A Cohort of Married Roman Catholic Priests, and More Are on the Way

[puzzleannie]

What? Where do you get the idea that married priests should make more just because they are married? .

where are you getting the idea I said they should make more? I said that married priest have to be supported by their parish, just as celibate priests do. If that married man has a family attached, they have to be supported also. It is a simple fact of life. Protestants, Jews and others with married clergy tithe to support them. We don’t tithe, therefore we cannot do it in most places. Do you seriously think a married man can support a family on $19G a year?

this forum is full of crabby people complaining that the church has become “feminized” because women hold more of the paid positions open to the laity than do men. Well on my salary I can see why a married man with a family support would not be attracted to it. I can assure you the priests aren’t paid any better. On my salary we would qualify for public assistance if we had minor children.

 

[BernadetteM]

The Anglican priests who are entering the Ordinariate at the point where they are received into the Church, which is happening at this time, no longer celebrate any of the Sacraments until after their Ordination in the Church.

I believe that a Catholic priest takes over the parish/group who have also converted, until the priest leading the parish/group is ordained.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

 

[ConstantineTG]

where are you getting the idea I said they should make more? I said that married priest have to be supported by their parish, just as celibate priests do. If that married man has a family attached, they have to be supported also. It is a simple fact of life. Protestants, Jews and others with married clergy tithe to support them. We don’t tithe, therefore we cannot do it in most places. Do you seriously think a married man can support a family on $19G a year?

Our priest seems to be doing fine on his salary. Again, he doesn’t have to pay the living expenses that most of us do. He doesn’t have a mortgage like I do. His utility bills are also included and any other city taxes and fees are also taken care of. He doesn’t spend much on gas because work is right there. And other travel expenses would be reimburisble as well.

Also again, they’re coming into this life expecting a modest life. Not the life that you and I have.

this forum is full of crabby people complaining that the church has become “feminized” because women hold more of the paid positions open to the laity than do men. Well on my salary I can see why a married man with a family support would not be attracted to it. I can assure you the priests aren’t paid any better. On my salary we would qualify for public assistance if we had minor children.

Priests don’t become priests for the salary. And women marrying priests should know that coming in. The problem here is we’re trying to fit the life of a married priest into our own lives and our own financial situation. Do you think there are no married secular men out there wife wives and kids that doesn’t make the same or lower money as priests do? There are tons of people there living on minimum wage, and they have to pay for their own living space. They’d be lucky if they still get to stay with family who has a big home or inherited a place they do not have to pay rent or mortgage to (although the taxes might kill them). Fact is, there are people out there who do what they can with what they have. Why do we expect priests to live up to our lifestyle just because they are married?

 

[dinhbinh2901]

Hi, pls get a free duong vat gia cho nu, am dao gia cao cap

 

[rsantos]

The priest shortage IS unique to Catholicism -reflecting the fact that celibacy is the cause of the priest shortage. See the research of Davidson published in America magazine:
americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=3311

“In short, the Catholic Church is unique in several areas: the dwindling supply of priests, the increasing number of laypeople per priest, the declining number of priests per parish, the increasing number of priestless parishes and the declining number of priests in nonparish ministries”

In this sense, it is a sin to demand celibacy as it constrains the number of priests during a critical world-wide shortage of priests.

 

[KathleenGee]

That is propaganda about celibacy causing shortage of priests…that source has to be questioned…

The problem is that vocations come through prayer…I always pray for vocations at the prayers of the faithful at daily Mass for vocations…

The main problem is the spirit of the world and how it is keeping Americans going to and fro…look how much time it takes, plus anxiety, to go through the junk mail and protect yourself from identity fraud…

Africa, SE Italy, parts of South America are having vocations…

And parallel to that claim…the greatest number of converts…not Hispanic…in the USA…came during 2010…the year the media assaulted the Catholic church over sex abuse cases.

