Guys, if you could be married and a priest would you?

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superblue said:
lol yes it is, lol, no matter how the catholic church labels it, tee hee lol.

k that was my last reply to ya chief for at least a good month, i gave ya too much attention as it was. and it was a fluke i even read your response so dont get too excited.
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I’m totally lost. This is a catholic forum, and we give Catholic advice. But whatever. Have a good night, I guess?
 
On the topic of Priestly Celibacy, it’s more complex than your first post makes it appear.

To begin with, there can be and are married Priests. The Eastern Catholic Rite allows married men to become Priests (though not Bishops), and if a Protestant or Reformist Priest converts to Catholicism then he’s allowed to become a Catholic Priest even if he’s already married.

Apart from that, Catholic Priests aren’t forced to be celibate. Most of them seem to like being celibate (or at least seem to like the positive effects of it), and even married Catholic Priests advocate in favor of clerical celibacy.

Now to the question at hand, even if I was an Eastern Rite Catholic I wouldn’t become a Priest. Priesthood is a noble calling, and every Priest I’ve met has been praiseworthy, but I’m not sure I’d be able to live up to that. In addition to celibacy Priests also have a lot of responsibilities and pressure and self-sacrifices.
 
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is this supposed to be a yes or a or no question?

frankly, i find this thread offensive

i’ve reported it
 
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jas84173 said:
Guys, if you could be married and a priest would you?
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After a very long discernment replete with excellent spiritual direction, I’m certain if I am called to anything in the Church, it’s the priesthood and not the permanent diaconate. My spiritual advisors all agreed. I went though this formal discernment process not because I was contemplating the priesthood (I’m married), but because I was being dragged and pushed into the (hideous) permanent diaconate formation in my diocese and something just didn’t feel right and I wanted to know what it was.
jas84173 said:
I am just asking because I would in a heart beat. I also want to be able to share my life with someone.
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Not if it meant moving to attend seminary full-time. I strongly believe the Church needs to look at forming priests (married or celibate) within their own dioceses/parishes as some of the Orthodox do over an extended period. If that was available, I would at least apply.
jas84173 said:
I disagree with priests being celibate. Most of the Apostles were married including our first Pope.
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Yes, but there is zero discussion in the Bible about the Apostles’ wives taking part in their ministries or even in their lives. They might have all been reposed by that point and some were likely never married. I think celibacy is a gift, but the Church does need to be consider options – not only for more priests, but for better ones.

I believe the reason the Church (at least in the West) does not consider married priests is there really no way to implement the change without a HUGE amount of disruption to the existing seminary/celibate priest system. Yes, many would still choose to be celibate priests as only they would be considered for future bishops – like the Orthodox I could not consider married priests for bishops.

But a great many more would discern the call and then either ignore it or delay any action – instead choosing to live a life and raise a family, etc, figuring they could become priests down the road. This is a highly complicated issue.

One thing that should be of interest to the Holy See is the huge number of permanent deacons in the US. That’s an entirely different vocation, I get that, but the large number deserves investigation. I suspect a fair number of men who have/had vocations to the priesthood ended-up “settling” for the permanent diaconate. That’s not a good thing.
 
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jas84173 said:
I am just asking because I would in a heart beat. I also want to be able to share my life with someone.

I disagree with priests being celibate. Most of the Apostles were married including our first Pope.
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Diocesan priests make pis poor money for salary

they are up to to their ***** in troubles w/ their parishioners

\no way typical priest can support a wife, a family, and a parish

not going to happen
 
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Melodeonist said:
No way. A priest is married to the Church. He devotes himself entirely to serving God and the Church: his family in Christ. Likewise, a married man devotes himself entirely to God and his wife/family. You can’t be both.

If you want to say homilies and be married become a deacon.
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They certainly are in some Eastern Catholic churches and most Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. The notion of a celibate priest was not known for its first 1,000 years – including in the West.

The bishopric (including the Apostles most likely) has long been made only of celibate men. Just imagine for a moment if bishops, cardinals, etc. were married…
 
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Duesenberg said:
Yes, but there is zero discussion in the Bible about the Apostles’ wives taking part in their ministries or even in their lives.
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As a matter of fact, there is.

In 1 Corinthians 9, St. Paul says, “9 Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? 2 Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle. 3 This is my answer to those who question my authority.[a] 4 Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? 5 Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter[c] does? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?”
 
Duesenberg said:
They certainly are in some Eastern Catholic churches and most Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. The notion of a celibate priest was not known for its first 1,000 years – including in the West.
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St. Augustine would disagree with you.
 
No.
jas84173 said:
I also want to be able to share my life with someone.
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But it’s not at all about what we want, but rather what God wants, especially if we are in his service in such a manner. A Catholic Priest acts in Persona Christi and Christ was not married.

If you want to marry, then marry, if you feel called to the priesthood, then one must give their life in service to God and His Church, you can’t have your cake and eat it too for lack of a better saying.
jas84173 said:
Most of the Apostles were married including our first Pope.
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That’s a myth.

Was Saint Peter Married? - Catholic Straight Answers

St. Matthew recorded in the Gospel, “Jesus entered Peter’s house and found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with a fever. He took her by the hand and the fever left her” (Mt 8:14-15). Note that the passage does not mention St. … Continued
catholicstraightanswers.com

Thank you for reading
 
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Xantippe said:
As a matter of fact, there is.

In 1 Corinthians 9, St. Paul says, “9 Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? 2 Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle. 3 This is my answer to those who question my authority.[a] 4 Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? 5 Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter[c] does? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?”
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1 Cor 9:5 “Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?”

