John Cornelius, a former Episcopalian priest, will become the first Roman Catholic priest to be ordained despite being both married and a father. The ordination will occur in Buffalo, New York, as is permitted according to 2012 papal exception to the church’s celibacy rule.
The Buffalo News reports on Cornelius’ upcoming ordination, which will be conducted by Bishop Richard J. Malone of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.
Cornelius, 64, and his wife Sharyl converted to Catholicism two years ago. He was a priest with the Episcopal Church for 20 years until he retired in 2010.
On Tuesday Cornelius said, “I look forward to celebrating Mass again. It’s been two years, and I missed it greatly. That closeness to God is an amazing thing.”
In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI enacted a new directive which was meant to welcome in Episcopalians and Anglicans who converted to Roman Catholicism.
Through this “ordinariate” - an entry which is similar to diocese - over 100 priests, including Cornelius, have applied to be ordained. Cornelius will be among the first 30 to go through the process.
Read more news on the Catholic Church here
Cornelius will become a priest of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, which is based in Houston, and overseen by Monsignor Jeffrey N. Steenson, a former Episcopal bishop turned Catholic.
Much of Cornelius’ spiritual work will be focused in the Diocese of Buffalo in New York, where he will celebrate standard Catholic Masses and participate in other ministries at rural Catholic parishes.
Rev. Dennis J. Mancuso, a Catholic pastor of Allegany County who assisted Cornelius in his conversion to Catholicism, notes how Cornelius’ ordination isn’t a sign of the Vatican’s relaxation towards celibacy, but rather an exception to the rule.
Read more: New Catholic Church leader in Ireland won’t change much
“This is by exception. It’s not the norm,” said Rev. Mancuso. “The way they’ve done it is in accord with tradition.”
“This is something that’s totally new to people here,” Cornelius said of his being married. “Down in Texas, it wasn’t quite so much an anomaly.”
While the new rule from Pope Benedict XVI will allow certain married men to join the clergy, those who enter the process unmarried will not be permitted to marry after they’re ordained.
Cornelius views his position as a benefit. “When they come to me and talk about their own families, there’s a certain amount of reciprocity of emotion that goes along with it,” he said.
A native of Bolivar, Cornelius was laid off twice prior to joining the priesthood, and has experienced the realities of marriage as well as bringing up three children - all experiences that bring a new level of communication to him and his parishioners.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.merefalow | Jan 28, 2013, 09:55 AM EST
like ive always said,its a chameleon,it will adapt,sickening.
Meanolgrouch | Jan 26, 2013, 03:44 PM EST
Eiriamach, while I can't buy into SD's comments, I must commend your own. However, do let me offer a slightly different perspective. As an ardent though dissident Catholic myself, I hope what's happening will by the law of unintended consequences result in FORCING more inclusive acceptance into the Church. Sometimes all it takes is a few cracks in the door to let in some fresh air and sunshine; I stand ready with my own little hatchet to help in that way. The more declining membership and clergy force the admission of already-married clergy, the sooner those who entered service under the celibacy rules will demand equal rights. The Church may have grown creaky with age, but it's made up of people, and the vast majority demand freedom. (Not license; that's another story.) God bless 'em, the Jesuits might even lead the charge. Wouldn't that be a beautiful sight?
eiriamach | Jan 26, 2013, 09:09 AM EST
The Anglican priests fleeing change in their churches by entering the ordinariates set up by the Vatican don't seem to mind that they are buying into a profound change -- not for themselves but for the next generation of their priests. Those who enter the ordinariates as married priests may stay married, but all new priest candidates in the ordinariates must be celibate. What kind of "unchanging tradition" are they safeguarding for their brethren? And what other changes will the Vatican impose on the ordinariates?
eiriamach | Jan 26, 2013, 09:00 AM EST
@Jacers, like other converts from Anglican churches, Fr Cornelius does not deal well with change or with Christianity as an inclusive community. He left his Episcopalian ministry because ECUSA had ordained gay males and women. He explained to a Boston newspaper, “I’m a traditionalist in a lot of ways.” He has never said publicly that he found the one true faith in the Catholic Church. In fact, he had also affiliated with Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baha'i, and Hare Krishna before he settled into his current stodginess. For people like Fr Cornelius, religion is a set of unchanging cultic practices that provide a psychological barrier against the civic virtue of justice and the theological virtue of inclusive love. Jesus prayed for a unified church, not churches divided by politics, not tradition vs reform, but 'ecclesia semper reformanda.'
Meanolgrouch | Jan 25, 2013, 09:50 PM EST
The NY Daily News is a rag sheet. It would be the height of absurdity to believe them (or Faux TV) about anything. Ridiculous as the Church can be sometimes, they're not so foolish.
