Can a priest be married or get married?

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Brenlae

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I’ve been reading some things online lately that a man can become a priest even if he already is married and has children, or that he may marry after entering the priesthood.

Could anybody shed some light on this?

EDIT - To clarify, are either cases of marriage possible, or is celibacy mandatory?
 
Yes the Eastern Rite allows already married men to become priest (but not bishops) and at times the Roman Rite has allowed this as well, for example the Anglican Priests that were married and joined the Catholic Church. Both Rites I believe do not allow already ordained single men to get married nor do they allow married bishops. If I’m wrong I’m sure someone will be kind enough to correct my ignorance on this matter.
 
Ok, thanks for the answer!

If anybody has anything else to ask please, do! 🙂
 
The_Centurion said:
Yes the Eastern Rite allows already married men to become priest (but not bishops) and at times the Roman Rite has allowed this as well, for example the Anglican Priests that were married and joined the Catholic Church. Both Rites I believe do not allow already ordained single men to get married nor do they allow married bishops. If I’m wrong I’m sure someone will be kind enough to correct my ignorance on this matter.
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That is what I have always read and been taught.

The exception would be a priest who has been laicized, removed from the active priesthood. Holy Orders is a permanent sacrament. He remains a priest, but cannot perform any functions as a priest except in a grave emergency - If some one is dyning and no other priest is available he can hear their confession, and anoint them, if he has access to the oils. The removal from active priesthood may include permission to marry. Each case has its own specific restrictions and permissions.

It is my impression that the restrictions are less if he is laicized at his request than if it was done as a disciplinary measure. I am not an expert on this. I am just offering impressions I have gathered with a few cases with which I am familiar and what I have been told at various times by various sources. [In short don’t bet more than$0.02 on it ;)]
 
Brenlae said:
I’ve been reading some things online lately that a man can become a priest even if he already is married and has children, or that he may marry after entering the priesthood.

Could anybody shed some light on this?

EDIT - To clarify, are either cases of marriage possible, or is celibacy mandatory?
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Married men can become priests in Eastern Rites of The Catholic Church. Under certain conditions, Married men can become priests in the Latin Church.
 
Alright, thanks to all that responded to my questions!

I really appreciate it!

God Bless! 🙂
 
Brenlae said:
I’ve been reading some things online lately that a man can become a priest even if he already is married and has children, or that he may marry after entering the priesthood.

Could anybody shed some light on this?

EDIT - To clarify, are either cases of marriage possible, or is celibacy mandatory?
Click to expand...
Just additional info…in the Eastern rites, an ordinand can marry before ordination, but once ordained, and already a priest, one cannot marry. I think an ordained married priest, if he is widowed, is not allowed to remarry (I can stand corrected on this).

And it is a long standing tradition of the Church (both east and west) for the bishop to come only from the celibate priests.

In the Latin rite, exceptions have been given for former married anglican priests to get ordained as catholic priest. But this is not a given, and it takes time and effort and the final permission (I believe) of the local bishop to recommend ordination.
 
Note that in the Western Church the same rules apply to deacons. **
 
Joe_Kelley said:
Note that in the Western Church the same rules apply to deacons. **

In the East, married men can be ordained deacons, but deacons cannot marry after their ordination. I believe this also applies to subdeacons. Ordained readers may still marry.
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pablope said:
Just additional info…in the Eastern rites, an ordinand can marry before ordination, but once ordained, and already a priest, one cannot marry. I think an ordained married priest, if he is widowed, is not allowed to remarry (I can stand corrected on this).

And it is a long standing tradition of the Church (both east and west) for the bishop to come only from the celibate priests.

In the Latin rite, exceptions have been given for former married anglican priests to get ordained as catholic priest. But this is not a given, and it takes time and effort and the final permission (I believe) of the local bishop to recommend ordination.
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My understanding of the Eastern practice is that widowed priests are not allowed to remarry.

It also is a general rule that a widowed matushka (priest’s wife) is not to remarry. However, I have heard of economy allowing remarriage, as in the situation of a younger matushka with children.
 
Madaglan and ConstantineTG thanks for the information on Eastern deacons - Joe K.
 
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