2008 Should Priest & Bishops be allowed to marry?

[fix]

An older thread was reserected (forgive the pun) so I thought a new one would be better. There is a thread that is talking about priestless parishes and this is an off shoot.

Perhaps the problem is not married men becoming priests. The problem is the state of marriage today. When society has healthy marriages vocations to the priesthood are not a problem. When marriage is in peril so are vocations.

 

[Dempsey1919]

A 60 year old man, who had financial resources, could support his wife, and serve the Church for 20-25 years, given current life expectancies.

I support the ordination of widowers, but as others have said, a priest cannot have two vocations. It’s one or the other.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I can’t answer your poll. It is impossible for an active priest or deacon to contract a valid Catholic marriage. Holy orders are an impediment to marriage.

Do you mean to ask about ordaining married men?

God Bless

Yes

 

[sseason]

You would likely ordain retired married men who’s children are grown. This is what they did in the early Church.

A 60 year old man, who had financial resources, could support his wife, and serve the Church for 20-25 years, given current life expectancies.

God Bless

Those can become Deacons.

 

[bilop]

Those can become Deacons.

I’m aware of that, but perhaps they would serve well as priests.

We shouldn’t reject the idea without consideration. The East has always had married parish priests, co-existing with celibate priests/monks and bishops.

God Bless

 

[sseason]

Perhaps the problem is not married men becoming priests. The problem is the state of marriage today. When society has healthy marriages vocations to the priesthood are not a problem. When marriage is in peril so are vocations.

Amen to that! :clapping:
Let us pray for good solid,Church obiding marriages AND for good Holy priest.

 

[Dempsey1919]

We shouldn’t reject the idea without consideration.

I’ve considered the matter deeply. I am convinced that it would be impossible for a priest to serve God with his whole mind, body, and soul while being married.

Perhaps we should remember why the Church decided to have a celebate priesthood in the first place, and then we will be able to see why it is important.

 

[bpbasilphx]

There are three married Eastern Catholic priests (and one widower, but who was ordained when his wife was alive) in my city.

They are among the best priests I know, and I’ve seen a lot of priests up close.

However, married Orthodox and Catholic priests (to say nothing of Protestant ministers) have said how their ministry does present challenges to their marriages. To my sorrow, I know of several divorced Orthodox priests whose wives just couldn’t stand the strain.

As far as married bishops (or married men becoming bishops), they haven’t done the Anglican communion much good, have they? (Of course, they have other problems as well.)

Orthodox bishops–and oddly enough, Orthodox abbesses–are frequently widowed, especially Russian ones. I’ve seen lots of photos of bishops with their children and grandchildren.

Both married and celibate clergy have different experiences and different gifts to bring to the Church. I think we need both.

 

[sseason]

I’m aware of that, but perhaps they would serve well as priests.

We shouldn’t reject the idea without consideration. The East has always had married parish priests, co-existing with celibate priests/monks and bishops.

God Bless

You are correct, they very well may serve well as priest. But it is not ours to reject the idea or consider it, it is the Bishops in Rome -under the guidence of the Holy Spirit.

All WE can do is pray for GOD’S WILL to be done.

(I am not being argumentative here, just lovingly debating)

May God Bless you too!

 

[KathleenElsie]

I am just asking questions that others have voiced here. I voted maybe in my own poll LOL. When the choice is to close parishes or have fewer Masses or combine parishes would it not be better to have as bilop suggested to let older men that have already served Holy Mother Church faithfully as deacons become priests?

Yes I know it is not our decision and it is Rome with the Holy Spirit that makes any of this kind of change to be made. I just posed the question.

 

[bilop]

I’ve considered the matter deeply. I am convinced that it would be impossible for a priest to serve God with his whole mind, body, and soul while being married.

Perhaps we should remember why the Church decided to have a celebate priesthood in the first place, and then we will be able to see why it is important.

But the Eastern priests do serve, and have been doing so for 2000 years. They must be doing OK, because they have never changed the discipline.

