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The Vatican will hold a major international conference on priesthood next year.
Making the announcement, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and chief organizer Cardinal Marc Ouellet said the symposium titled “Toward a Fundamental Theology of the Priesthood” will bring together bishops and church representatives from different countries. He said other people interested in the topic of priesthood theology are also free to attend.
During the three-day symposium slated for Feb. 17-19, 2022, attendees will discuss how to improve the working relationship between priests and those under them, and how to ensure those who are ordained are motivated by the urge to serve the people and not by power.
“A theological symposium does not claim to offer practical solutions to all the pastoral and missionary problems of the church, but it can help us deepen the foundation of the church’s mission,” said Cardinal Marc Ouellet.
Cardinal Ouellet said the recent Amazon synod on the youth and the family clearly indicates the need to urgently address the issue of how priests relate to other church workers.
According to Michelina Tenace, a professor of theology at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, who is also part of the organizing team, focusing more on baptism and priesthood of every believer forms the basis of Christianity.
Father Vincent Siret, rector of the Pontifical French Seminary in Rome said those charged with the responsibility of training men for the priesthood should dedicate themselves fully to this call.
“The baptismal life is the fundamental human vocation, and all must exercise the priesthood received at baptism,” he said.
“Ministry is at the service of this."
“Reflecting on the fundamental theology of the priesthood will also make it possible to return to the justifications for priestly celibacy and the way it is lived.”
Although celibacy is a requirement for Latin rite Catholic priests, Cardinal Ouellet, Father Siret and Tenace all steered clear of the issue of celibacy in regards to the Eastern Catholic churches which have relaxed rules on celibacy, allowing some priests to marry.
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