Married men - If married proests were allowed, would you seek ordination?

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Wildgraywolf said:
No. I wouldn’t want to be in a situation where I’d have to choose between my duty to my wife and my duty to my parish as a priest.
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Not to draw a comparison…but when I read this, I thought of those married men and women who serve in the military…Like I say - not a comparison…just a thought…

Peace
James
 
po18guy said:
Is it really easier to remove or change a discipline than it is to pray for vocations, and be patient?
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This thread is not about what might be easier…It was just a simple question asked out of simple curiousity - nothing more.
Has anyone noticed that marriage is not an absolute impediment to the Priesthood - even in the Latin Rite?
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Yes - several have commented on that fact in this thread.

Peace
James
 
atjar said:
Guess I should either divorce my wife or give up my career because I am doing a disservice to both
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:rotfl:

I thought this too.

But I do understand the point that “Wildgraywolf” (and others) is making. The priesthood is not a “9 to 5” job.

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
This thread is not about what might be easier…It was just a simple question asked out of simple curiousity - nothing more. James
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You had me worried there for a moment. Doesn’t it all trace back to the vocation “crisis” at some point, though?
 
Our pastor had two parishes. He didn’t have enough time to devote to his priestly duties. I can’t imagine if he had a wife and family. The bishop finally had to send an assistant to the smaller parish. Our pastor is still the pastor to both.
 
Orogeny said:
Yeah, but talk about job security!!!

Peace

Tim
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Yea, there really isn’t very much that you could do to put yourself out of a job. Most of the priests I’ve known personally have been criminals of one sort or another. And I suppose the pay isn’t so bad considering it includes a house with all utilities paid and a vehicle. It would, however, invite a lot of scrutiny towards your wife and children and I for one appreciate my privacy.
 
TARRAT said:
Our pastor had two parishes. He didn’t have enough time to devote to his priestly duties. I can’t imagine if he had a wife and family. The bishop finally had to send an assistant to the smaller parish. Our pastor is still the pastor to both.
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The possibility exists that, if married priests were more widely allowed…He wouldn’t need to be pastor of two parishes…Just a thought.

Peace
James
 
Wildgraywolf said:
Multitasking is a myth. The human brain can only process one activity at a time. Since I am husband I focus on being the best husband as possible. If I am a priest I would focus on being the best priest as possible. Trying to balance the two would be a disservice to both.
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So you’re a husband and nothing else? You’re not a barber or an accountant or salesman? You’re not a father or brother or son?

I find it interesting that people focus so much on how being a priest is so time consuming that it would be impossible to be a priest and have a wife and family. Somehow people in other demanding professions can make it work. Someone can be a doctor and a husband, a firefighter and a husband, a soldier and a husband, a rabbi and a husband…but not a priest and a husband…except, of course, for those priests in the East who manage to do both.

Does no one see any value to celibacy as an eschatological sign? Or does it have only practical benefits? As a religious priest once said to me, “even if priests could get married they’d still want guys like me. We work cheap.” It appears from many people as if that’s the only benefit he has to offer.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
So you’re a husband and nothing else? You’re not a barber or an accountant or salesman? You’re not a father or brother or son?

I find it interesting that people focus so much on how being a priest is so time consuming that it would be impossible to be a priest and have a wife and family. Somehow people in other demanding professions can make it work. Someone can be a doctor and a husband, a firefighter and a husband, a soldier and a husband, a rabbi and a husband…but not a priest and a husband…except, of course, for those priests in the East who manage to do both.

Does no one see any value to celibacy as an eschatological sign? Or does it have only practical benefits? As a religious priest once said to me, “even if priests could get married they’d still want guys like me. We work cheap.” It appears from many people as if that’s the only benefit he has to offer.
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I find myself leaning more and more away from the objections based on “practical benefits” and more towards the theological reasons for clerical celibacy. Practical obstacles can be overcome with proper planning. As it is already, bishops tend not to just randomly assign priests to a parish. They factor many things into the decision. If a priest were married, that would be one more thing to consider. And I doubt any bishop would intentionally put a married priest in a position that would constantly put him in the position of choosing between family and ministry.

