Caution: Mercy over Judgment?

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I recently read about the priests who broke their vows of celibacy. I understand why the congregation is upset. I would be if I were a member and I remember confessing my sins to that particular priest. On one hand we are all sinners. At the same time priests are representatives of Christ and will be held to a higher standard. They are violating their vow to God. Then again, why make a vow you cannot keep? No one forced anyone to become a priest and vow to chastity.
How do you feel about these issues?
Maybe I should be more angry over this, but I am not. If it happened in my church, I may react differently.
 
Priests are human just like the rest of us. They are tempted and sometimes they fall. The best thing we can do is to pray for them.
 
Priests are just as human as you and I. Sometimes they mess up. Yes, it’s a grave moral evil, but then so are many of the things we’ve all been guilty of.

Why make a vow they can’t keep? Well, I imagine few to none of them were intending to break their oaths when they made them at ordination. Should laypeople not marry because they might commit adultery?

Sure, they’re held to a higher standard, because what they do can cause scandal. That being said, if God forgives them, shouldn’t we forgive them, also? I can only imagine the amount of guilt and embarrassment a clergyman would feel at violating his vows. The best thing we can do for such men is to pray for their healing and repentance.

God bless!
-OneSmallFlower
 
OneSmallFlower said:
Priests are just as human as you and I. Sometimes they mess up. Yes, it’s a grave moral evil, but then so are many of the things we’ve all been guilty of.

Why make a vow they can’t keep? Well, I imagine few to none of them were intending to break their oaths when they made them at ordination. Should laypeople not marry because they might commit adultery?

Sure, they’re held to a higher standard, because what they do can cause scandal. That being said, if God forgives them, shouldn’t we forgive them, also? I can only imagine the amount of guilt and embarrassment a clergyman would feel at violating his vows. The best thing we can do for such men is to pray for their healing and repentance.

God bless!
-OneSmallFlower
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Wow. I am shocked by how merciful some people are. There are plenty of harsh responses to these types of things.
 
While it is dismaying and embarrassing to face non-Catholics when these transgressions happen, my own sins aren’t any less. I hope for mercy and I pray to be, in return, merciful.
 
CRATUS said:
I recently read about the priests who broke their vows of celibacy. I understand why the congregation is upset. I would be if I were a member and I remember confessing my sins to that particular priest.
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Why? Are your sins any less absolved, based on the frequency or kind of sins he commits? :hmmm:
On one hand we are all sinners. At the same time priests are representatives of Christ and will be held to a higher standard.
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Agreed. So… does that give us the right to judge them?
They are violating their vow to God. Then again, why make a vow you cannot keep?
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Umm… when we go to confession, we promise to not commit those sins again. And yet, we find ourselves back in the confessional, time and again, confessing those same sins. Why do we make vows we cannot keep? 😉
 
Gorgias said:
Why? Are your sins any less absolved, based on the frequency or kind of sins he commits? :hmmm:

Agreed. So… does that give us the right to judge them?

Umm… when we go to confession, we promise to not commit those sins again. And yet, we find ourselves back in the confessional, time and again, confessing those same sins. Why do we make vows we cannot keep? 😉
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Looks like I am trapped. You are right and I am wrong.
 
Diocesan priests do not make a vow of chastity or celibacy. They make a promise of obedience.

Religious make vows. Not diocesan priests.
 
CRATUS said:
I recently read about the priests who broke their vows of celibacy. I understand why the congregation is upset. I would be if I were a member and I remember confessing my sins to that particular priest. On one hand we are all sinners. At the same time priests are representatives of Christ and will be held to a higher standard. They are violating their vow to God. Then again, why make a vow you cannot keep? No one forced anyone to become a priest and vow to chastity.
How do you feel about these issues?
Maybe I should be more angry over this, but I am not. If it happened in my church, I may react differently.
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I AM ANGRY. THE JESUITS ARE BEING EXPOSED (SINS) ON YOU TUBE. THE CHURCH has some self cleaning to do. Am I to accept a heterosexual, consentual sin and not accept a homosexual, consentual sin. Pediaphilia-forgiveness and prison. They need to retake their vows. Gender preference wouldn’t be a problem if they were celibate. Two roads to heaven=judgement and second road=mercy. Mercy will trump judgement but the soul must be repentant. in Christs’ love, tweedlealice. PRAY FOR OUR PRIESTS HOLINESS
 
