Speech of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo.

Your Excellency Dom Mendes Luis Patriarch,

Dear Bishops and Archbishops, my dear brothers, president and your spouses.

This has  been unforgettable week. It is more than I can express in my words and

I have to use only thanks you.

The collaboration between the federation of universal peace and the married priests, I have observed that it works.

There have been on both sides appreciation of each other. I pray that this acceptance of one another grows and undoubtedly more and more understanding of between Catholics and the unification  church will be arriver at.

My conclusion and the theme  of de married priests does not give me much joy.

I have come to know that there are many more married priests here in Brazil than in U.S.A however, one consoling fact is that 75% of them are ready to resume  their priestly ministry.

But the doors of the Catholic Church are still closed to them. So they go on wandering into other denominations, or start their denominations.

I have taken this fact up with the married bishops and priests here in Brazil. We have come to there conclusions:

1.     This attitude of the Catholic Church, not to listen to the complaints of the people, which come from the celibacy imposed on the priests, has now gone too far. The presence of Eucharistic ministers, however many they may be, can not replace priests in the Catholic Church.

2.     The fruit of ecumenism with other churches, which only yesterday they were  considered separated brothers, cannot give satisfaction to a  priest who has been trained as a Roman Catholic priest.

3.     It is with regret and sorrow that we are forced to say what we are going to say.  The Catholic Church will conclude that we are saying this with bitterness. Not at all.

We have come to this conclusion that if the Catholic Church does not open doors to married priests, them it is not fair that she goes on baptizing people, whom she will care for the salvation of their souls.

This negligence and stubbornness due to an exaggerated attachment to celibacy, is now clearly showing indifferentism of the Catholic Church

A change  of attitude towards this question of optional celibacy is no more a question to be answered tomorrow. The baptized Catholics are waiting for the return of their Roman Catholic priests, whom they have been used to call “father” from their baptismal birth.

We look forward to a good response from the Catholic Church.

Arch. E. Milingo