D
dochawk
Guest
much of it, no. But the narrower that I started with, beginning your training but not approaching ordination until after marriage, can be.
- Status
Tis_Bearself
Patron
I don’t want a priest who joined the priesthood simply because he thought he “couldn’t get married”. I want a priest who joined the priesthood because it was his heart’s desire to become a priest.
J
JulianN
Guest
I’ve met many lay people who were far more educated in the faith than most deacons. It’s not a guarantee of credibility.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
Yeah, in my experience deacons’ strength is usually their ability to work with people, not their deep theological skills.
A longtime Pastor of my parish freely admitted that he became a priest (joining a missionary order no less) because he didn’t want to get involved with his family’s restaurant business. He was a fine pastor, a good example how God works in mysterious ways.new-kirishitan:
I don’t want a priest who joined the priesthood simply because he thought he “couldn’t get married”. I want a priest who joined the priesthood because it was his heart’s desire to become a priest.
D
dochawk
Guest
Is that why he became one, or why he looked at it, and got drawn in?
Tis_Bearself
Patron
Not wanting to go into the restaurant business is a far cry from thinking that one is not being able to be married.
The latter situation, “I can’t get married”, indicates that the person would really prefer to be married, but he can’t for some reason so he is picking a profession where marriage is not possible.
The problem arises when the man gets ordained, starts his work at a priest, and then meets women, some of whom may be available and attracted to him. He may very well end up deciding he never truly had a vocation and would rather be a husband than a priest.
We have had an ongoing problem in the priesthood with men leaving the priesthood to get married. If someone would truly rather be married, they should do us all a favor and keep looking for a wife. Who knows, they might meet the right lady when they are 35, 40, 50, or 60, and then they won’t be facing the bad situation of having to bail on their priestly vows. My own father did not meet my mother and get married until he was 38 and had not had any significant relationships before then for various reasons.
The latter situation, “I can’t get married”, indicates that the person would really prefer to be married, but he can’t for some reason so he is picking a profession where marriage is not possible.
The problem arises when the man gets ordained, starts his work at a priest, and then meets women, some of whom may be available and attracted to him. He may very well end up deciding he never truly had a vocation and would rather be a husband than a priest.
We have had an ongoing problem in the priesthood with men leaving the priesthood to get married. If someone would truly rather be married, they should do us all a favor and keep looking for a wife. Who knows, they might meet the right lady when they are 35, 40, 50, or 60, and then they won’t be facing the bad situation of having to bail on their priestly vows. My own father did not meet my mother and get married until he was 38 and had not had any significant relationships before then for various reasons.
Last edited:
He said that’s why he became a priest. And he chose a missionary order so he would be shipped off far away from home and his family’s restaurant business.
He was a fine priest. My point being some men might join the priesthood for all the wrong reasons, but God will still work with those men so they can become good pastors and priests.
- Status