Priest “shortage” in Cleveland Diocese

The Cleveland Plain Dealer just published an article on the ongoing priest “shortage” in the Cleveland Diocese. You can read that article if you wish. It’s largely a waste of time, valuable ink and paper.

Basically, a study was commissioned by the Cleveland Diocese. The conclusion was that the already precipitous decline in the number of Catholic Diocese Priests will continue in the coming decades and will inevitably cause continued significant decline in the vitality of the diocese.

The Bishop should have spent our money to help the hungry and sick rather than waste it on this study. Absolutely everybody who has been paying attention knows that the priest “shortage” in the diocese is bad and steadily getting worse. This is NOT new information.

We think there is a good reason for the priest “shortage”. The Roman Church is the largest organization in the world actively working to sustain and promote profound discrimination against women. We believe that this injustice, perpetuated by the church, represents a significant impediment to those seeking priestly ordination. Simply put, why would good people want to be affiliated with a seriously unjust institution?

Any person who feels called to the priesthood can and should seek to be ordained within a church which treats the priestly ordination of men and woman equally. Until the day when the Roman Catholic Church begins ordaining women, we ask all men considering priesthood to seriously consider AVOIDING ordination within the Roman Church.

For the good of this diocese, and for the spiritual growth of all Catholics, we call on Bishop Richard Lennon to immediately begin ordaining qualified women to the priesthood. Bishop, we can point you to a significant number of women in this diocese who are both qualified for and called to the priesthood.

Also, Bishop, if you continue in your refusal to ordain women, it will be clear that treating women as second class Christians is a priority for you - more important than the health and vitality of this Diocese. 

The care of this diocese is your responsibility Bishop. The Plain Dealer article and our lived experience both indicate you are failing.

ORDAIN WOMEN - allow married priests.