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ffg
Guest
Without a priest, surely it is difficult to have a church going.
There are places where there is no priest and they have to wait for a priest to come to them, maybe annually. These would be places where more priests would not mean one on location. But maybe they get the Mass twice a year.
There are parishes that share a priest or priests in order to keep both buildings operating.
There are a myriad of reasons why parishes have to close or consolidate and it has happened a lot in certain areas. Many times a consolidation occurs where multiple parishes are in a small area.
Of course what is a small area to us now with our fast cars, was not so small even 50-70 years ago.
None of these logistical problems mean that the Church should allow priests to marry.
Interesting read here:
canonlawmadeeasy.com/2009/11/12/can-a-priest-ever-return-to-the-lay-state/
Take care,
Mike
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GEddie
Guest
The “priestly shortage” is currently an Atlantic-nations issue (Europe and NA).
The “third world” (in parentheses because I know some find it pejorative) has plenty of priests.
I doubt that there has been a snowstorm of Catholic conversion in the Atlantic nations; more likely, the vast increase in personal freedoms in that world region since the early 1900s has made the sacrificial life of the priesthood less desirable.
An increase in life choices is per se a very good thing, but leads to fewer priests, as well as clergy in other faiths (serving God is always a sacrificial life, wife or no wife.)
Because the alleged “priest shortage” is a modern concern while celibacy as a Church discipline is 900 years old, it cannot be blamed per se on celibacy.
ICXC NIKA
The “third world” (in parentheses because I know some find it pejorative) has plenty of priests.
I doubt that there has been a snowstorm of Catholic conversion in the Atlantic nations; more likely, the vast increase in personal freedoms in that world region since the early 1900s has made the sacrificial life of the priesthood less desirable.
An increase in life choices is per se a very good thing, but leads to fewer priests, as well as clergy in other faiths (serving God is always a sacrificial life, wife or no wife.)
Because the alleged “priest shortage” is a modern concern while celibacy as a Church discipline is 900 years old, it cannot be blamed per se on celibacy.
ICXC NIKA
F
ffg
Guest
Good Points, we do have quite a few visiting priests from Africa come through this area each year.
I just don’t think the numbers are there anyway…
If priests were allowed to marry starting today, those that dropped out for a different life, would probably stick to their - different lives.
I think that one rent-a-priest website I found was an anomaly of a guy who dropped out, got married and had to figure out something to do for $$$, so he came up with rent-a-priest.
Even if you had a large amount of current priests run to marriage, it doesn’t increase the priest population. I don’t think you would see that happen anyway.
I don’t think you would have a large number of people want to become a priest because they can now marry either.
It seems like the vocation is a little more involved than this one issue for decision making purposes.
Take care,
Mike
I just don’t think the numbers are there anyway…
If priests were allowed to marry starting today, those that dropped out for a different life, would probably stick to their - different lives.
I think that one rent-a-priest website I found was an anomaly of a guy who dropped out, got married and had to figure out something to do for $$$, so he came up with rent-a-priest.
Even if you had a large amount of current priests run to marriage, it doesn’t increase the priest population. I don’t think you would see that happen anyway.
I don’t think you would have a large number of people want to become a priest because they can now marry either.
It seems like the vocation is a little more involved than this one issue for decision making purposes.
Take care,
Mike
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IGotQuestions
Guest
Great answers and info!
Thanks everyone.
Thanks everyone.
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rinnie
Guest
Exactly and if you can accept it, which as we both know if you can, it is a extra Grace given to you by God.
Yet people I guess can not believe that with the Grace of God you can come to accept anything if you choose to obey!!
question: Can a Man by the grace of God go through life without the company of a woman? From what you hear from the majority of people in this world the answer is no.
I guess they believe the desire for sex overpowers the love of a Priest for God.
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rinnie
Guest
Simply because nothing prevents sin, no matter what kind. The only thing that prevents sin is having free will and using to please God and not ones self.
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pjcsisabel
Guest
Clerical celibacy within the Roman Catholic Church is a discipline, not a dogma.
So, to break it down, firstly, when we say the Roman Catholic Church, we usually mean the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, or the part of the Catholic Church which uses the rite and liturgy coming from Rome. Eastern Catholic Churches, or those Catholic Churches that practise a different liturgy but are still in full communion with the Pope, do not require celibacy among the clergy. Although, to point it out, most Eastern Catholic Churches (as well as Orthodox ones) allow already married men to be ordained. This is different from allowing priests (already ordained men) to get married which most Eastern Catholic Churches also don’t allow.
Secondly, when we say discipline, it’s merely a rule and not a matter of irrevocable teaching or dogma. To cite an example, the requirement that only males can be ordained is a dogma; the Church states that no one can change this. In contrast, celibacy among the clergy is only a discipline since, theoretically, priests within the Latin rite can be allowed to marry in the future. In fact, as one of the answerers have pointed out, there are some priests in the Latin rite who are married, despite the requirement of clerical celibacy. An example would be priests under Personal Ordinariates or Anglican priests who have come into full communion with the Pope but were allowed to retain certain parts of their Anglican liturgy and traditions, which of course includes keeping wives they were already married to prior to coming into full communion with the Pope.
Now, why does the RCC require celibacy among the clergy? A reason is to follow in the footsteps Christ who, besides from being male, was also unmarried. Note, though, that this practice may not have been the original practice for the clergy as scripture itself hints that Peter, considered by Catholics to be the first pope, may have been a married man since there is a passage referring to his mother-in-law.
So, to break it down, firstly, when we say the Roman Catholic Church, we usually mean the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, or the part of the Catholic Church which uses the rite and liturgy coming from Rome. Eastern Catholic Churches, or those Catholic Churches that practise a different liturgy but are still in full communion with the Pope, do not require celibacy among the clergy. Although, to point it out, most Eastern Catholic Churches (as well as Orthodox ones) allow already married men to be ordained. This is different from allowing priests (already ordained men) to get married which most Eastern Catholic Churches also don’t allow.
Secondly, when we say discipline, it’s merely a rule and not a matter of irrevocable teaching or dogma. To cite an example, the requirement that only males can be ordained is a dogma; the Church states that no one can change this. In contrast, celibacy among the clergy is only a discipline since, theoretically, priests within the Latin rite can be allowed to marry in the future. In fact, as one of the answerers have pointed out, there are some priests in the Latin rite who are married, despite the requirement of clerical celibacy. An example would be priests under Personal Ordinariates or Anglican priests who have come into full communion with the Pope but were allowed to retain certain parts of their Anglican liturgy and traditions, which of course includes keeping wives they were already married to prior to coming into full communion with the Pope.
Now, why does the RCC require celibacy among the clergy? A reason is to follow in the footsteps Christ who, besides from being male, was also unmarried. Note, though, that this practice may not have been the original practice for the clergy as scripture itself hints that Peter, considered by Catholics to be the first pope, may have been a married man since there is a passage referring to his mother-in-law.
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