Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Married Priests Available for Christmas Services

BRUNSWICK, Maine, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Married Roman Catholic priests affiliated with Rentapriest.com are making themselves available for the many Catholic Churches who will not have full Eucharist services this holiday season because of a shortage of priests. CITI Ministries (Celibacy Is the Issue) has spent 15 years locating and recruiting priests of integrity and promotes them through its website Rentapriest.com for anyone with spiritual needs.

In the last few years, married priests have provided ministry to over a quarter of a million people. Weddings on a beach, interfaith marriages, baptisms that were otherwise refused by a local pastor, anointing of the sick and funerals are just some of the ministerial services that have been requested by Catholics and others. Married priests are priests forever according to the church's Code of Canon Law which states, "once validly received, sacred ordination never becomes invalid." While the church refuses to accept the ministry of these priests, it has church laws that allow the faithful to request these services -- in fact, a priest cannot refuse according to Canon 843.

Anyone within CITI's 42 state coverage who is without a priest for Midnight Mass or Christmas Day services can, without permission from anyone, contact a priest at CITI's website http://www.rentapriest.com or call 1-800-PRIEST 9 and request Christmas Liturgy for their group, whether it is inside a church building or in a private home. A partial listing of Home and public venue Masses already appears on the rentapriest website under "Faith Communities." Priests are also available for Lenten retreats and other spiritual services.


CITI is a 501.c3 nonprofit lay-based organization. Donations appreciated to assist us in locating and recruiting priests who have married, and promoting their availability to the general public. A special technology fundraising drive is currently taking place to help us update our internal systems and procedures. CITI Ministries, 14 Middle Street, Suite 2, Brunswick, ME 04011.

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