I already made my decision. I chose married life. And I don’t really think that the Latin rite should drop the celibacy requirement (particularly as though such would be a cure-all to the vocation crisis – which I don’t believe it would be). But if the Church, in Her wisdom, saw fit to make such a change, I would give prayerful consideration to the option. I cannot say what the outcome would be, but I would be open to it.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
So you’re a husband and nothing else? You’re not a barber or an accountant or salesman? You’re not a father or brother or son?
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You being too literal. My duty as a husband includes a job to put food on the table and clothes on their backs.
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I find it interesting that people focus so much on how being a priest is so time consuming that it would be impossible to be a priest and have a wife and family. Somehow people in other demanding professions can make it work. Someone can be a doctor and a husband, a firefighter and a husband, a soldier and a husband, a rabbi and a husband…but not a priest and a husband…except, of course, for those priests in the East who manage to do both.

Does no one see any value to celibacy as an eschatological sign? Or does it have only practical benefits? As a religious priest once said to me, “even if priests could get married they’d still want guys like me. We work cheap.” It appears from many people as if that’s the only benefit he has to offer.
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I agree with St. Paul:

1Co 7:32-33 I would like you to be free from worry. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord’s work, because he is trying to please the Lord. But a married man concerns himself with worldly matters, because he wants to please his wife;
 
Wildgraywolf said:
You being too literal. My duty as a husband includes a job to put food on the table and clothes on their backs.

I agree with St. Paul:

1Co 7:32-33 I would like you to be free from worry. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord’s work, because he is trying to please the Lord. But a married man concerns himself with worldly matters, because he wants to please his wife;
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But apparently the Eastern Church doesn’t seem to agree so much, and they seem to have arrived at a successful middle ground with respect to a married priesthood. For that matter, taking Paul literally would seem to infer that a married man is unable to please the Lord. I don’t think it’s appropriate to read that binary an interpretation into the text.
 
As interesting as some of the conversation is, let’s not get too far away from the OP question. The more general pros and cons have been thoroughly discussed in other threads - and will continue to be so I’m sure.

Wildgreywolf, I thank you for sharing why you feel that you could not be both - Husband and Priest.
There can be no doubt but that such a move would have to be a profound decision made by the couple together. This too would be something quite different from many other jobs because of it’s long term effect on the family.

Joe5859, I like how you say at the end of your post that IF the Church were to change the rules you would pray on the matter…One of the best answers so far me thinks…
Perhaps that is how I should have asked the question - would you consider the priesthood…

I honestly think that in some cases (if it were more widely allowed) Some men might feel the call whereas now they would not.

Peace
James
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
But apparently the Eastern Church…
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Yes… I didn’t mention it because I assumed (mistakenly) that everyone would know that already.

Also, I believe that OP was referring to the Latin Rite allowing married priests. So, naturally, my comments were based around that because I’m a Latin.

If you’re a married Latin and want to become a priest I’d suggest looking into what is required to change from Latin to an Eastern Rite and whatever those requirements for priesthood are. Or if you don’t want to leave the Latin Rite you might want to consider becoming a deacon.

It’s been an interesting thread…
 
Joe_5859 said:
This technically applies to deacons, too, but I don’t know that any bishops have been requiring that of their married deacons or married priests – at least here in the U.S.
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I don’t know of any US diocese that requires a promise of celibacy for deacons unless they intend to become priests soon.
 
JRKH said:
The possibility exists that, if married priests were more widely allowed…He wouldn’t need to be pastor of two parishes…Just a thought.

Peace
James
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Allowing married men to become priests believe it or not does not mean more priests.
 
:ehh:

As a bishop, he most certainly is. He can redefine the law (being the supreme, full, immediate, universal ordinary described in Canon 331), but he is bound to it none the less.
 
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