If someone feels called to the married priesthood

[Pope_Noah_I]

…but are baptized and canonically enrolled in the Latin Church, what are they supposed to do?

 

[Nowhere_Man]

Re-evaluate their vocation, or maybe they are being called to the Married Diaconate. It would be a slim chance that someone is allowed a transfer of Rites based solely on the fact that they want to be married and a priest. Although, if they find themselves more aligned with an Eastern Rites Patristic Traditions (not just allowing married men to be ordained), then the Bishops would be more likely to grant a transfer of Canonical Status; but it would have to be a genuine preference for an Eastern Rite.

 

[LilyM]

Re-evaluate their vocation, or maybe they are being called to the Married Diaconate. It would be a slim chance that someone is allowed a transfer of Rites based solely on the fact that they want to be married and a priest. Although, if they find themselves more aligned with an Eastern Rites Patristic Traditions (not just allowing married men to be ordained), then the Bishops would be more likely to grant a transfer of Canonical Status; but it would have to be a genuine preference for an Eastern Rite.

Yes, one has either the option of staying in the Latin Rite but as something like a married deacon, or transferring canonical enrolment into an Eastern Rite/Church. As has been said, such enrolment could not be based simply upon a preference for a married priesthood but there must be other attractions to Eastern Catholicism.

Of course no such options exist for women who would want to be married AND nuns, so a man in such a position is much better off!

 

[Stephentlig]

Yes, one has either the option of staying in the Latin Rite but as something like a married deacon, or transferring canonical enrolment into an Eastern Rite/Church. As has been said, such enrolment could not be based simply upon a preference for a married priesthood but there must be other attractions to Eastern Catholicism.

Of course no such options exist for women who would want to be married AND nuns, so a man in such a position is much better off!

For me I think it would be upsetting to leave the Latin Church based solely on the reason because you want to be a married Priest, I cant see it for now as a desire by anyone to please God but to fulfill their own personal desire and be it a selfish one at that, and a calling from God does not have that it in it, but clarity. As St.James said in the New testament, we cant mix salt water with fresh water. One truly has to really love the Eastern rite, and not to be using it to fulfill their own desire and not Gods.

Pax Christi
Stephen <3

 

[puzzleannie]

…but are baptized and canonically enrolled in the Latin Church, what are they supposed to do?

they need to reevaluate their vocational discernment preferably with the help of a reliable spiritual director experienced in this, feelings are a place to start, but not the determining factor in whether or not one has a specific vocation.

 

[Brendan]

A vocation to Orders is a calling on the part of three parties, the person, God and the Church.

If ANY one of those parties disagrees, the calling is not a true one.

So if a person feels called to the married priesthood, but the Church does not, it is NOT a true vocation, and the person has made an inadequate discernment.

So consult with the Eastern and Latin bishops. If they agree, that is fine, if not, rethink the calling.

 

[Bran_Stark]

A vocation to Orders is a calling on the part of three parties, the person, God and the Church.

If ANY one of those parties disagrees, the calling is not a true one.

Um… So the Church can overrule God if she chooses? I don’t think that’s quite right…

 

[jimmy]

Um… So the Church can overrule God if she chooses? I don’t think that’s quite right…

There is no calling to the priesthood from God that isn’t also from the Church. It is the same as with a private revelation. If you recieve a private revelation that tells you something that contradicts the Church then it is to be ignored and is not a revelation at all. So it isn’t about whether the Church can overrule God’s call, but rather whether God even calls someone without the Church also calling them. If canon law tells you you can’t be a priest then the Church isn’t calling you to the priesthood even if you feel like you are called. It isn’t about what we feel. Take a look at the saints, who became priests because they were called to by the Church. Look at St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, St. Gregory the Theologian, and many others. They didn’t accept ordination because they fealt they were called, but because they were called to it by the Church. Some of the above saints actually ran from ordination until they couldn’t run any more. It was the Church which exhorted these saints to become priests and bishops. When the bishop of Milan died the Church demanded that Ambrose be ordained bishop. St. Augustine didn’t want to be ordained but when he went to Hippo he was exhorted to accept ordination. The calling is always through the Church.

 

[WetCatechumen]

…but are baptized and canonically enrolled in the Latin Church, what are they supposed to do?

What others have said.

The first thing is to reevaluate your vocation. Sorry, but it’s almost entirely sure you’re not going to be a married priest.

Transferring to the Eastern Rites to dodge the celibacy rule is frowned upon because it’s wrong. If you’re a Latin, you’re a Latin. Don’t pretend to be a Melkite or a Byzantine. It’s wrong to do that. Your devotion to your people and your heart in offering the sacraments will be diminished. Stephentlig said it really well.

You can also pray that the celibacy restriction be lifted in your lifetime. It’s not likely, but it might happen.

Remember, that despite the impressions that some people give, desiring for the celibacy discipline to be lightened is not dissent. Women priests is dissent. Contraception is dissent. Married priesthood? Not dissent at all. You can even actively work to encourage the bishops and the Holy Father to change the rule.