Paul is not writing about the 12 Apostles (or the actual brothers of Jesus Christ) to the people of the church of Corinth else there would be no reason to mention Peter separately. Paul is writing about disciples (AKA “apostles”) of the Lord in general, otherwise known as “brothers of the Lord and Cephas” – the Head of the Church and His Vicar.
 
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I want my Priests single and chaste.

If it’s good enough for Our Blessed Virgin and her spouse, St Joseph, to be chaste, it’s good enough for my Priests and religious.

I also believe it would be an exceptional widower to be a Priest. After their grief is healed, what then.

But that’s just me.
 
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AAT said:
If the only reason you don’t want to be a priest is because you can’t get married, try becoming a deacon. But remember
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Be careful about giving that sort of advice. The two are very different vocations. Being a permanent deacon is not like being a “mini-priest.” I suspect some men could be called to both vocations. I also suspect a great deal more become permanent deacons because the priesthood was not open to them (age, married, unable to attend seminary away from home, etc.) as a consolation of sorts.
 
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I’ve often wondered why men who believe they are called to two vocations - the priesthood AND MARRIAGE - don’t join one of the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that allow for married men to be ordained priests?

As for the Apostles being married, Tradition says that they gave up their conjugal rights after ordination, and maintained sexual continence. This can even be seen reflected in Scripture and in the earliest synods. I would highly recommend “The Case for Clerical Celibacy: Its Historical Development and Theological Foundations Paperback’ by Cardinal Alphonso Stickler for mor information on this.

The Law of Continence is very ancient - believed by many to have come straight from the Apostles themselves. Celibacy (being unmarried) was only instituted to PROTECT the Law of Continence, and make obedience to it easier.

So even were the Latin Rite to once again begin ordaining married men, the obligation to continence would still remain. And since we’ve already “been there and done that” - and found it didn’t work out very well - it’s highly unlikely the Church will ordain married men again.
 
Xanthippe_Voorhees said:
It can be extremely hard for the children because unlike a protestant preacher with kids they will definitely live in rather poor conditions and have to miss out on many things.
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You paint a very bleak picture for married priests and their families.

I’m curious as to how many married priests you know. I know several and I can assure you that their children do not live in poverty. As with any family, there are sometimes financial struggles. Each priest’s family meets those challenges in its own way. For the most part, their kids live lives very similar to those of fellow parishioners. They are well fed and well clothed. They get Christmas and birthday presents, they play on sports teams, take music lessons, and take occasional vacations. Yes, they have to pick and choose what they spend their money on. Money isn’t unlimited and many American families are struggling. My kids miss out on many things because we don’t have enough money for six kids to do everything they want, and I’m married to a teacher, not a priest. Being open to life requires sacrifice.
Xanthippe_Voorhees said:
A priestly vocation is a vocation. It deeply affects his life and would deeply affect his wife and children. Some can do it, but it’s extremely rare, extremely difficult and very much causes a division of responsibilities in a way other occupations do not.
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It is not rare. Married priests have served the Eastern Churches for 2,000 years. The culture of the Eastern Churches supports them in living out their vocations, together with families. In some countries in Eastern Europe, there is such an abundance of priests (mostly married) that we are bringing them to our parishes here in the U.S. The Orthodox Churches also seem to thrive with married priests and has found, over the course of centuries, no shortage of men and their wives willing to answer God’s call.

I’m not saying that it is not a difficult life. My priest’s wife would be the first to tell you that it is. When I look at the life of sacrifice that my priest and his wife have chosen so that he can bring the sacraments to me and others, I am grateful and humbled. I am inspired by their example in answering God’s call in spite of the sacrifices.

Likewise, when I look at a celibate priest and see the life of sacrifice that he has chosen so that he can bring me the sacraments, I am grateful and humbled.

Both married priests and celibate priests are gifts to the Church. I do not advocate for a change in the Latin Rite discipline, but I want to strongly hold up the lives of married priests and their wives as beautiful and holy examples of service and sacrifice for the whole church.
 
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Xantippe said:
Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter[c] does?
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The actual Greek of that passage does use the word “gynaika” - which can be translated as a wife or a woman, BUT, St. Paul was inspired to use the term “adelphēn” before it. And this term is translated “sister.” So, the passage more correctly translated reads “5 Don’t we have the right to bring a believing SISTER WIFE with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter[c] does?”

All the evidence points out that once a married man was ordained to the priesthood, the relationship between him and his wife became that of a brother and sister. Pope St. Gregory the Great, the Council of Geronimo (517), the Second Council of Auvergne (535), and many patriotic and conciliar texts demonstrate that when one is speaking of the wives of priests, the word “sister” is always used. Pope St. Gregory for example, wrote: “The priest from the moment of his ordination will love his priestess (ie, his wife), as a sister.”

So 1 Cor. 9:5 with its inspired “sister wife” need not be interpreted as a proof-text for the married Apostles enjoying conjugal relations with their wives. In fact, it lends weight to the tradition that the Apostles gave up their conjugal rights when they were ordained priests.
 
brian_custer said:
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jas84173:
I am just asking because I would in a heart beat. I also want to be able to share my life with someone.

I disagree with priests being celibate. Most of the Apostles were married including our first Pope.
Click to expand...
Diocesan priests make pis poor money for salary

they are up to to their asses in troubles w/ their parishioners

\no way typical priest can support a wife, a family, and a parish

not going to happen
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Obviously, the culture of Catholic giving would have to change. Most Catholic parishes could easily support a priest and his family if giving were increased just a little bit. If 300 families in a parish increased their giving by just $10 each week, they would raise $156,000. Obviously, not every parish could manage this, but most larger parishes could easily do it if the will existed.
 
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