Priest representatives of the five dioceses of the Atlanta Province, meeting at the Trappist Monastery in Conyers, Ga., voted overwhelmingly to “support the Harrisburg Eight by prayer and presence.” It was explained that “presence” referred to financial contributions and letters of support, as well as to physical presence in Harrisburg, Pa., where the eight defendants, who include Fr. Phil Berrigan and three other priests, are currently on trial for federal charges of conspiracy.

At the same time, the province priest representatives rejected a resolution that would have branded continued U.S. military presence in Viet Nam as “immoral.”

The Atlanta Province is an ecclesiastical division which takes in Georgia and the Carolinas. About 45 priests of the province came to Conyers for the annual three-day meeting. The Atlanta archdiocese, which is just one part of the Atlanta province, was represented by six priests: Frs. Joseph Beltran, Tony Curran, William Hoffman, Tony Morris, Daniel O’Connor and Joseph Sanches.

Out of the Conyers meeting came some recommendations which will be forwarded to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

One recommendation advocated optional celibacy for priests. Fr. Charles Mulholland of North Carolina, who presided at the meeting, told the GEORGIA BULLETIN that this recommendation was the re-statement of an old position of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils, and that it was consonant with surveys indicating that a clear majority of American priests favor such a change. Just last fall, however, the world-wide Synod of Bishops re-affirmed the practice of the traditional discipline of clerical celibacy.

Although the vote at Conyers in favor of optional celibacy was not close, there was considerable debate over the exact wording of the recommendation. In its final form it came out this way: “The witness value of the gifts of celibacy is diminished by making it a requirement for sacred orders. Furthermore, in a church that is seeking the increase of justice for all men, we feel that we must not deny to the candidate for priesthood the personal freedom to marry that should be each man’s right.”

Another recommendation favored “a term of office for bishops.” Fr. Mulholland explained this recommendation to mean that a bishop, after a specified term of office, might return to the parish ministry, thus surrendering Episcopal jurisdiction, while maintaining the spiritual power of Episcopal orders.

The priests also asked for “greater participation in the selection of bishops,” calling this “a matter of great priority.”

Five bishops of the province, including Atlanta’s Archbishop Thomas Donnellan, came to Conyers for an open discussion with the priests, but the bishops were not present for the business meeting at which all the resolutions and recommendations were passed.

Next year’s provincial meting will be held in Charlotte, N.C.

--JJM