A leading Catholic religious order has said its Dutch branch risks a split within the Church with its recommendation to allow lay people to celebrate mass to overcome a growing shortage of clerics.
The proposal ‘risks not only worsening the polarisation within the Dutch Church but also encouraging schism,’ said a report for the Dominicans, an order that has produced many prominent theologians since its founding in 1216.
The Dutch Dominicans, who sent a booklet entitled ‘Church and Ministry’ to all Dutch Catholic parishes last August proposing that an ordinary person could lead the service if there was no priest available, deny wanting to create a schism.
“I say this calls for action and now. Nip it in the bud. First sign of youngsters going wrong, you’ve got to nip it in the bud.” – Deputy Barney Fife
Don’t worry, Papa Benedict XVI is at the helm.
The National Catholic Reporter covered the developments in the Dutch church extensively in a recent issue; in particular there was a presentation of the arguments by some Jesuits on the issue of lay presidency over the Eucharist. I do not favor this any more than I favor it in the Anglican Province of Australia. But unless the RC Church changes its views on celibacy and marriage of priests, I think there will be a real crisis in the sacramental life of that Church.
Several years ago I had a conversation in Amsterdam with an academic colleague who is a native of Holland. He said, “Bob, there are two protestant churchs in the Netherlands, the Dutch Reformed Church and the Roman Catholic Church.” The latter has been under seige, he went on to say, by the Vatican (this was fifteen years ago), but we Dutch are stubborn people.
Archbishop Eijk is planning to recruit priests from Colombia and from one country in Africa.
I think (and hope) that this kind of “booklets” are going to be unuseful in a short time.
May the Lord help His Church in Holland…
ELCA Lutherans are doing this now in Eastern Pa. TEC is of course in communion with ELCA Lutherans.