Can a Priest adopt?

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I may not be an expert… but I want to go with a “no” on this one. Priests may not be allowed to marry for theological reasons… but they’re also busy enough as it is. If a priest has enough time to care for a child… he is defintely not fulfilling his role.
 
Many dioceses have a policy of no dependents for potential vocations…so, if a man was married and his wife passed away-he would have to wait until all of his children are grown and living on their own untill seeking ordination…this would seem to also apply to those already priests–as a priest’s wage is not much to support a young child on. Furthermore, placing the child with a priest would deprive him of an earthly mother.
 
I have to agree with Zahmir and Sanctus on this. If a priest is married to the Church and his parishoners are his children I would think that would take up all his time.

emp
 
In many dioceses a priest can adopt. Father George Clements from the Diocese of Chicago adopted four boys because no one else would take them in. He started the One Church One Child program which has led to 170,000 adoptions nationwide. The program urges each parish to have a family to adopt and then everyone helps that family. He later started the One Church One Addict and One Church One Inmate programs.
 
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Zahmir:
I may not be an expert… but I want to go with a “no” on this one. Priests may not be allowed to marry for theological reasons… but they’re also busy enough as it is. If a priest has enough time to care for a child… he is defintely not fulfilling his role.
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I wouldn’t got that far as Eastern Catholic priests as well as the Orthodox are allowed to marry and have children
 
JRR Tolkien was raised by a priest after his mother died.

But it was a whole other world back then
 
Many years ago I knew a priest who adopted a boy. He was kinda a brat! But God bless the priest who took him under his wing! 👍
 
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Neilbass2:
Can a Priest adopt a child and raise it as his own?
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Yes, a secular priest if he has the ability to care for a child can adopt. I would think he would need the permission of his Bishop.
 
a dosisean priest.

this is as opposed to a religious priest who in addition to being a priest, belongs to a religious community (like the jesuits, or dominicans)
 
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robins:
What is a secular priest?
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Mostly I’ve heard them referred to as diocesan priests. There are those who are not in religious orders like the Jesuits, Carmelites, etc.

John
 
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Neilbass2:
Can a Priest adopt a child and raise it as his own?
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In medieval Europe, this used to be the case. Monks would raise kids who orphaned because of the plague or who were abondoned near churches. Today, it is not so prevalent. Now, a man that has grown kids can become a priest if his wife passes on and he becomes a widower or something. I’m not sure how it would work if the priest had to take care of his grandchild or something. In our Eastern Rites, many priests do have families and wives, so adopting would probably have to be a decision left up to the bishop. I really have no clue though.

Although monks and nuns do sometimes practically raise kids who are brought up in Catholic orphanages today.
 
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robins:
What is a secular priest?
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A secular priest is a priest who is directly under the care of his local bishop and who does not belong to a religious order such as the dominican friars, carmelites, etc. Most priests are secular priests.
 
John Higgins:
Mostly I’ve heard them referred to as diocesan priests. There are those who are not in religious orders like the Jesuits, Carmelites, etc.

John
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Didn’t Father Flager adopt …?
 
Um, perhaps somebody meant Father Flannigan, the founder of Boys Town?
 
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