Celibacy discipline strengthens priestly ministry

Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos

Function: Prefect of Clergy, Roman Curia

Title: Cardinal Deacon of SS. Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano

Birthdate: Jul 04, 1929	Country: Colombia

Elevated: Feb 21, 1998	More information: www.catholic-hierarchy.org

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Celibacy discipline strengthens priestly ministry
Nov 29, 2006
Observing that priestly celibacy is matter of Church discipline rather than dogma, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos nevertheless argues that celibacy is a valuable aid to pastoral ministry, in the preface to a new French book.

Nov. 29, 2006 (CWNews.com) - The former prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy has contributed a preface to the 2nd edition of a book entitled The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy, by the Jesuit Father Christian Cochini. The Colombian cardinal writes that celibacy is an expression and the priest's complete consecration, "with his heart and his body," and his determination to conform to Jesus Christ.

Recognizing that priestly celibacy has been the cause of many debates within the Church, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos reminds readers that the celibacy discipline was discussed and reaffirmed by the Second Vatican Council and later by the Synod of Bishops in 1971.

The cardinal praised the work of Father Cochini, whose 500-page book traces the origins of priestly celibacy to the early years of the Church. The book was originally published in 1981, and described by the theologian Henri De Lubac as "a work of the first importance."

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