Regina7 said:
Since when? I’ve never heard this.:confused:
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Every person has the obligation to chastity in life, whether single, married, priest or religious. For married people, chastity means licit sexual relations are only possible with each other if open to life.

For all others, chastity means complete sexual continence.

Diocesan priests do not take vows but promise to obey their bishop. Part of that obedience is the promise to not get married and remain celibate. That thus implies complete sexual continence, the same requirement as for unmarried laity.

If, being human like all of us they occasionally fail, they are not breaking a vow, but sinning against chastity like a college student that has sex. But a priest sinning in this manner has not broken any vow nor his promise to not marry.
 
Gorgias said:
Nah.

We all want God’s mercy, not His judgment. Even if we don’t realize it… 👍
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While I am all for God’s mercy. I understand we all sinners. Some people sacrifice so much to follow God’s law, while others are lax. We are still all in the sinner category. Some people will face persecution for following God. While others can happily indulge in their sinful lives, repent at the last minute, then gain eternal life. I know Christianity is no contest. Some suffer more than others. Some suffer less.
 
We will ALL be judged. I know that I’m praying for mercy and I’m sure you are too. :crossrc:
 
OraLabora said:
Every person has the obligation to chastity in life, whether single, married, priest or religious. For married people, chastity means licit sexual relations are only possible with each other if open to life.

For all others, chastity means complete sexual continence.

Diocesan priests do not take vows but promise to obey their bishop. Part of that obedience is the promise to not get married and remain celibate. That thus implies complete sexual continence, the same requirement as for unmarried laity.

If, being human like all of us they occasionally fail, they are not breaking a vow, but sinning against chastity like a college student that has sex. But a priest sinning in this manner has not broken any vow nor his promise to not marry.
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Curious… I will check that out. Poverty. Chastity and obedience. Ring in my head. For heterosexual marriage–logistics are difficult. Thanks. Tweedlealice:shrug:
 
tweedlealice said:
Curious… I will check that out. Poverty. Chastity and obedience. Ring in my head. For heterosexual marriage–logistics are difficult. Thanks. Tweedlealice:shrug:
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Chastity, poverty and obedience are the vows that priests of religious orders make (not just the priests, but non- ordained brothers and nuns too). For Benedictines, the vow is stability, obedience and conversion. The vow of obedience includes chastity as it is written in the Rule of St. Benedict.

Diocesan priests make promises, not vows.
 
OraLabora said:
Diocesan priests do not take vows but promise to obey their bishop. Part of that obedience is the promise to not get married and remain celibate. That thus implies complete sexual continence, the same requirement as for unmarried laity.
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Actually, diocesan priests promise obedience and celibacy, as well as prayer (i.e., the Liturgy of the Hours).
 
OraLabora said:
Chastity, poverty and obedience are the vows that priests of religious orders make (not just the priests, but non- ordained brothers and nuns too). For Benedictines, the vow is stability, obedience and conversion. The vow of obedience includes chastity as it is written in the Rule of St. Benedict.

Diocesan priests make promises, not vows.
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I believe you. I think it will make it easier to let Diocesan priests to marry if Pope Francis I has his way.
In Christs’ love
tweedlealice
 
tweedlealice said:
I think it will make it easier to let Diocesan priests to marry if Pope Francis I has his way.
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:doh2:

It always amazes me that, despite the fact that Francis has never said anything about abolishing the discipline of priestly celibacy (or even making it optional), folks think that he’s on a mission to do exactly that. 🤷
 
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