Can a Pope be married?

[M-Dent]

Who was the last non Cardinal to be elected pope?

Was there ever a non bishop elected pope?

The Catholic-Hierarchy site has an interesting list of the popes.

It appears Pope Martin V was a non-bishop prior to the election of pope?

(If I am reading it correctly?)

 

[NotWorthy]

In any case, whether or not Peter’s wife was still living has no bearing whatsoever on his being Pope.

I am still bewildered why many still feel the need to speculate that St. Peter was widowed, most likely to “defend” the practice of celibacy in the Latin Rite. Celibacy is not dogma, and does not need to be defended in this manner (although it can be, from St. Paul).

The thing is, the discipline was not in force then, and there have been married popes early on. Whether or not St. Peter’s wife was still living ought to be beside the point.

I was only enlightening! I agree with you on the rest of your post.

 

[porthos11]

I was only enlightening! I agree with you on the rest of your post.

Not you, NotWorthy!

 

[Ghosty]

Who is the person in your signature, just curious?

LilyM is correct. That is a photo of “The Little Flower”, St. Therese. She has done so much for me that I figured it was time to put her in my signature.

By far one of my favorite Saints; I truly think you can see Heaven in her eyes in that photo.

Peace and God bless!

 

[LilyM]

My priest is an ex-Anglican priest, who is married. He told me that he cannot hold the positions of Pastor or Bishop in the Church. Although he is the Pastor of our parish, he’s called “Priest in Residence”.

That’s a bit unusual - how do you find him as a priest (and confessor, if you’ve been to confession with him)?

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

My priest is an ex-Anglican priest, who is married. He told me that he cannot hold the positions of Pastor or Bishop in the Church. Although he is the Pastor of our parish, he’s called “Priest in Residence”.

That’s because a parish priest has certain rights of tenure. It conflict with his duties to his family. He will also have been told that there is no chance of any sort of promotion, which would only have been fair. However episcopal appointments are made by the Pope who can choose whoever he wants, and it is not a formal disqualification.

 

[NotWorthy]

That’s a bit unusual - how do you find him as a priest (and confessor, if you’ve been to confession with him)?

I simply LOVE the man as a priest and confessor.

Ironically, he’s one of the most Orthodox priests in our doicese today. We questioned him one time on the issue of married priests, and he was emphatic that he thinks priest should remain celibate - he says a married priest in todays Church would either neglect his wife or his parish. And we seriously believe that he’s not just saying this to “toe the line” with the bishop and the Church.

On a side note, he was in Arlington church when the whole church converted to Catholicism. I think it’s called St. Mary’s. I happened to go to Mass there while on vacation, and they still use their old rite. Lots of incense. And I think I’m confusing my terms. He was Episcopal, which is the American branch of the Anglican Church, right?

 

[tee_eff_em]

I believe it is now under the new rules issued by JPII.

Do you mean Universi Dominici Gregis? Paragraph #83 of that document would indicate you are mistaken.

Sed unice Dei gloriam et Ecclesiae bonum prae oculis habentes, divino auxilio implorato, in eum, etiamsi extra Collegium Cardinalium versetur, suffragia conferant sua, quem universali Ecclesiae fructuose utiliterque regendae prae ceteris idoneum iudicaverint.

[H]aving before their eyes solely the glory of God and the good of the Church, and having prayed for divine assistance, they shall give their vote to the person, even outside the College of Cardinals, who in their judgment is most suited to govern the universal Church in a fruitful and beneficial way.

Likewise, paragraphs 88-90 make provision for the immediate episcopal ordination of the elected if he has not already received it, but make indication to create him cardinal if he is not already (Can a cardinal even be created, except by the Roman Pontiff?).

tee

 

[cazayoux]

Since the pope has the power to change the disciplines of the Catholic Church, he can all of a sudden decide he wants to get married and then give himself a dispensation in order to do so and get rid of the celibacy requirement. Not that any pope will ever do this but it is possible.

If the pope was a priest, he would not be able to get married, right?
After receiving holy orders, he would not be able to have the sacrament of marriage.

