German Cardinal Marx suggests lay-run parishes
March 27, 2017
Instead of closing parishes because of a shortage of priests, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich has proposed to appoint lay people to administer parishes.
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Cardinal Marx said that lay-run parishes would provide the German archdiocese with a way of “remaining visible locally” despite the clergy shortage. “The local Church is most significant,” he said. “We would waste a great many opportunities if we were to withdraw from our territorial roots.”
Cardinal Marx—who is president of the German bishops’ conference, and a member of the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis—said that the Church should explore new ways to involve lay people in pastoral ministry. He also suggested attention to the possibility that mature married men could be ordained to the priesthood.
The Archdiocese of Munich, which boasts a Catholic population of over 1.7 million, has attracted only one candidate for the priesthood this year.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Mar. 27, 2017 10:43 PM ET USA
Cardinal Marx needs to address the crisis of faith that has brought about the priest shortage. The SSPX in Germany has no shortage of priests? Neither does the FSSP! Maybe Cardinal Pope Francis/Pope Benedict criticized worldliness in the Church in Germany.What about dissent from church teachings as a factor? Is there a clear vision of the priesthood in Germany? Or is there increasing a protestant view of the priesthood under the guise of ecumenism? Sounds like Card Marx is raising the white flag
