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CORPUS is a faith community affirming an inclusive priesthood rooted in a reformed and renewed Church.
CORPUS, celebrating forty-four years of service to the people of God, is one of the oldest reform groups in the Catholic Church, and is active in reform movements both in the U.S. and abroad. We are committed to working for a renewed priesthood of married and single men and women dedicated to serving God through the Community of Believers.
CORPUS applauds the Synod's recommendation to Pope Francis
October 26, 2019
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Linda Pinto (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; 570.296.5326)
CORPUS, the National Association for an Inclusive Priesthood, applauds the recommendation to Pope Francis to consider restoring a married priesthood in the Catholic Church. This expanded and enriched sense of priesthood was the basis for CORPUS’ foundation back in 1974. Since then, over 35,000 priests in the United States have been dismissed from public ministry because of responding to their God-given call to marriage.
It has always been our position that a married priesthood is “good, right and holy” because:
·Marriage embodies and celebrates the gifts of sexuality and the sacramental intensity of intimacy.
·Marriage demands that we listen, not with the ear, but with the heart. It demands going beyond the
rhetoric of reason and discovering the true meaning of relationship.
·Marriage insists that we love ourselves as much as we cherish the other.
·Marriage moves beyond an inner circle forming a connection and community of family and friends.
·Marriage requires a sense of compromise, as well as consensus.
·Marriage develops a sensitivity to the needs of others, without judgement or prejudice.
·Marriage respects inclusivity, where all are valued.
These qualities would be valuable in a priesthood, not only for developing healthy communities of faith, but especially when dealing with critical life issues such as family planning, divorce, homosexuality, women’s equality, and church governance.
In the years following Jesus’ death and resurrection our gospels record that the early Christian communities were families who gathered to “remember, celebrate and believe”. There was no measure of marital status or gender.
A married priesthood would bring an incredible gift to our church. This matters not if priests are male or female, married or single, gay or straight. Priests are called by God to be servant leaders. It is good for our church. It’s time to do this not out of desperation but out of a sense of gospel inspiration.
WE HONOR OUR DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS
During this month of November, let us honor our brothers and sisters who have gone to their eternal rest during this year and for all the deceased who have champion the CORPUS vision of a renewed and inclusive priesthood.
We know that we do not have a complete list of all who have died. We could use your help. Through the years many of you have sent obituaries or alerted us to someone who has passed away. If you know of anyone who has not been included on our CORPUS web site, send their name to us. Still better, if you have any information such as obituary, biographical sketch and/or a picture send it along.
Send to:
Stuart O’Brien
2 Adamian Drive
North Falmouth, MA 02556
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To read all the names of those who died 2018-2019 click below.
Discovering the God Within
Discovering the God Within
Hank Mattimore
"Who is this God who you claim loves you? What makes you think that this
almighty, all powerful Creator knows your name? What kind of religious nut are you to swallow this stuff about a personal God who not only cares about us and listens to our prayers but LOVES us?"
No, those are not the words of an acquaintance of mine. That's \what our modern culture is saying to me but In more politically correct words. Cut to the chase, they are really saying "You don't still believe in all that crap do you?"
I plead guilty. I am that kind of nut or rather, I aspire to be. I want to look at God through the eyes of faith and see Him as much more than just a "higher power." or the " man upstairs" or some benign figure "up there" who I call on when I am in trouble or need help in passing an exam or getting a job.
The God I want in my life is the same one that inspired heroes like Martin Luther King or Gandhi or Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa to bring light to our world, the God who lives in every husband who stands by his dying wife and every young man or woman who is willing to die for his country. It is this kind of living God that I want to believe in and carry in my heart.
Joseph Bergkamp
REST IN PEACE
July 3, 2015
Joe Bergkamp died in Puerto Rico on July 3. He was 88. Joe was born in southeastern Kansas and had been a priest for the Diocese of Wichita, serving for many years as a missionary in Venezuela. It was there he developed his deep love for the poor.
Joe left the priesthood, married, and returned to Kansas where he and his wife, Carmen Nery, became friends with Bob Hentzen and Jerry Tolle, another of Unbound’s founders. When Joe and Nery later moved to Puerto Rico, they took on the task of developing an Unbound sponsor base on the island.
John Ronald "Ron" Titus
REST IN PEACE
John Ronald Titus, age 92, passed away on September 1, 2019.
Ron was a kind man, a loving brother and husband, a doting uncle, and a thoughtful friend. He enjoyed life: good food, stimulating conversations, music and travel. As an educator, religious leader, counselor, humanist, he was respectful and honest.
Ron was born on May 1, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois, to Albert Titus and Lillian Briant. He moved with his family to Port Arthur, Texas, at age 9 and attended St. James Elementary and High School. After graduation he completed studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in LaPorte, Texas, followed by Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. In his forties he returned to academia and completed his masters at the University of Houston, Clear Lake.
William Flick
REST IN PEACE
January 11, 2019
Flick, William John Fenton Age 90, died Friday, January 11, 2019. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 AM Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 600 N. Adelaide St., Fenton. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery. Visitation will be held 12 PM - 3 PM and 4 PM - 8 PM Tuesday at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 W. Silver Lake Rd., Fenton where a Rosary service, Scripture service and Knights of Columbus service will be held at 7 PM Tuesday evening. Visitation will also be held from 10 AM - 11 AM Wednesday at the church. Contributions may be made to St. John Outreach, St. Vincent de Paul, or the Parkinson's Foundation. Bill was born December 5, 1928 in South Bend, IN, the son of Albert and Martha (Sittig) Flick. He was a graduate of St. Joseph Seminary, Grand Rapids, Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit and St. John Major Seminary, Plymouth. Bill was a priest with the Lansing Diocese for 17 years being ordained on June 4, 1955. He served at St. Michael Catholic Church in Flint, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in East Lansing, St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joseph, started a new parish in Stevensville, MI and had been the Pastor at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Davison. Being called by God to a new vocation, he left the priesthood and married Patricia Szymula on October 27, 1972.
Wim Baars
May 26, 2019
REST IN PEACE
Sunday, May 26, 2019. Wim is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Luisa; children, Jose (Christine) Lugo,Elizabeth (Raymond) Erb, Luis (Nora) Baars; grandchildren, Michelle (Katelin), Roberto, Katelyn, Mary, Anthony, Zoe, Mattheus, Ethan, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Wim was an ordained Dominican Priest and served from 1956-1974 in Puerto Rico. He worked as a Psychologist at correctional facilities in Puerto Rico. He also worked as a bilingual school psychologist for the Rochester City School District and a clinical psychologist for the Anthony Jordan Health Center. He was co-owner of MAS Translation Service and was a Rotarian since 2007.
Charles Naranjo
REST IN PEACE
October 19, 2019
Charles was born in Pittsfield, MA, 1928. Died on October 19, 2019. He was the son of the late Jose and Carmen Naranjo. Charles entered the Order of the Stigmatine Fathers in 1954. As a priest, Father Charles spent 18 years in Phuket, Trang, and Bangkok, Thailand. In Phuket he helped establish a mission, building a church and school for Thai children, where he taught English. After his time in Thailand, Fr. Charles was assigned to the Sacred Heart School in Milford, MA. Charlie left the priesthood in 1976. Shortly thereafter, he found the love of his life in his wife Gilda. Those who knew Charlie knew he left the priesthood, but the priesthood never left him. He went on to be a lector and a member of the adoration at St. Patrick's Parish in Natick. Charlie thoroughly enjoyed life with his family and friends, dancing, golfing, and summers in Wells, ME.
RESOURCES
AUTUMN 2019
