. His proposal was carefully circumscribed. As he said later, it was to countering be "only in extreme necessity and under very rigid conditions." Nevertheless, his raising this issue was apparently too mueh for the current Vatican. When the final draft of his pastoral letter was published on Nov. 7. 1991. the Archbishop disclosed that the Vatican Secretary of State misapprehensions had termed his proposal for priest-short areas and communities "out of and suggesting place." Archbishop Weakland is not the only bishop to have raised the issue another view of celibacy lately.