Pope Francis open to having some married men become priests

[JPUSC]

The pastor of my former parish said that allowing married priests is a slap in the face to him and all the other men who would have loved to get married and have a pile of kids…but they responded to the unmistakable call to give up such for love of Christ and to be a visible sign of Christ’s presence in the world.
Said if that were the case, he’d leave.
No kidding. He said it would have been all for nothing.
Said every single day is a renewed commitment. One that he feels is distinct, and that he happily makes for Christ.

What your priest is feeling is what the ‘rigid Catholics’ are feeling now about Amoris Laetitia, among other recent developments–a slap in the face.

To all who followed the rules, from the Ten Commandments to canon law, especially in regards to mortal sin and took the words of Jesus in the Bible literally…it seems all for nothing. They too happily did it for Christ, and now they are being told, "They appear good because they follow the Law; but behind there is something that does not make them good. Either they’re bad, hypocrites or they are sick. They suffer!”

The difference is celibacy for the priesthood is an alterable discipline while the other current issues are unalterable doctrine from Sacred Scripture.

If your priest is upset enough about a matter of discipline to leave, then imagine how upset everyone else is about other more serious issues.

 

[JRS_88]

The pastor of my former parish said that allowing married priests is a slap in the face to him and all the other men who would have loved to get married and have a pile of kids…but they responded to the unmistakable call to give up such for love of Christ and to be a visible sign of Christ’s presence in the world.
Said if that were the case, he’d leave.
No kidding. He said it would have been all for nothing.
Said every single day is a renewed commitment. One that he feels is distinct, and that he happily makes for Christ.

How does he feel about married priests in the Eastern Catholic Churches?

From an Eastern view, that comment is very upsetting to an Eastern Catholic with a married priest in the family.
Wow.

• I’m sitting on my hands for the rest of this thread -

 

[Don_Ruggero]

What your priest is feeling is what the ‘rigid Catholics’ are feeling now about Amoris Laetitia, among other recent developments–a slap in the face.

To all who followed the rules, from the Ten Commandments to canon law, especially in regards to mortal sin and took the words of Jesus in the Bible literally…it seems all for nothing. They too happily did it for Christ, and now they are being told, "They appear good because they follow the Law; but behind there is something that does not make them good. Either they’re bad, hypocrites or they are sick. They suffer!”

The difference is celibacy for the priesthood is an alterable discipline while the other current issues are unalterable doctrine from Sacred Scripture.

If your priest is upset enough about a matter of discipline to leave, then imagine how upset everyone else is about other more serious issues.

Then there are those of us who receive with unmitigated joy the words of the Vicar of
Christ upon Earth and implement his initiatives without even the slightest of qualm.

Pope Francis is one of the greatest gifts to the Church in my lifetime…and I have seen two saints and a blessed leading the Church and making the Church so much better, since 1958.

 

[RomanoAmerio]

That “visible sign” and it’s removal is what destroyed the convents, remember?
I’m out.
He’s a good priest.

Absolutely!

I must say I am shocked by some of the views on this thread. They show a lamentable lack of what we call the sensus Catholicus.

 

[twf]

How does he feel about married priests in the Eastern Catholic Churches?

From an Eastern view, that comment is very upsetting to an Eastern Catholic with a married priest in the family.
Wow.

• I’m sitting on my hands for the rest of this thread -

Latin triumphalism is alive and well…to our utter shame.

 

[twf]

Absolutely!

I must say I am shocked by some of the views on this thread. They show a lamentable lack of what we call the sensus Catholicus.

As has been stated repeatedly on this thread, Holy Mother Church does already ordain married men to the priesthood. Married priests are ministering in the Church as we speak…and there are some truly extraordinary men among them. I have had the pleasure to have met more than once married Catholic priest.
Celibacy is a gift. We will always have celibacy…but it is not necessarily intrinsically tied to the priesthood.

 

[pnewton]

Again, the Pope is changing nothing. This conversation has never entirely ceased. All the Pope said is that he is open to the issue being considered, and sees a possible limited application. The actual news story is not really news. It is simply business as usual.

Not all are called to the same calling. Some priests have to give up more than others. The calling is between God and that person. How God relates to the calling of others is never relevant to what God calls one to do. We need to leave our own sense of what is fair and rely on God to do what is right an just.

• “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”*

 

[jediliz]

I am not sure how it is in other dioceses, but in my own diocese, assistant priests (parochial vicars) are usually transferrd to a new parish every two years. Then after so many times being an assistant pastor, they become a pastor.

If they were married, I would think that would be difficult…it would be like being a military family…moving around a lot. In my state, we have a lot of small rural parishes…often one priest is assigned to multiple parishes, so he would be gone a lot on the weekend, presiding over Mass at different parishes. Add in other duties and it would be very difficult to add in a family. So, I can understand why we have celibacy.

I am not sure how Eastern Rite Catholic priests do it - how do they balance family with their priestly dutiies? I am guessing they don’t get moved around as much as Roman Rite.