SingleDonald | Jan 25, 2013, 08:25 PM EST
The N.Y. Daily News printed a shocking article today. It said that Father John Cornelius would be prohibited from sleeping with his wife, once he is ordained! Can anyone verify if this is true? If so, it is the height of absurdity, which the new priest should openly defy. "Yes, I slept with my wife: what are you going to do about it, Bishop, Cardinal, or even Pope Benedict XVI"? If he is then kicked out of the priesthood, the Church will be ridiculed mercilessly!
kscorletta | Jan 25, 2013, 12:36 PM EST
I guess if the article had been more grammatically correct, it would have been ok, but he may be the first Buffalo Episcopal Minister to be made a priest, but a newfound relative Rev. Scott Caton of Rochester, NY, predates him. We're both descended from John Gilligan.
Meanolgrouch | Jan 25, 2013, 12:01 PM EST
As an ardent if dissident Catholic, I wish to remind everyone that many of the earliest clergy WERE married, and the official prohibition against married clergy didn't come along for quite a few centuries. Don't ask me exactly when, I've just had my meds; look it up for yourself. It's there. Besides, many of the early church fathers including more than one on the Seat of St. Peter went forth and were fruitful w/o benefit of marriage; so where does the moral authority originate to burden any servant of God with required celibacy? I rather prefer it myself at this stage of life, but it is a personal choice. Besides, with all the pedophile scandal - which cannot be laid at the door of celibacy, btw - the Pope and magisterium pretty well lost their iron grip on the faithful. I'd rather stay with the church and help cleanse it, but I'll not live my life under the rule of those with no room to preach to the rest of us. Actually, I stay as much for the sake of honest and good priests past, present, and future, as for any other reason. I could switch to high-church Episcopal w/o batting an eye; they'll even let me keep my saints and devotion to Mary. Regardless, for many reasons it's crucial to the health of the Catholic church to bless priests who marry even AFTER ordination.
klamorge | Jan 24, 2013, 10:58 PM EST
This is incorrect. Father Van K Thompson, and episcopal priest who taught at Providence College in Rhode Island, Was ordained a catholic priest.He was married an had children,who went to catholic school.There have been many ordinations of married men in the united states.
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 09:35 PM EST
Pardon me mistypo in - “Go tell everyone…” That appears to have been His choice and I, and nobody else as well have a say in that choice" It should read "not" ...
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 09:24 PM EST
(…more) On the third part of Scott’s post, I agree – there is nothing except RCC Canon Law (which is changeable) to stop married men being priests, or being unmarried priests and being allowed to marry… and perhaps the day may yet come when Canon Law changes to allow them to go about Christ’s mission if they are called to do so in those ways. I trust in the Holy Spirit of Wisdom’s guidance on that for now and in the future.
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 09:14 PM EST
(…more) On the third part of Scott’s post, I agree – there is nothing except RCC Canon Law (which is changeable) to stop married men priests, or being priests and being allowed to marry… and perhaps the day may yet come when Canon Law changes to allow them to go about Christ’s mission if they are called to do so in that way. I trust in the Holy Spirit of Wisdom’s guidance on that for now and in the future.