That’s not to say that one day a married man could become a priest, then get elected pope.

michel

 

[kleary]

Can an anglican (for example) be married, become a catholic priest and eventually be elected pope while still having a wife (and possibly kids)?

As in the case of St. Peter the apostle.

ANY baptized Catholic can become Pope- even me . That is the truth, believe it or not. And I am married with three kids. I would not even have to go through any formal education, through the Diaconate or the priesthood. All I would have to do is to be ordained Bishop of Rome and then I am the Pope. Yes- it is possible to go from a plain old lay person directly to the chair of Peter. But NOT PROBABLE.

Can a Pope be married? Yes. Example- an Eastern Rite Bishop who is married with children can be elected Pope. In the Eastern Rites men who are already married can be ordained to the priesthood. I am not absolutely sure about the Episcopacy, maybe someone from the East here can enlighten us.

Again - possible but not probable— then again all us TLM fans said to ourselves many years ago- NO WAY Ratzinger would be pope- no way—he is German and the mood in the College of Cardinals is to get back to an Italian Pontiff.

Ken

 

[NotWorthy]

ANY baptized Catholic can become Pope- even me . That is the truth, believe it or not.

Even your wife?!?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Do you mean Universi Dominici Gregis? Paragraph #83 of that document would indicate you are mistaken.

Likewise, paragraphs 88-90 make provision for the immediate episcopal ordination of the elected if he has not already received it, but make indication to create him cardinal if he is not already (Can a cardinal even be created, except by the Roman Pontiff?).

tee

Not mistaken, just uncertain. Which is why I started the statement with "I believe…"and not “It is no longer possible to…”

 

[LilyM]

ANY baptized Catholic can become Pope- even me . That is the truth, believe it or not. And I am married with three kids. I would not even have to go through any formal education, through the Diaconate or the priesthood. All I would have to do is to be ordained Bishop of Rome and then I am the Pope. Yes- it is possible to go from a plain old lay person directly to the chair of Peter. But NOT PROBABLE.

Can a Pope be married? Yes. Example- an Eastern Rite Bishop who is married with children can be elected Pope. In the Eastern Rites men who are already married can be ordained to the priesthood. I am not absolutely sure about the Episcopacy, maybe someone from the East here can enlighten us.

Again - possible but not probable— then again all us TLM fans said to ourselves many years ago- NO WAY Ratzinger would be pope- no way—he is German and the mood in the College of Cardinals is to get back to an Italian Pontiff.

Ken

I think it’s great that they’re broadening their horizons just a little - although Tettamanzi was up there along with Arinze (and one of the South American cardinals IIRC). And I seem to recall some Italian said of Ratizinger ‘e Romano’ (he’s a Roman) because he’d lived in Rome so long.

I reckon it would be AWESOME to have Arinze as the next Pope. How old is he?

 

[bones_IV]

I think it’s great that they’re broadening their horizons just a little - although Tettamanzi was up there along with Arinze (and one of the South American cardinals IIRC). And I seem to recall some Italian said of Ratizinger ‘e Romano’ (he’s a Roman) because he’d lived in Rome so long.

I reckon it would be AWESOME to have Arinze as the next Pope. How old is he?

In his 70’s I believe.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

Can a Pope be married? Yes. Example- an Eastern Rite Bishop who is married with children can be elected Pope. In the Eastern Rites men who are already married can be ordained to the priesthood. I am not absolutely sure about the Episcopacy, maybe someone from the East here can enlighten us.

In the East, bishops are drawn exclusively from the ranks of monastics, widowers, and celibates. We have NO married bishops.

There was one married Latin at the Second Vatican Council - a man consecrated by a renegade bishop in Brazil who sought and obtained full communion with the Holy See. I believe he served out his days as an auxilliary bishop. I think he had 7 children…

He is the only married bishop of the Catholic Church in the modern era I am familiar with. The married priests of the Eastern Church never (while their wife is alive) rise above the rank of “mitred archpriest” - an honorific of sorts.

YES, married men may be ordained priests in some Eastern Catholic Churches (not all).

NO, eastern Catholic priests cannot get married after they are ordained. (No priestly dating, no widowers getting remarried!)

NO eastern Catholic married priests may not serve as bishops (the exception being widowers)