I'm a Catholic priest - and I'm married

[Cider]

I don’t get the point? This isn’t anything new, we already know that married men can be ordained priests in the Eastern Catholic churches and we already know that allowances have been made for Anglican priests converting to the Catholic faith that are already married. It doesn’t mean that the church as a whole needs to allow married priests, but since it’s a discipline and not doctrine it can be changed.

So what?

 

[Miserissima]

This article is very confusing.
It doesn’t make sense to insist that some priests take a vow of celibacy and not get married, while others don’t need to.
I’m not talking about fairness (tho indeed, it’s not very “fair”). I’m talking about either a rule is a rule, or it is

.

Timing.

In the EC, one may marry before receiving Holy Orders, but not the other way around.

 

[spedteacherita]

I heard a deacon on EWTN a while back explain his position. He is married now but he said if his wife were to die he would thenbe unable to marry.

 

[phil19034]

I am not sure you are correct about your last paragraph.
Extreme situations? Having to have a day job?

Yes, according to an article I read about married priests in the Roman Rite (not Anglican Use parishes).

Priests do not make a lot of money, around $20,000 per year. So if a married priest needs to provide for his family and/or potentially have to live in a private home; the priest would often have to teach in a Catholic School or University, work for the Diocese, work at a hospital, etc to supplement his income to support his family. Because of his financial duties to his family, he would not be able to become a Pastor because he would not be able to provide full time dedication. So these priests are often only Weekend Assistants.

Now, at Anglican Use parishes, the priest can typically live in the rectory with his family; so if the family can survive on the free room and the small salary, then priest can be a pastor at the Anglican Use parish. Regular Roman Rite parishes often have more than one priest. In those instances, the married Priest might not be able to live in the Rectory with his family; therefore might need to work to bring the family more money. But in some remote parishes, with only one priest, a married Pastor could be assigned if the parish will allow him to live there with his family.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[JRKH]

I don’t get the point? This isn’t anything new, we already know that married men can be ordained priests in the Eastern Catholic churches and we already know that allowances have been made for Anglican priests converting to the Catholic faith that are already married. It doesn’t mean that the church as a whole needs to allow married priests, but since it’s a discipline and not doctrine it can be changed.

So what?

Yes - this is pretty much my attitude.
From the conversations I have followed here on the subject there are certainly some serious issues to consider, but overall, if the Church modified the discipline to allow more married priests…I would be all for it. If she doesn’t? Well it’s not my call to make.

Peace
James

 

[Kurisu35712]

Thanks for this info, Phil!
Question: why can married men be priests and deacons…but not Bishops.
What happens to them in-between these stages that then makes it not okay at the Bishop level?
What happens?
Why is is it suddenly different?

.

I’m pretty sure the answer to that lies in the fact that most priests and deacons serve a singular parish. As a result, their obligations are to their own parish only, which enables them to still have time to spend with and care for their families. A bishop on the other hand is in charge of a diocese, and is heavily involved with the administration of said diocese, which is essentially a full time “job.” As a result, a bishop does not have the time to care for an immediate family, and likewise a married man, priest or layman, would not have the time needed to devote to the running of the diocese. I would assume it’s the same reason a married priest cannot become a pastor for a church, as that involves full time running of that church. A married priest can certainly say mass, hear confessions, and so on, but the overall administration is best left to someone who has that as their primary duty.

I could be wrong, as that was all off the top of my head, but I imagine it’s not far from the truth.

 

[po18guy]

It’s a LOT to me. I care about the reasoning here, don’t you?
I assume there is supposed to be a very good reason for a Catholic priest to be unmarried and celibate, right?
Is there?
If so, it makes no sense then to add married, formerly-Protestant priests into the mix who are having sex while they are priests.
Surely, the very important reasons for a Catholic priest to be unmarried and celibate do not suddenly disappear in these cases?