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 09:07 PM EST
(…more) I encourage all to visit Mary Magdalene’s cave (plan to linger at your leisure, after the time it takes you to get there, for a few hours when you get there, say 3-5 hrs all-in, including some thought-time, which is unbelievably unavoidable for non-believers, or prayer-time or refreshing tea or beer time; I did it in 3.5 hrs, excluding beer time. Be ready, though, for the walking climb up to the cave and back down again! – take the easy route built for the once-time kings and queens of Europe on their pilgrimage route to San Diego de Compestela. I took the easy route up to the cave and the gloriously enjoyable old real and (back in old times) only original hard route up and down, back down through the forest (tough walking shoes/boots only, none of them pretty fashion shoes on yr feet advised; lotsa steep stone-stepping involved in the forest route, great for sport adventurers like me). Alternatively, you can choose the hard way up (Steep leg muscle-sapping stepping, 1 hr) or the easy way down (a stroll down the gentle hill of kings and queens), both clearly marked and shown by signs for yr choice. Also visit the local church in the convent on the grassy plain below the Ste Baume Mountain, where you can see nuns daily constantly honouring Mary Magdalene. (… even more on Scott’s post)
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 09:01 PM EST
(…more) (flippn’ repeats!) I once visited the cave where Mary Magdalene lived out her last 30yrs of life as a hermit, in the mountains of Ste Baume in France (Google Earth it) and I saw her skull in the nearby town of Sainte Maxime, named after her close friend Maxime, the first ‘bishop’ of that area of Sth France, who buried her in a stone casket beneath the church he raggedly built as was normal in his day. (The traditional historical story told by the people who live in the area there has it that she died in Maxime’s arms. The spot where she died is still marked to this day by an old, beautifully carved and engraved Roman column that was part of the old Roman towngate, which was preserved by all the Christians living in the area throughout the centuries since (despite development of other things around it, like its immediate fast-moving traffic road, feranbegawd’s sake, no chance to stop and take a photo of it). It still stands to this day for all to see as you enter the now-big town of Ste Maxime. I saw the column (almost missed seeing it but be jaysus wasn’t I lucky to see it as I drove by it into the town to visit St. Maxime’s Church where St Mary Magdalene’s skull can be seen by all, at no price charge. (Even more on Scott’s post…)
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 06:41 PM EST
@ ScottMcGowan: Great truth in the first part of yr post but the second bit regarding women priests is unfortunately just a never-achievable aspiration for many of us lay Catholics – a true test of our humility before God’s judgement against our own wishful human-equality thinking. As for Mary Magdalene, who was called the “Apostle of the Apostles” by St. Thomas Aquinas, you have to remember that “Apostle” means Messenger. St Mary Magdalene was the one who carried the message of Christ’s Resurrection to the others… she was the Messenger (of the Resurrection) to the Appointed Messengers to the world, the ones that our Lord appointed to “Go tell everyone…” That appears to have been His choice and I, and nobody else as well have a say in that choice, not even the Vatican and other Catholic Churces Popes have either. In fact, she was the “Apostle TO the Apostles”. (More…)
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 06:32 PM EST
@ ScottMcGowan: Great truth in the first part of yr post but the second bit regarding women priests is unfortunately just a never-achievable aspiration for many of us lay Catholics – a true test of our humility before God’s judgement against our own wishful human-equality thinking. As for Mary Magdalene, who was called the “Apostle of the Apostles” by St. Thomas Aquinas, you have to remember that “Apostle” means Messenger. St Mary Magdalene was the one who carried the message of Christ’s Resurrection to the others… she was the Messenger (of the Resurrection) to the Appointed Messengers to the world, the ones that our Lord appointed to “Go tell everyone…” That appears to have been His choice and I, and every one else as well, have a say in that choice, not even the Vatican and other Catholic Popes have either. In fact, she was the “Apostle TO the Apostles”. (More…)
jacersagain | Jan 24, 2013, 06:28 PM EST
Like all Catholics, I welcome the prospect of John Cornelius being a fully ordained priest within the RCC. He has truly, at last, seen “The Light” of the full Truth in Christ within the Catholic Churches, of which the RCC is the primary See (or seat) of the primary Apostle of Christ. May many more like him do so, is my prayer.
joan1954 | Jan 24, 2013, 04:26 PM EST
We had a former Episcopal priest in San Antonio, Texas ordained in thelate 80's and he is Fr. Christopher Philips or the Church of Our Lady of the Atonement, set up by the Archdiocese of San Antonio for former Episcopalians. Their liturgy is beautiful. Happy to see the formation of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.
Scottmcgowan | Jan 24, 2013, 03:17 PM EST
For at least the first half of the history of the Church, married clergy were the norm. Indeed, even in the monasteries of Ireland there were married priests and nuns. It is time to return to our original roots - and necessary, given the shortage of priests. I welcome this ordination(reordination?). I also look to forward to the time when the Church finally admits women into the priesthood. the argument has been that Christ's apostles were men only but can we be sure that the first person to view the empty gravesite of Christ was Mary M. - perhaps another Apostle!?! The Catholic Chuch consists of about 17 different rite with only the Roman rite not allowing marriage among the clergy. Not sure if my stats. are correct but the bottom line is that even the apostles were married! Scott McGowan
SingleDonald | Jan 24, 2013, 03:02 PM EST
Although this is a step in the right direction, more is in order. Do you know that if someone like myself became a deacon, I would not be permitted to get married? Presumably, dating women would be frowned upon, as well. If, however, I resigned as a deacon, I could then get married, in the Catholic Church. For priests, it is downright discriminatory to allow Episcopal converts to enter the Catholic priesthood, while married, but to allow unmarried converts in, under the premise that they would be prohibited from marrying! It is high time that the Church permitted married men, AND SINGLE MEN, WHO MAY SOMEDAY MARRY, to enter the priesthood. Furthermore, the single seminarian/priest should be able to go out with gals from his own school, or parish. I am referring to those girls who may work for the seminary, in a secular capacity. BTW, I recently heard that a late pastor from my church DID go out with a woman, while he was a seminarian. I was told that, as he escorted her back to her residence, a sister (nun) called out: "That man has no power over you"!!
