Celibacy. Wink, Wink

Catholic bishops say no to married priests

On the tough questions of priestly celibacy and communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, 256 bishops from all over the world voted to maintain the status quo. In one of the 50 “propositions” submitted to Pope Benedict XVI to help him write an encyclical on the Eucharist, the bishops “affirmed the importance of the inestimable gift of priestly celibacy in the Latin church.” The bishops further said that the proposal to appoint Catholic married men of good reputation — described in the Latin debates as “viri probati” — was “not a path to follow.”

Prelates in favor of rethinking the disciplinary rule of barring priests from marrying argued that it might encourage more young men to enter the priesthood. The Orthodox Church allows priests to marry, but those who do are not eligible to become bishops. Defenders of priestly celibacy concentrated on its symbolic nature. Speaking in the synod during one of its sessions, Cardinal Pell called it “the witness to loving sacrifice, and to the reality of the Last Things, and the rewards of Heaven.” Pope Benedict XVI endorsed the majority view Sunday when he called on priests to remain “faithful” to their vow of celibacy, which he said was “a precious gift.”

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Winking Jesus
“The message of the statue is, he’s telling the people I’m here for you,” explains Dones. “This ain’t about the statue. It’s about the word of God, and he wants the people together. It was a sign for the people. It was broken, both eyes were closed, then one eye opened. This happened by fate, to show the right way.”

Julio “Sly” Dones has always been a deeply religious man. He’s dedicated his life to maintaining his shrine of artificial flowers, photographs and statues of the Virgin Mother, Saint Anthony and Jesus Christ. The Sacred Heart of Jesus statue is about a year old; Dones salvaged it from a Dumpster in Jersey City.

Born legally blind, Dones sees very little out of his right eye and even less out of the left one, which stays mostly shut – just like the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue.

Glimpse more HERE.