I think the issue is this. If we would have more good and faithful priest by ordaining married men, we should do it. If we would have fewer, we shouldn’t.

A parish would be better off with two or three married priests, each giving 60% of their time, than one celibate priest giving 90% (assuming the priests are of equal quality). Obviously, one celibate priest has more time to offer than one married priest.

I would think that if you restricted ordaining married men to those over 50 who have some financial stability, and limited their roles (can’t be pastors or bishops), you might be able to increase the number of total priests without destroying the special charism of the celibate priesthood.

The married priesthood has never destroyed the celibate monastic life in the East, which is a good sign that it wouldn’t in the West.

God Bless

 

[Dempsey1919]

When the choice is to close parishes or have fewer Masses or combine parishes would it not be better to have as bilop suggested to let older men that have already served Holy Mother Church faithfully as deacons become priests?

I had a discussion about this with a Dominican priest who was in charge of vocations for England. When I asked him about the vocations crisis, he replied that he wasn’t sure there was a crisis. He told me that there were fewer and fewer Catholics these days, and that the demand for priests is diminishing as a result. He claimed that the amount of vocations was high enough to cope with the amount of laypersons who need them.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I think celibacy for priest should be optional, not mandatory.

The problem with allowing married men to become priest is that, there would be cases where a single man who has a desire to be a priest, but wouldn’t want to pass up the chance at marriage, would rush into a marriage.

The bottom line is, the Holy Spirit will guide the Church in this matter, and His will be done.

I just hope we don’t have to see Sundays without Mass in our parishes.

I think that would be worse than any scenario with married priest.

Jim

 

[bilop]

The problem with allowing married men to become priest is that, there would be cases where a single man who has a desire to be a priest, but wouldn’t want to pass up the chance at marriage, would rush into a marriage.
Jim

I think that’s a good point. I wonder how the East handles this.

Does anyone know if a man must already be married when he enters seminary? Or can he date during seminary?

God Bless

 

[JugglingReferee]

Two of the three most dedicated and holy priests I know are Eastern Catholic priests and both are married with children.

I would support married clergy 100%.

 

[palmas85]

I think that’s a good point. I wonder how the East handles this.

Does anyone know if a man must already be married when he enters seminary? Or can he date during seminary?

God Bless

As I understand it they have to be married prior to becoming a Priest. If their wife dies they cannot re-marry. All Bishops must be unmarried.

 

[bilop]

As I understand it they have to be married prior to becoming a Priest. If their wife dies they cannot re-marry. All Bishops must be unmarried.

That is my understanding also.

My question is around discernment and seminary.

If a young man wants to be a married priest in the Eastern Churches, must he wait until he is married to approach his bishop? Or, can he begin discernement and then seminary training while he seeks a wife?

God Bless

 

[palmas85]

That is my understanding also.

My question is around discernment and seminary.

If a young man wants to be a married priest in the Eastern Churches, must he wait until he is married to approach his bishop? Or, can he begin discernement and then seminary training while he seeks a wife?

God Bless

I’m not sure but I believe if he enters the seminary unmarried he is allowed to get married while still a seminarian, but it has to be done prior to ordination. No exceptions. If the marriage fails or the wife dies he cannot marry again and he cannot become a bishop.

 

[bilop]

I’m not sure but I believe if he enters the seminary unmarried he is allowed to get married while still a seminarian, but it has to be done prior to ordination. No exceptions. If the marriage fails or the wife dies he cannot marry again and he cannot become a bishop.

That sounds right to me. I think we had a couple of Ukranian seminarians studying in NY, and IIRC, for at least one ordination was delayed until he married. But I got all that third hand, so I am not sure of its accuracy.

God Bless

 

[Phemie]

That sounds right to me. I think we had a couple of Ukranian seminarians studying in NY, and IIRC, for at least one ordination was delayed until he married. But I got all that third hand, so I am not sure of its accuracy.

God Bless

As I recall, for those who don’t wish to remain celibate ordination is delayed until they can find a wife. I don’t think your seminarian was an anomaly.