zankoku | Jan 24, 2013, 02:46 PM EST
This is incorrect. Father Doug Lorig converted to Catholicism in 1979. Since he was already a married Episcopalian priest, the Catholic Church approved his ordination despite his marital status, making him one of the few Roman Catholic priests to be married. He has four children, fifteen grandchildren and an appreciative flock at St. Maria Goretti in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he lives with his wife, Nancy. Father Lorig was our Pastor at St. Anne's Catholic Community in Gilbert Arizona before transferring to ST Maria Goretti. I traveled with a group in 2000 to Rome led by Father Lorig and I served as both a EM and Sacristan while he was our Pastor. There are less than 100 such priests in the US.
millstreet | Jan 24, 2013, 02:05 PM EST
Great to hear it has been around. Now to ordain the the women too. We should also encourage men who are married in the church already to become priest.
katieherk | Jan 24, 2013, 12:22 PM EST
Not new here in South Carolina, we have two that I know of. The first one was at least 20 years ago and he's still a pastor at a Catholic Church that was once Espiscopalian. In fact 1/2 of the congregation became Catholic also... he kept the Church.
pilib04 | Jan 24, 2013, 11:21 AM EST
Of course, married priests but not women priests! The President's inaugural address "Our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts." President Barack Obama.
jamieLM | Jan 24, 2013, 11:17 AM EST
Ooops. Forgot to proofread.
jamieLM | Jan 24, 2013, 11:14 AM EST
Nothing new about this. I don't understand how former Evidently, Episcopalian priests are able to perform their priestly duties while married, but Catholic priests would not be able to do so if they were married. It sounds like a double standard - a church so desperate for priests that they'll gladly bend the rules for a select few.
Rebelforce | Jan 24, 2013, 10:18 AM EST
So the new Catholic dictum states you ARE allowed to get married and have a family---but only if you are an Episcopalian? Interesting.
DavidWestMeath | Jan 24, 2013, 10:07 AM EST
. Cardinal Egan, while Bishop in Brigeport, Connecticut ordained an Episcopalian Priest who became the Chaplin at St. Brigitta's, Darien, CT. .
PhlutiePhan | Jan 24, 2013, 10:06 AM EST
He is not the first. Here in St. Louis, there was an Episcopalian convert, John J. Highes, some twenty years ago.
eileenkny | Jan 24, 2013, 09:51 AM EST
He's not the first in NY. Years ago, there used to be a British priest who was the chaplain of Burke Catholic HS in Goshen. He also was a former Episcopalian priest, and had a wife and children. He came to our parish in Maybrook to help out.
handsome68 | Jan 24, 2013, 09:36 AM EST
Yes, but why is this news? It has been known for a long time now that Anglicans/ Episcopalian priests who convert, or whatever, and are ordained, can become Roman Catholic priests. Apparently many of youse liberal omadhauns find this vaguely scandalous or horrifying or whatever.
bookmonk | Jan 24, 2013, 09:35 AM EST
Been done since 1896 but more prominent in recent years e.g. Pope Benedict's appeal to conservative priests of Church of England to cross over. I've known several since the 1960.
bookmonk | Jan 24, 2013, 09:35 AM EST
Been done since 1896 but more prominent in recent years e.g. Pope Benedict's appeal to conservative priests of Church of England to cross over. I've known several since the 1960.
bookmonk | Jan 24, 2013, 09:35 AM EST
Been done since 1896 but more prominent in recent years e.g. Pope Benedict's appeal to conservative priests of Church of England to cross over. I've known several since the 1960.
CelticQueenUSA | Jan 24, 2013, 09:32 AM EST
It's about time!! If they can stay married, then single men should be able to marry after their ordination.
bookmonk | Jan 24, 2013, 09:31 AM EST
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01644a.htm
fíodóir | Jan 24, 2013, 09:20 AM EST
I may have missed something, but there is a pastor in the Columbus, Ohio Diocese that is married with children and was formerly a Methodist minister.
katiemac | Jan 24, 2013, 08:47 AM EST
Perhaps 1st in Buffalo, but not the 1st ever. Part of the agreement with Anglican/Episcopalians wishing to come into communion with the Church is that priests, even if already married can be ordained as priests. We have several in Texas.
CitizenWhy | Jan 24, 2013, 08:43 AM EST
Good God, he is NOT the first. I personally knew two years ago.