Is the priesthood a higher calling than marriage?

[ComradeAndrei]

As taught by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Sacra Virginitas -

1. This doctrine of the excellence of virginity and of celibacy and of their superiority over the married state was, as We have already said, revealed by our Divine Redeemer and by the Apostle of the Gentiles; so too, it was solemnly defined as a dogma of divine faith by the holy council of Trent,[57] and explained in the same way by all the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church. Finally, We and Our Predecessors have often expounded it and earnestly advocated it whenever occasion offered. But recent attacks on this traditional doctrine of the Church, the danger they constitute, and the harm they do to the souls of the faithful lead Us, in fulfillment of the duties of Our charge, to take up the matter once again in this Encyclical Letter, and to reprove these errors which are so often propounded under a specious appearance of truth.

From the Second Vatican Council document, Decree on Priestly Training Optatam Totius n.10 2nd paragraph

Students ought rightly to acknowledge the duties and dignity of Christian matrimony, which is a sign of the love between Christ and the Church. Let them recognize, however, the surpassing excellence of virginity consecrated to Christ, so that with a maturely deliberate and generous choice they may consecrate themselves to the Lord by a complete gift of body and soul.

Roma locuta est, causa finita est.

Like FCGEM stated previously, it is not a matter of clericalism. The priesthood is a higher calling, the constant teaching of our Holy Mother Church would agree, however, it is not a “ha, ha, I’m better than you are” type of thing. This higher calling demands more sacrifices, more authority and thus more responsibility. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is also one of only three Sacraments that leave an indellible mark upon the recipiant (the other two being Baptism and Confirmation). Marriage does no such thing.

We need to better study the teachings of our Holy Church and not just follow along with personal modernist opinions.I have all the respect in the world of Matrimony, however, let us not go overboard and declare it equal to the supremely sublime gift of the calling to the concecrated life.

 

[MariaGorettiGrl]

I have all the respect in the world of Matrimony, however, let us not go overboard and declare it equal to the supremely sublime gift of the calling to the concecrated life

This makes God sound like He plays favorites. Clearly He loves that guy over there MORE because He called that guy to be a PRIEST! while He only called that guy to be married.

And what about women then? Clearly they would have no purpose but to pop out more priests, which, as a woman, I find offensive. I like to think I’m called to more than make more male babies who will hopefully be picked by God to be “special”. Why do guys need to marry women at all in that case? Find some other way to make babies so that guys don’t have to give up such a superior lifestyle for the sake of making a girl pregnant. (This sounds harsh, but that’s what it boils down to when you argue priesthood is “superior”) I would officially be holding a guy back from his full potential if I were to marry then.

Joseph wasn’t a priest. He was Jesus’ father. That seems pretty darn important to me.

The reason marriage and the priesthood are equal is because the priesthood IS marriage. Priests marry our mother Church and act as our father.

And to say that a priest gives up more than parents is to never have had children. A priest gets to sleep through the night and not awaken to the shrill cry of a baby with a dirty siaper at 3 am. A priest doesn’t have to live with an adolescent who declares that they hate him because he won’t let them go to a party all night. A priest doesn’t have to give up his children so that they can get married (or become priests) and have their own family. BOTH sides make sacrifices. BOTH sides are important. BOTH sides are in response to a call by God. God loves everyone and does not play favorites!

 

[DavidFilmer]

MariaGorettiGrl:

Joseph wasn’t a priest. He was Jesus’ father.

Oops. You may want to clarify that, MariaGorettiGirl.

 

[Ghosty]

Where would the priests come from if the Church didn’t have us dedicated baby-makers out there?

One calling isn’t higher than the other, they’re intrinsically linked. Heck, at this point both Catholic priests and Catholic marriages are desperately needed by the Church and the world.

Priests keep bringing the Eucharist, and we’ll keep bringing the Priests

 

[DavidFilmer]

My brother is a priest for the Diocese of Savannah. But he first spent a year in Religious (Dominican) formation before he realized his vocation was Diocesean in nature.

So he proceeded with his Diocesean vocation and was Ordained a year ago. During his Seminary Formation/Education, his Diocese paid most of his educational expenses. So I asked him recently, “Eric, what would happen if you went to your Bishop and said that you really felt you were called to a Religious vocation after all.”

