I really thought this had been taken care of already, but surprise!

[Peter_J]

You know I never really understood why celibacy in the priesthood was integral to the Latin Rite. Yes, it’s a good practise, good house rules, very practical. But it is only a sin for a married man to become a priest in the Latin Rite - as a rule - because the Church will not allow it.

I agree other churches should not be used as pawns in the Roman Church’s politics. I am indifferent to clerical celibacy as a philosophical position; it has reasons to be done and to be denied. But while I affirm the East’s right to their traditions, I also affirm Rome’s right to hers.

A lot of people are pushing for the Roman Church to abandon clerical celibacy. If the Pope does not wish to abandon it, so be it, and screw the world. Support from the Eastern Catholics would be nice. But the Pope shouldn’t push them around on such an issue as was never even a doctrine.

I don’t know if there’s a completely official position, but the thinking generally seems to be symmetrical: mandatory priestly celibacy is the Latin tradition, married priests is the Eastern tradition, and each should adhere firmly to its tradition. By extension, complaining about celibacy in the Latin Church is comparable to complaining about married EC priests. (Note: I’m not arguing for or against this thinking, only presenting what I believe is the typical way of looking at it.)

 

[wynd]

You know I never really understood why celibacy in the priesthood was integral to the Latin Rite. Yes, it’s a good practise, good house rules, very practical. But it is only a sin for a married man to become a priest in the Latin Rite - as a rule - because the Church will not allow it.

But it’s not a sin, because there are married Latin priests (though not many). The priest who is now the pastor of the Catholic parish I grew up in is married with children.

 

[jeannetherese]

It’s been a while since I had contact with any Assyrian/Chaldeans here, it’s a combined parish, but last time I did the guy I was in touch with was bemoaning not being able to find a spouse so he couldn’t move ahead with his hopes to be ordained. Again, the shortage of married men in this country seeking ordination is surely a problem. The guys in Europe are getting married younger and ready to move ahead.

Greetings
I am not well versed in EC rules regarding ordination to the priesthood, but thought that both married an non-married men could become priests and non-married men become bishops.
Has marriage become a prerequisite to priestly ordination or is non married ordination still optional?
Thanks, as always, for sharing information and may God grant his church many holy vocations to the priesthood.
Amen.

 

[5Loaves]

Greetings
I am not well versed in EC rules regarding ordination to the priesthood, but thought that both married an non-married men could become priests and non-married men become bishops.

Yes, married men can be ordained to the diaconate, and to the priesthood. Celibate men can be ordained to the diaconate, to the priesthood, and to the episcopate.

Has marriage become a prerequisite to priestly ordination or is non married ordination still optional?.

The longstanding tradition in the East is for parish priests to be married, “white clergy”, and monks, “black clergy”, to be celibate.

 

[jeannetherese]

Thank you 5Loaves.
May God bless us all.
jt