The Orthodox clergy have married priests and someone awhile back gave us the testimony of a very holy priest and his wife’s contribution…but they both lived very simple, humble lives for the Gospel…vs American lifestyle…one Catholic pastor thought to support a family well of a priest…he would need a $50,000 annual salary vs the $200 they have been given…don’t know the numbers now but the fact remains, the priests are among the lowest paid…and have education parallel to a Ph.D…

The demands of the Roman Catholic priest are quite intense…I would think one would be divided unless the wife was like that of the Orthodox priest…my old priest friend told me that various times Orthodox have told him they wished they were not married as they are divided in their vocations…it is two vocations into one…and to have your children out in public…and the demands for htem to be so well behaved, etc…I think is hard as well…

 

[Anna_Scott]

The Anglican priests who are entering the Ordinariate at the point where they are received into the Church, which is happening at this time, no longer celebrate any of the Sacraments until after their Ordination in the Church.

I believe that a Catholic priest takes over the parish/group who have also converted, until the priest leading the parish/group is ordained.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

Bernadette,

Having a Catholic priest take over the parish/group would be ideal, but that is not always the case. There was quite a heated discussion on theanglocatholic.com about the fact that while waiting for the establishment of an Ordinariate; a number of Anglican priests were continuing to celebrate the Eucharist for congregations. Link: theanglocatholic.com/2010/12/keeping-certain-facts-straight/

Peace,
Anna

 

[KathleenGee]

Thanks for link, Anna…as long as the Anglican clergy are outside of the Holy See…but admirably waiting directives on future actions…does show a degree of obedience in itself, while caring for their flock…

Great answer to prayer and emptiness of heart when the Anglicans return to fill that void…as we Catholics experience for all our separated brethren in Christ.

 

[1voice]

A Cohort of Married Roman Catholic Priests, and More Are on the Way
Link: nytimes.com/2012/01/07/us/married-roman-catholic-priests-are-testing-a-tradition.html?pagewanted=all

This New York Times article raises many questions about Catholic Priests and marriage–especially in light of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter (usordinariate.org/), through which married Episcopal Priests can enter the Catholic Church and continue to be Priests.

Does this open the door a bit wider for the option of marriage for all Catholic Priests?

What say you?
Anna

Simple solution. Get Married before or after becoming an Episcopalian Priest… then become a Catholic Priest.

 

[mark_a]

Does this open the door a bit wider for the option of marriage for all Catholic Priests?

What say you?
Anna

Are you worried about the “vocation crisis”? Because to fix the vocation crisis, we must fix the commitment crisis so prevalent in our culture.

 

[mark_a]

Simple solution. Get Married before or after becoming an Episcopalian Priest… then become a Catholic Priest.

The screening process for the Catholic priesthood has become a little more rigorous than that. It’s not like Bubba’s bible college diploma mill.

 

[KathleenGee]

LOL…Bubba’s Bible College…

 

[Anna_Scott]

Thanks for link, Anna…as long as the Anglican clergy are outside of the Holy See…but admirably waiting directives on future actions…does show a degree of obedience in itself, while caring for their flock…

Great answer to prayer and emptiness of heart when the Anglicans return to fill that void…as we Catholics experience for all our separated brethren in Christ.

Kathleen,
I always appreciate your kindness and the way you look at the big picture.

Anna

 

[1voice]

Originally Posted by 1voice
Simple solution. Get Married before or after becoming an Episcopalian Priest… then become a Catholic Priest.

The screening process for the Catholic priesthood has become a little more rigorous than that. It’s not like Bubba’s bible college diploma mill.

I’m sure it is.
I was writing tongue in cheek.

It’s refreshing to see the RCC willing to flex this little bit on a tradition that St Peter would have balked at.

The Orthodox Churches, never having created that stumbling block, are accepting applicants as well…

antiochian.org/Orthodox_Church_Who_What_Where_Why/Why_In_The_World_Would_An_Episcopalian_Become_Orthodox.htm

an attorney with
three sons, said, “I want my boys to have been reared in a church that has
some standards and gives them direction and guidance by which to live their
lives. They can’t get that in the
Episcopal Church as it now exists.