He told me this question was discussed in his Seminary classes. His instructors said the Bishop should allow this, because the Religious life was considered a “higher” calling. But, out of a sense of duty, the individual should give service to his Diocese in measure of his Seminary support (ie, if the Diocese supported four years of Seminary formation, the individual should give at least four years priestly service to his Diocese before moving on).

Assuming my brother’s Seminary instructors were correct (and St. Vincent’s Seminary doesn’t appoint idiots), there is a recognized hierarchy of “calling.” A Religious calling is higher than a Diocesean Calling. That seems consistent with the idea that any sort of Ordained calling is “higher” than a secular calling.

Note that “higher” does not mean “better.” It’s a level of committment and dicipline that God calls someone to. Most are not called to the highest calling, and that’s fine. God loves us all the same, but calls us differently.

 

[ComradeAndrei]

This makes God sound like He plays favorites. Clearly He loves that guy over there MORE because He called that guy to be a PRIEST! while He only called that guy to be married.

And what about women then?

You misunderstand the notion of “higher”. God doesn’t love someone “more” if He calls them to the priesthood (or to a life as a nun or sister for that matter) He just has special plans for them. All of us have our calling, some are called to serve God exclusively through the Priesthood or other Consecrated life while some are called to be married. Both are important, both are valid, but again, there is a hierarchy of calling.

And to say that a priest gives up more than parents is to never have had children. A priest gets to sleep through the night and not awaken to the shrill cry of a baby with a dirty siaper at 3 am. A priest doesn’t have to live with an adolescent who declares that they hate him because he won’t let them go to a party all night. A priest doesn’t have to give up his children so that they can get married (or become priests) and have their own family. BOTH sides make sacrifices. BOTH sides are important. BOTH sides are in response to a call by God. God loves everyone and does not play favorites!

One could say that giving up the honor of having children is a sacrifice in and of itself. More responsibility is demanded of a priest in the line of the spiritual wellbeing of all the people under their care. While biological parents care for and raise their children by temporal means, priests care for and nuture their people’s needs by Sacramental means. Also, the vocation to the priesthood carries many sacrifices that secular society doesn’t have a good grip on. I am currently discerning my vocation and by the Grace of God I hope to be off to the Seminary next year so granted I probably won’t ever have to put up with bawling kids etc. BUT I would have to put up with a parish and believe you me they can be worse than kids!

Furthermore, although the priesthood is the highest calling a man can have, not every man is called to the priesthood. Again, let us give assent to the solemn teaching of the Church and NOT to our own opinions.

 

[aaronjmagnan]

The Catechism says that the Church plays no favorites between the two.

I was reading the other day that the higher calling is the one that God calls you to. If he calls you to priesthood, the higher calling is the priesthood, and if to marriage, the same.

God bless
Aaron

 

[Rebecca_New]

MariaGorettiGrl:

This makes God sound like He plays favorites. Clearly He loves that guy over there MORE because He called that guy to be a PRIEST! while He only called that guy to be married.

And what about women then? Clearly they would have no purpose but to pop out more priests, which, as a woman, I find offensive. I like to think I’m called to more than make more male babies who will hopefully be picked by God to be “special”. Why do guys need to marry women at all in that case? Find some other way to make babies so that guys don’t have to give up such a superior lifestyle for the sake of making a girl pregnant. (This sounds harsh, but that’s what it boils down to when you argue priesthood is “superior”) I would officially be holding a guy back from his full potential if I were to marry then
Joseph wasn’t a priest. He was Jesus’ father. That seems pretty darn important to me.

The reason marriage and the priesthood are equal is because the priesthood IS marriage. Priests marry our mother Church and act as our father.

God does play favorites, they are the elect, according to St. Augustine. But anyone can be an elect, also according to St. Augustine. Why are you Catholic and not in some secluded Africian town, far from any Catholic Church? Seems like we have some favoritism going on here!

 

[ComradeAndrei]

The Catechism says that the Church plays no favorites between the two.

