Are the priesthood and adoption compatible?

[Kielbasi]

Sort of peculiar, and certainly not widespread yet, some priests are adopting children.

I was reading today of Fr. Pfleger of Chicago and his children, well the story was how heartbroken the father was that his son joined the army when the dad was radically against the war.

Well, is adoption a good idea for Catholic priests?

 

[RobNY]

It’s a bit weird, but wasn’t J.R.R. Tolkien in the custody of a priest after his mother died?

 

[maryalene]

A local priest in our area has an adopted son. It always struck me as a bit odd, but I don’t think it should be forbidden. However, I don’t think it should be encouraged either. My understanding is that one of the reasons for priestly celibacy is so that a priest can focus on God and his parish family. Having children would seem to be a distraction from their vocation.

 

[Petertherock]

We had a priest at my parish in Massachusetts that adopted a son.

 

[twiztedseraph]

If priests were allowed to adopt…well lets just say you wouldn’t bee seeing much of me for about 7 years.

 

[Brendan]

I remember reading of a priest in Ireland who adopted his sister’s children (his nieces and nephew) after their parents were killed in an accident.

I consider that to be a worthy endeavor on the priest’s part.

 

[FormerFetus]

I’m not sure about just adopting a child just for the sake of having a child. I was thinking along the same line as Brendan’s example. If it involved a family member or a very close family friend, I don’t see it being a problem.

 

[harinkj]

It would be nice for a priest to adopt a child. :Clapping:

I had never thought of that.

• Kathie :bowdown:

 

[puzzleannie]

The preferred situation for adoption is an intact marriage so the child has both a mother and father, that is why I would consider this less than ideal, not because the man is a priest. Although some of the same reasons for celibacy -demands of his vocation and consequent impact on family - hold true as well.

 

[harinkj]

puzzleannie:

The preferred situation for adoption is an intact marriage so the child has both a mother and father…

Sadly, we don’t live in an ideal world. Far too many children are in abusive foster care situations.:tsktsk:

• Kathie :bowdown:

 

[cameron_lansing]

Kielbasi:

Well, is adoption a good idea for Catholic priests?

A bishop might well understand adoption, though a very good thing (and I speak as very thankful person who was adopted as an infant), to be problemmatic in the case of priests. A basis would rest in canon 285 §2, “Clerics are to avoid those things which, although not unbecoming, are nevertheless alien to the clerical state.” Interference with the priest’s dedication to ecclesiastical ministry (canon 281 §1) might be foreseen, and it is that complete dedication that provides one of the values behind celibacy (the other being a sacrificial life in imitation of Christ, both priest and sacrifice; or for the financially minded, not spending money to support the families of clerics). As mentioned, the other value is the good of the child, and we would accept this as paramount.

Obviously though, some bishops have permitted adoptions though in the past. I know a couple of priests who did adopt, and now they carry both titles of “father” well.