Spanish-born Bishop Rafael Escudero López-Brea, 57, of Moyobamba, Peru, argued in a courageous intervention at the Amazon Synod against the working document's push to abolish celibacy (transcript on InfoVaticana.com, October 8).
Escuerdo explained that ordaining "elders" as mere administrators of the sacraments without being able to teach and govern would transform priests into eucharistic "functionaries" and [under the pretext of being "pastoral"] make them cease to be pastors.
This wrong concept of the Sacrament of Holy Order does not come from Revelation - Escuerdo added - but from Amazonian tribes who rotate their leaders.
The bishop reminded that most natives [and bishops] aren't Catholic and still need to learn that Christ is the only Saviour of men.
He also stressed that there is no "lack of vocations” in those dioceses and religious communities who obey Catholic doctrine and live the Christian spirituality.
In other words: The lack of priests is caused by Modernist bishops who …More