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Bran_Stark
Guest
So the second one is an unchangeable dogma?
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G
graceandglory
Guest
The original statement isn’t very clear.
Priestly celibacy is a dogma that can be changed, but is(and has been) the norm right now in the Roman Catholic Church.
catholic.com/library/Celibacy_and_the_Priesthood.asp
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JReducation
Guest
No. There is no dogma that says that a priest cannot marry. However, it has never been allowed. This goes back to the days of the Apostles. The ordained did not marry. Therefore, it is a tradition that has become a law.
What is most interesting is that this law has been followed by all the Catholic Churches and the Orthodox Churches. As Pope Benedict calls it, “both lungs” of the Church have observed this tradition without ever breaking it.
Remember, the idea of ordaining married men only applies to those men who are applying to be secular priests. Men who are applying to enter religious orders must be celibate. Marriage and religious life are mutually exclusive.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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JReducation
Guest
Let’s be careful. Dogmas cannot be changed. They are divine truths. Priestly celibacy is not a dogma. It has never been.
The celibacy of consecrated religious is a doctrine that cannot be changed. But most priests are not consecrated religious. They are secular men. Therefore, the doctrine of celibacy does not apply to them.
If a priest does not belong to a religious order or a religious congregation, he is not a consecrated religious. He is a secular man. Therefore, he is not in vows: chastity, poverty and obedience.
He makes a simple promise not to marry: celibacy. That’s not a doctrine. That promise can be done away with by the Church.
He makes a simple promise to obey the assignments that the bishop gives him. He does not promise to live his daily life according to any rule.
He never makes a promise to be poor. He can be very wealthy and he has a right to be paid for his services to the Church.
Only priests who live the religious life are bouind by the doctrine of consecrated chastity. And it’s a doctrine, not a dogma.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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graceandglory
Guest
I do always get those words confused.Let’s be careful. Dogmas cannot be changed. They are divine truths. Priestly celibacy is not a dogma. It has never been.
The celibacy of consecrated religious is a doctrine that cannot be changed. **But most priests are not consecrated religious. They are secular men. Therefore, the doctrine of celibacy does not apply to them.
If a priest does not belong to a religious order or a religious congregation, he is not a consecrated religious. He is a secular man. Therefore, he is not in vows: chastity, poverty and obedience.
He makes a simple promise not to marry: celibacy. That’s not a doctrine. That promise can be done away with by the Church.
He makes a simple promise to obey the assignments that the bishop gives him. He does not promise to live his daily life according to any rule.
**
He never makes a promise to be poor. He can be very wealthy and he has a right to be paid for his services to the Church.
Only priests who live the religious life are bouind by the doctrine of consecrated chastity. And it’s a doctrine, not a dogma.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
I hope the article I linked explained it to the person I was responding to.
The part I bolded was a really good explanation to me, and I just taught about vocations this week. Always learning… There is no end to the depth of this truth and beauty and goodness.
J
JReducation
Guest
You know what, this gets very confusing for the average man in the pew, because most people think that priests are religious. They don’t know the difference between ceilbacy and consecrated chastity.I do always get those words confused.
I hope the article I linked explained it to the person I was responding to.
The part I bolded was a really good explanation to me, and I just taught about vocations this week. Always learning… There is no end to the depth of this truth and beauty and goodness.
There are actually three different states that look very similar but are very different:
celibacy, chastity and consecrated chastity.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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