I was reading the other day that the higher calling is the one that God calls you to. If he calls you to priesthood, the higher calling is the priesthood, and if to marriage, the same.

Quote where the Catechism says this. The Catechism does not state that consecrated life and marriage are equal. Do not fall to personal interpretation.

Pope Pius XII clearly states what the Coucil of Trent clearly defined as dogma in Sacra Virginitas-the consecrated life is a higher calling than the married life. It is clear teaching of the Church.

 

[system]

MariaGorettiGrl:

Joseph wasn’t a priest. He was Jesus’ father. That seems pretty darn important to me.

Yes, and what was Jesus? Was He not more important than Joseph, who was his foster father?

 

[system]

MariaGorettiGrl:

And what about women then? Clearly they would have no purpose but to pop out more priests, which, as a woman, I find offensive. I like to think I’m called to more than make more male babies who will hopefully be picked by God to be “special”. Why do guys need to marry women at all in that case? Find some other way to make babies so that guys don’t have to give up such a superior lifestyle for the sake of making a girl pregnant. (This sounds harsh, but that’s what it boils down to when you argue priesthood is “superior”) I would officially be holding a guy back from his full potential if I were to marry then.

This is not humble. You are not supposed to be able to conquer the world by yourself. And to put down the sanctity of women because they are the ones who bring life into the world is shameful. I am not any less of a person because I gave birth, but my husbands calling is not of the same great importance as a priest. He knows that and understands it. We are not the same. Pride and vanity do not belong here. The priesthood is a superior
calling. And that is ok. We all have to work together.

 

[rwoehmke]

Sounds a lot like the two apostles in scripture discussing who would sit at the right hand of Jesus in heaven. If we are about the business of living our lives with Christian charity and respect, who really cares who has the superior calling. There is more than a little danger in claiming a superior position as Jesus frequently pointed out in scripture. Even the great civilization of Rome lost its high place. Just so with individuals. That being said love yourself well because only then can you love your neighbor as he deserves.

 

[Matt16_18]

ComradeAndrei:

Pope Pius XII clearly states what the Coucil of Trent clearly defined as dogma in Sacra Virginitas-the consecrated life is a higher calling than the married life. It is clear teaching of the Church.

What about the married priests of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church? Do they have a lower calling than celibate nuns, monks and brothers?

 

[system]

Matt16_18:

What about the married priests of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church? Do they have a lower calling than celibate nuns, monks and brothers?

Actually all people who give up their lives for God are a higher calling then marriage. Here is his earlier post.
He says :
**32. This doctrine of the excellence of virginity and of celibacy and of their superiority over the married state was, as We have already said, revealed by our Divine Redeemer and by the Apostle of the Gentiles; so too, it was solemnly defined as a dogma of divine faith by the holy council of Trent,[57] and explained in the same way by all the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church. ** Finally, We and Our Predecessors have often expounded it and earnestly advocated it whenever occasion offered. But recent attacks on this traditional doctrine of the Church, the danger they constitute, and the harm they do to the souls of the faithful lead Us, in fulfillment of the duties of Our charge, to take up the matter once again in this Encyclical Letter, and to reprove these errors which are so often propounded under a specious appearance of truth.

 

[Matt16_18]

vicia3:

Actually all people who give up their lives for God are a higher calling then marriage.

You wrote in an earlier post: “When we die, we are no longer married. When a priest dies, he is still a priest. Even if he goes to hell, he is still a priest. Therefore, the vocation to the priesthood is a higher calling. It leaves an indelable mark, forever. Marriage does not.”

The married priest has an indelible mark that a nun, monk, or brother does not.

Who has the higher calling, the faithful married priest, or the faithful celibate nun, monk or brother?

 

[hilde_the_dog]

rwoehmke:

Sounds a lot like the two apostles in scripture discussing who would sit at the right hand of Jesus in heaven. If we are about the business of living our lives with Christian charity and respect, who really cares who has the superior calling. There is more than a little danger in claiming a superior position as Jesus frequently pointed out in scripture. Even the great civilization of Rome lost its high place. Just so with individuals. That being said love yourself well because only then can you love your neighbor as he deserves.

