Here’s a story which caught my attention just the other day.
When no Priests were available, the Bishop of the Quebec Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda sought and received Vatican permission for a local Woman Religious to officiate at a wedding.
Bishop Dorylas Moreau said the wedding was carried out according to a long-established provision of Canon Law, which mirrors the Church’s dogmatic teaching that it is the Spouses themselves who are the ministers of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, the Priest (or the Woman Religious in this case) merely act as the “official witness" of the exchange of marital consent.
Canon Law provides that an exception which allows a non-ordained person (Lay or Religious) to be permitted to officiate at a wedding when a Bishop, Priest or Deacon is unavailable. That non-ordained official witness to Marriage can be a male or female.
Still, “it is an exceptional situation, not something habitual,” Bishop Moreau said. The Bishop affirmed that there are only 16 priests for 35 parishes in a diocese that covers nearly 9,300 square miles of rugged Canadian landscape. The diocese has more than 75 Women Religious, but no Deacons, although three are currently in formation.
This priest shortage, especially acute in the summer, led the Bishop to make a request through the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments for permission the Sister officially witness the marital vows. Approval was received in May.
I suspect that, as the shortage of Priests becomes more and more a critical reality for the Church, we shall be reading stories such as this quite often.
Pope Francis and the Bishops need to stop pretending that there is no crisis within the Priesthood and seriously address how the faithful are going to be nourished with the Sacraments if shortage continues.
As I have suggested in previous posts, it is my belief that the upcoming Synod on Youth and Vocations will be the turning point for considering optional celibacy for Priests of the Latin Rite.
We shall see.
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