Eastern Churches ordaining numerous priests

(19,Jan,2010): : The Assembly of Societies for Aid to Eastern Churches - ROACO, will focus their next meeting on finding ways to support the clergy, especially in Europe and the Middle East.
A note from the Congregation for Eastern Churches said that this 82nd session will take place Tuesday and Wednesday in the Vatican. The focus on clergy was inspired by the Church's celebration of the Year for Priests. The communiqué stated that following the changes of 1989, the Eastern Catholic Churches of Central and Eastern Europe, have had the joy of being able to ordain numerous young priests, including married ones, in keeping with the ancient tradition of their Churches. The congregation stated that after twenty years, the time has come for an evaluation of each effective projection for the future. Regarding priests in the Middle East, it said this evaluation will particularly focus on health care and old age.
Participants at the two day session also plan to give attention to the situation of the Eastern Churches in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Iraq. The meetings will be held in Vatican’s conference hall of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Representatives of some twenty Catholic agencies from ten Western countries will participate in the meeting, along with the apostolic delegate to Jerusalem, Archbishop Antonio Franco, and the apostolic nuncio to Sudan and Eritrea, Archbishop Leo Boccardi. ROACO is an organization that was founded in 1968 by the Congregation for Eastern Churches. Twice a year it brings together agencies committed to the support of these Churches in their dimensions of worship, clergy, pastoral formation, education, health care and social aid.