 

[Hesychios]

Does this open the door a bit wider for the option of marriage for all Catholic Priests?

What say you?
Anna

I think it would have to get really bad … I mean really VERY bad, before that discipline will change.

North American Roman Catholics are really quite spoiled, they have some of the highest ‘priest-to-laity’ ratios in the world. North American Roman Catholics haven’t seen how bad it can really get (as evidenced by several very large Roman Catholic countries in other parts of the world). Rome is unmoved by these present shortages and will be unmoved when the shortages catch up to north America.

The admission of some married Anglican priests at this time is a concession to them personally. Their young successors in the Ordinariate community who desire ordination will have to be celibate per the rules.

 

[KathleenGee]

I was in a diocese where entrance into the seminary was more political than spiritual, and we heard of good men being turned away.

So many throughout the diocese so many people started to pray for vocations…I moved away…and had a chance to visit with a priest who had much contact with seminarians, and he told me the place they send them to for formation had 33 applicants! That was in 1999, and now most of them are ordained.

I came back to this diocese where I did not see for awhile the deep faith and unity…and asked…to find out they had only one seminarian from this area…

So…Pray for vocations!! We do not pray enough! That is one of the biggest problems…and we get so busy with other things!

 

[ConstantineTG]

The priest shortage IS unique to Catholicism -reflecting the fact that celibacy is the cause of the priest shortage. See the research of Davidson published in America magazine:
americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=3311

“In short, the Catholic Church is unique in several areas: the dwindling supply of priests, the increasing number of laypeople per priest, the declining number of priests per parish, the increasing number of priestless parishes and the declining number of priests in nonparish ministries”

In this sense, it is a sin to demand celibacy as it constrains the number of priests during a critical world-wide shortage of priests.

Actually the shortage of priests is depending on area of the world. Roman Catholic stalwarts like the Philippines, and areas of growth like Africa, have a lot of priests. It the Western Nations that are lacking in priests.

 

[BernadetteM]

Bernadette,

Having a Catholic priest take over the parish/group would be ideal, but that is not always the case. There was quite a heated discussion on theanglocatholic.com about the fact that while waiting for the establishment of an Ordinariate; a number of Anglican priests were continuing to celebrate the Eucharist for congregations. Link: theanglocatholic.com/2010/12/keeping-certain-facts-straight/

Peace,
Anna

That link is over a year old. This was before the Ordinariate was established and the priests and members of the parishes were received, if they have not already been received into the Church.

Once the congregation is Catholic and their former Pastor/priest is in formation, he cannot celebrate the Sacraments. From my understanding the group I attend have a Catholic priest who will be performing the role of celebrant and attend to pastoral duties until the priest has been ordained. The priest in our group is looking towards Pentecost for his ordination. The Bishop and other helpful priests are also looking for a Catholic Church where we can attend an AU Mass on Sundays.

God Bless

Bernadette

 

[KathleenGee]

Thank you, Anna…and keeping all these good intentions of the return to the sacred unity in my heart for all Christians…

 

[rinnie]

A Cohort of Married Roman Catholic Priests, and More Are on the Way
Link: nytimes.com/2012/01/07/us/married-roman-catholic-priests-are-testing-a-tradition.html?pagewanted=all

This New York Times article raises many questions about Catholic Priests and marriage–especially in light of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter (usordinariate.org/), through which married Episcopal Priests can enter the Catholic Church and continue to be Priests.

Does this open the door a bit wider for the option of marriage for all Catholic Priests?

What say you?
Anna

I don’t think so. When a Man is called to be a Priest is up to God. If a Man is married and called then he is allowed to remain married.

Look at St Peter, was he not married. But the way I understand it, to be a Roman Catholic Priest if God calls you and you are married you may become a RC Priest. But after the death of your wife, you cannot be married again.

If you are called into the Rite and are not married, you cannot marry.