The Ruthenian Church has in their particular canons a provision saying that they need to ask Rome for permission before ordaining a married man to the priesthood. Its not that they can’t or won’t, but I guess a married man has to prove he’s worth the trouble of going through the permission process for him to receive ordination.
The Ruthenian eparchy of Parma has ordained married men to the priesthood and from what I hear the Eparchy of Phoenix has 2 married men in seminary studying for the priesthood. The Melkites and Ukranians have a number of married men as priests and most of the priests of the Romanian Catholic eparchy of Canton are married (a good number of them ordained here in the US by bishop John Michael).
The Ruthenian eparchy of Parma has ordained married men to the priesthood and from what I hear the Eparchy of Phoenix has 2 married men in seminary studying for the priesthood. The Melkites and Ukranians have a number of married men as priests and most of the priests of the Romanian Catholic eparchy of Canton are married (a good number of them ordained here in the US by bishop John Michael).
I’m hoping that as many married Anglican and Lutheran ministers join the Catholic Church as possible and become ordained priests.
There’s really nothing like having a Presbytera/wife of a Priest in the parish!
You Latins don’t know what you are missing!
Alex
I have said time and again, its a fallacy that celibate priests are available 24/7. They also have family to take care of (parents, siblings) and to a lot of personal business. Even priests from Religious Orders who are celibate and practically do nothing all day but devote their lives to prayer and service of God, also have duties to their Order which may mean they may not be available whenever you need and want them.
Well said. I once tried to reach a priest to hear my confession outside of “normal” confessional hours. It was not an easy task. I must have gone through about a half dozen churches before I found one with a priest available…and that was only because he was very newly transferred to the parish and didn’t have other duties yet outside of saying Mass. Just because they are celibate doesn’t mean they are available 24x7.
Where do you get the idea that celibate priests give up marriage and family for Christ? Celibacy for Latin priests is a DISCIPLINE of the Latin church and was instituted to protect church property from being inherited by the priests family.
Maybe the problem is overly demanding lay folk. 
Why would you think any priest would take a call about enrolling in RCIA outside of office hours? The local RC priests in my town are much more difficult to contact for anything…emergency or not then the local married Romanian Catholic priest. I couldn’t tell you how many times the married Romanian Catholic priest is called to anoint someone from the RC church because the celibate priest could not be contacted.My question is, why doesn’t the parish have a secretary that should handle such things. That sort of task doesn’t require the priest to answer the phone… the parish’s secretary should be taking charge of that…
The Church doesn’t entirely agree with your personal preferences, for she allows married priests.
We have two priests for 5000+ families. Scheduling personal time with a priest can be challenging, but it can be done.
In many parishes, you will need to contact the Director of RCIA (or Adult Faith Formation), and not the parish priest. God bless you in your journey to the Catholic Church!
Uh yeah, what he said. I know a family who lost a baby during delivery (cord accident) and when they called our parish priest to come baptize the baby, he refused!!! They joined the UCC church down the street from our parish, as they were that disgusted by this priest’s selfishness. By the way, the UCC pastor came right to the hospital, without knowing the family as more than casual acquaintances. This pastor is married with four kids. I’m sure he had many things to do, but was selfless in helping a family during a crisis.
Not all Eastern rites have married priests, remember. It’s not just “you Latins” who could be missing out.I understand that about 70% of our priests up here are married. A friend of mine is a married priest and his daughter is studying Catholic philosophy in university and will be getting married to a UGCC seminarian (also a canon lawyer) in three weeks - my wife and I will both “dance at their wedding” and “sing at the ordination!”
I’m hoping that as many married Anglican and Lutheran ministers join the Catholic Church as possible and become ordained priests.
There’s really nothing like having a Presbytera/wife of a Priest in the parish!
You Latins don’t know what you are missing!
Alex
FYI, all Catholics are under the Vatican. Even the Eastern ones!
Well, its not like the Vatican didn’t try…
Lol…but I’m not 100% sure what you mean…Well, its not like the Vatican didn’t try…
The Vatican has tried to restrict the married priesthood for Eastern Churches outside of their canonical territories. Its a very recent development that many of the Eastern Churches can actually ordain married men to the priesthood in the diaspora.
I have served at the altar many times with one of them. I cannot wait to venerate Fr. Brian’s hands!The Ruthenian eparchy of Parma has ordained married men to the priesthood and from what I hear the Eparchy of Phoenix has 2 married men in seminary studying for the priesthood. The Melkites and Ukranians have a number of married men as priests and most of the priests of the Romanian Catholic eparchy of Canton are married (a good number of them ordained here in the US by bishop John Michael).