You’ve also run into the absolutist position which says that if you feel called to marriage and the priesthood, that your discernment is 100% wrong. Sometimes human beings have callings in the perfect will of God that are incompatible with the realities of the world. Then, your calling in God’s permissive will must be discerned. It may be God’s perfect will that many married men be priests - but because of the laws of the church, only celibate men may be ordained. But some might say, “How can the church make a incorrect law?”

Human beings are not perfect. Enforcing universal celibacy in the priesthood is a behavior and not a doctrinal statement. It’s possible that the position is wrong. No one’s infallibility is compromised.

Ultimately, though, we have to do what God wills. God let the church make the celibacy rule, and hence, he is going to work within those boundaries. It doesn’t mean that he won’t let you feel called to marriage and to the priesthood - it just means that in his perfect will, you had that calling, and discerning which call is greater leads to your action in his permissive will.

 

[Hesychios]

…but are baptized and canonically enrolled in the Latin Church, what are they supposed to do?

I personally think that the idea of ‘canonical enrollment’ is a false one. The early church did not have this, it simply had local dioceses gathered into synods. Your bishop was determined by where you lived and worshiped, not by who your parents were.

Originally celibacy was an option everywhere, but eventually different synods in the west mandated celibacy until by the ninth century or so it was pretty much universal in the west.

It looks for all the world like an inconsistency to allow married men a calling at one time and place, but deny them at another, but that is canon law and married men in the Latin church are now stuck. Most such men will have to shelve this ambition, even if it breaks their hearts.

Even some Eastern Catholics face the same dilemma, for although the canons may allow the bishop to ordain a married man, some bishops will not ordain them anyway.

I would advise any man who feels called to Holy Orders to enroll in a seminary and study for it regardless. One never knows how the Holy Spirit will move the church in the future, and there are other jobs one might pick up as a result of the training.

One possibility is as a lay administrator. As the availability of ordained priests shrink some dioceses are turning to lay administrators for parishes that cannot have a full time priest. This is not a sacramental position, but one would be plugged into parish life. If the Latin church does change it’s discipline men in such positions, if properly educated, may become potential candidates.

Of course it is possible to see if one can understand and embrace eastern Christian spirituality and theological beliefs. If so, one can transfer into an eastern Catholic church after an indefinite period (forgetting altogether the vocation for the time being) which can run into many years before being considered for Holy Orders or one can even enroll in an Orthodox seminary (without definite prospects, only a possibility, of ordination in an Eastern Catholic church at a later time).

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

…but are baptized and canonically enrolled in the Latin Church, what are they supposed to do?

This question is sort of like asking “…but are baptized and a woman, what are they supposed to do?”

A vocation to Orders is a calling on the part of three parties, the person, God and the Church.

If ANY one of those parties disagrees, the calling is not a true one.

So if a person feels called to the married priesthood, but the Church does not, it is NOT a true vocation, and the person has made an inadequate discernment.

So consult with the Eastern and Latin bishops. If they agree, that is fine, if not, rethink the calling.

Here is the perfect answer but I would go one step further and state of the three parts of the calling, the person, God, and the Church, there are really only two parts as God and the Church are the same. The feelings part of the person is also the least of the parts as many people feel many things that that does not make them right or true.

 

[Hesychios]

A vocation to Orders is a calling on the part of three parties, the person, God and the Church.

If ANY one of those parties disagrees, the calling is not a true one.

However, in the case of most people one can keep applying to different religious orders and dioceses until one says ‘yes’. So an initial ‘no’ does not mean the church (and God) has said no, one can keep trying.

So it seems odd that only this one discipline will keep people out of the pristhood, when in fact there are married priests in the church. It looks for all the world like men are being discriminated against based upon who their own father is.

I could be wrong and if you disagree that’s fine, but this does not seem like how God would really work, it seems like a human bureaucratic bungle.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

However, in the case of most people one can keep applying to different religious orders and dioceses until one says ‘yes’. So an initial ‘no’ does not mean the church (and God) has said no, one can keep trying.

So it seems odd that only this one discipline will keep people out of the pristhood, when in fact there are married priests in the church. It looks for all the world like men are being discriminated against based upon who their own father is.

I could be wrong and if you disagree that’s fine, but this does not seem like how God would really work, it seems like a human bureaucratic bungle.

There is no discrimination when there is no right to ordination.

As to the issue of who ones father is, one could say that if God wanted them to be a married priest he would have made sure they had the “right” father.

 

[WetCatechumen]

This question is sort of like asking “…but are baptized and a woman, what are they supposed to do?”

Here is the perfect answer but I would go one step further and state of the three parts of the calling, the person, God, and the Church, there are really only two parts as God and the Church are the same. The feelings part of the person is also the least of the parts as many people feel many things that that does not make them right or true.

I would like to point out that women will never be ordained to the priesthood, and men will never have children. However, there are currently married men who are Catholic priests (I’ve met at least two).

It’s a totally different question. The celibacy restriction can be lifted by the Church if she so desires.

Women’s ordination is another animal.