Excellent. Who cares the goal is to get into Heaven. He who is first will be last, the last shall be first…Go figure how GOD will judge. I would rather be at the end going into Heaven dressed in rags THANK YOU…

 

[FCEGM]

We and Our Predecessors have often expounded it and earnestly advocated it whenever occasion offered. But recent attacks on this traditional doctrine of the Church, the danger they constitute, and the harm they do to the souls of the faithful lead Us, in fulfillment of the duties of Our charge, to take up the matter once again in this Encyclical Letter, and to reprove these errors which are so often propounded under a specious appearance of truth.

Yes. I’m reminded of of the difficulty many Protestants have in appreciating not only the hierarchy of the Church, but also the hierarchy within the Communion of Saints - more specifically seeing the Most Blessed Virgin Mary as just one of their equals in Christ. Some, even Catholics now, can’t seem to fathom that, yes, there are those who have a higher calling in this life - and the next. Again, that’s not to say that an extremely high degree of holiness in conformation to Christ isn’t available to the humblest peasant, a la St. Juan Diego who was never a priest, yet enjoyed the company of the Blessed Virgin.

 

[otm]

hilde the dog:

You know at first I felt the priesthood is a higher calling and still do due to, especially is done according to vows, give up all for the Church and God. But then again where would the church be without marriage to create priests. What is greater the created or the creators via God? Children are created by God via people not eggs or seeds. The priest must subject himself to his parrents. Then again which came first the chicken or the egg???

But you are making the assumption that priests cannot be married.

In the Roman or Latin rite, they may not, however, that is a rule, and the rule is waived for indiviudals who were ministers in other non-Catholic Churches, convert, and are ordained. Most of the married priests in the Roman rite were either Episcopalian or Anglican, a few were Methodists, and one was Presbyterian.

In many, if not all the Eastern rites of the Church, married men may be ordained priests.

 

[Catilieth]

There seem to be 2 sides in this discussion…the I think this is the way it should be/this is what I think is fair side and the side that quotes Church documents, the magisterium and Church councils. As Catholics we are to believe what our Church teaches… whether we think it’s fair or not, whether we like it or not. To do otherwise is to be prideful and to set yourself above Christ’s Church. The teaching of the Church, as quoted by many above, clearly says that the consecrated life is a higher calling than marriage. You might not think it’s fair, you might not like it, but to not accept it is to be a “protest-ant”

 

[ComradeAndrei]

Sounds a lot like the two apostles in scripture discussing who would sit at the right hand of Jesus in heaven. If we are about the business of living our lives with Christian charity and respect, who really cares who has the superior calling. There is more than a little danger in claiming a superior position as Jesus frequently pointed out in scripture. Even the great civilization of Rome lost its high place. Just so with individuals. That being said love yourself well because only then can you love your neighbor as he deserves.

Well, than who really cares about any doctrine or teaching of the Church? What the Church teaches, we assent to and believe. It is not a matter of pointless bickering, a teaching of the Church is binding in heaven and on earth.

What about the married priests of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church? Do they have a lower calling than celibate nuns, monks and brothers?

Notice that the Eastern Rites only choose from men among the celibate priesthood to be raised to the episcopacy-the fullness of priesthood. So, it a nutshell, yes-a celibate priest does have a higher calling than a married priest.

As FCEGM points out, there is a misunderstanding of hierarchy. I personally believe that many Americans in general have a faulty view of hierarchy because of the egalitarianism that is rampant in American society. Americans like to think of everyone as totally equal, especially so when it concerns them personally. We must realize that not everyone is equal-and that is OK. In the Church, as the Mystical Body of Christ each member has their own purpose and not all have the same calling, nor are each equal. However, just because the members of the Body are not equal does not mean that they are not important in their own right. The Church (Triumphant, Militant, and I would suppose Suffering) is made up of hierarchies, not everyone is equal but who are we to question God’s plan?

Also, Catilieth has properly reiterated the main point-we are to assent to the teachings of Holy Mother Church whether we like it or not. Quite frankly, usually if a person has a problem with the teachings of the Church it is their fault of being ignorant or stubborn but once we assent to the wisdom that the Church teaches, we are much better off. Throw out vain pride and practice the virtue of obedience.