If it’s okay for a priest to be married and having sex, as this priest is doing, then amend the rule for all of them. And, as you describe, if someone can “accept” this “gift” of celibacy, then they will accept it.
Apparently, this priest in the article does not accept this gift.

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If you are not a priest or deacon, I truly wonder why this means a LOT to you. Normally, this is the bailiwick of progressive activists who seek wholesale changes in the faith.

 

[phil19034]

It’s a LOT to me. I care about the reasoning here, don’t you?
I assume there is supposed to be a very good reason for a Catholic priest to be unmarried and celibate, right?
Is there?
If so, it makes no sense then to add married, formerly-Protestant priests into the mix who are having sex while they are priests.
Surely, the very important reasons for a Catholic priest to be unmarried and celibate do not suddenly disappear in these cases?

If it’s okay for a priest to be married and having sex, as this priest is doing, then amend the rule for all of them. And, as you describe, if someone can “accept” this “gift” of celibacy, then they will accept it.
Apparently, this priest in the article does not accept this gift.

.

OK, first you must understand what celibate means. Celibate does not “no sex,” it’s means unmarried. So when you typed “unmarried and celibate” it actually means “unmarried and unmarried.” So every unmarried person on the planet is celibate, even if they are fornicating.

There are three terms which people often confuse: Celibacy, Continence, and Chastity (ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/what-are-celibacy-chastity-and-continence-9-things-to-know-and-share)

• Continence means no sex
• Chastity means sexually pure according to one’s station in life
• Celibacy mean unmarried.

Catholics are called to Chastity. Chastity requires celibate (unmarried) people to practice continence.

The Western Church slowly started working towards an all celibate clergy around 305 AD. It took several hundred years until the West had an entirely celibate priesthood.

catholicbridge.com/catholic/why_priests_cant_marry.php
catholicbridge.com/catholic/timeline_of_catholic_church.php

Sex is not the issue. The issue is being able to give 100% to your spouse/family and give 100% to the Church. It’s not possible. The bigger a Roman Catholic Parish becomes, the more time it requires from the Priest. Many priests are working from approx. 5am or 6am until they go to bed. Even on their “day off” they still have the pray the hours, they might take an appointment with a parishioner, and they still have to say Mass (even if it’s a private mass by themselves). If someone is dying the in the hospital, they have to go to the hospital. They can’t pick up an go away with the family for the weekend, etc.

Eastern Catholic Parishes are generally smaller than Roman ones, so they can often get by with allowing Married Priests. Anglican Use Parishes are also small. It’s not uncommon for either of these types of parishes to only have one priest; so the family can live in the rectory and be closer to the priest. But it’s still hard.

Thanks for this info, Phil!
Question: why can married men be priests and deacons…but not Bishops.
What happens to them in-between these stages that then makes it not okay at the Bishop level?
What happens?
Why is is it suddenly different?

Bishops also spend their entire day working, seven days a week. The Archbishop of Philadelphia, for example spends the day either at the office of the Archidiocese or with a parish or group for mass, etc. Then, his evenings are often spent at the Seminary with the seminarians.

Bishops spend more time than priests working for the Church. A pastor only has one parish (or two in the case of twin parishes) to worry about. The Bishop has an entire diocese to worry about.

Catholic Clergy, especially Bishops, are great examples of people married to their jobs. When married people with kids are “married to their jobs” the kids and spouse often suffer. The Church respects marriage and believes that a husband should be there for his wife and kids, and should not be married to his career. He should be married to his wife. Married clergy have it tough because the people want more from the priest and so does his family - which is why they will typically not be a pastor unless they are at a smaller Anglican Use Parish or an Eastern Parish.

So in closing it’s not about sex. It’s about respecting marriage and understanding that it’s extremely difficult for a priest be a good priest and still set an example of being the best role model for the Catholic view of marriage. This is also why the wife must give the Church her permission for her husband to become a Deacon.

I hope this makes sense.