BTW, don’t we already have special exceptions for married priests such as those converting from Anglicansism?

 

[James248]

Absolutely!

I must say I am shocked by some of the views on this thread. They show a lamentable lack of what we call the sensus Catholicus.

Apparently, you have beef with Jesus Himself. He Himself ordained married priests.

 

[commenter]

Apparently, you have beef with Jesus Himself. He Himself ordained married priests.

Um, do you have information sources we don’t have? The gospels mention that Peter had a still living mother in law. Period.

We don’t really have information to prove or disprove how many were currently married at the time of Jesus’ call, other than the fact Paul was celibate.

 

[pnewton]

I am not sure how it is in other dioceses, but in my own diocese, assistant priests (parochial vicars) are usually transferrd to a new parish every two years.

We have few parishes with more than one priest, but the two closest to me have served decades. Such things are why discussion must take place for any change to come. Right now, the Holy Father seems to be thinking only of more extreme situations, and in remote conditions.

 

[Usagi]

The difference is celibacy for the priesthood is an alterable discipline while the other current issues are unalterable doctrine from Sacred Scripture.

If your priest is upset enough about a matter of discipline to leave, then imagine how upset everyone else is about other more serious issues.

Unalterable doctrine is just that. It cannot be altered, not by Council nor Pope.

Indeed, the doctrine of papal infallibility insures, not that whatever the Pope proclaims is true (as those outside the Church often assume), but that the Pope cannot proclaim something that goes against the deposit of faith.

If that were to happen, you and all the rest of us would be quite right to leave the Church, as she would not be what she claims. However, and excuse me for saying so, but you already seem to have a certain mistrust in the Church’s ability to resolve these issues “correctly.”

 

[James248]

Um, do you have information sources we don’t have? The gospels mention that Peter had a still living mother in law. Period.

1 Corinthians 5:9 is my source.

 

[Ginny89]

Um, do you have information sources we don’t have? The gospels mention that Peter had a still living mother in law. Period.

We don’t really have information to prove or disprove how many were currently married at the time of Jesus’ call, other than the fact Paul was celibate.

We do have st. Paul saying that a bishop had to be the husband of one wife.

1st Timothy 3

"This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

**One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)**"

It is part of tradition that St. Peter was married. See: newadvent.org/cathen/11744a.htm

"Capharnaum

Simon settled in Capharnaum, where he was living with his mother-in-law in his own house (Matthew 8:14; Luke 4:38) at the beginning of Christ’s public ministry (about A.D. 26-28). **Simon was thus married, and, according to Clement of Alexandria (Stromata, III, vi, ed. Dindorf, II, 276), had children. The same writer relates the tradition that Peter’s wife suffered martyrdom (ibid., VII, xi ed. cit., III, 306). **Concerning these facts, adopted by Eusebius (Church History III.31) from Clement, the ancient Christian literature which has come down to us is silent. Simon pursued in Capharnaum the profitable occupation of fisherman in Lake Genesareth, possessing his own boat (Luke 5:3)."

Lastly, the church HAS ORDAINED MARRIED MEN CONTINUOUSLY for 2000 years! Do you think she has been in error right from the beginning and throughout her existence? The celibates-only rule is 1,000 years old. The church is 2,000 years old.

 

[commenter]

We do have st. Paul saying that a bishop had to be the husband of one wife.

It is part of tradition that St. Peter was married. See: newadvent.org/cathen/11744a.htm

"Capharnaum

Simon settled in Capharnaum, where he was living with his mother-in-law in his own house (Matthew 8:14; Luke 4:38) at the beginning of Christ’s public ministry (about A.D. 26-28). **Simon was thus married, and, according to Clement of Alexandria (Stromata, III, vi, ed. Dindorf, II, 276), had children. The same writer relates the tradition that Peter’s wife suffered martyrdom (ibid., VII, xi ed. cit., III, 306). **Concerning these facts, adopted by Eusebius (Church History III.31) from Clement, the ancient Christian literature which has come down to us is silent. Simon pursued in Capharnaum the profitable occupation of fisherman in Lake Genesareth, possessing his own boat (Luke 5:3)."

Lastly, the church HAS ORDAINED MARRIED MEN CONTINUOUSLY for 2000 years! Do you think she has been in error right from the beginning and throughout her existence? The celibates-only rule is 1,000 years old. The church is 2,000 years old.

The apostles were bishops, but after a few years most bishops were not ordained by Jesus.

I am not opposed to selective changes to celibacy rules for priests. I was responding to an earlier poster who said “Jesus himself ordained married priests”. We don’t have proof that Jesus ordained anyone who was currently married, nor proof that He did not do so. Obviously Peter had been married. Sources of Peter’s wife being alive and being martyred later are not in Scripture. The scriptural silence about Peter’s wife is noted.

I am simply urging people not to make blanket statements, like “Jesus ordained married men”, nor “Jesus never ordained married men”.

This is not an argument about celibacy, but about jumping to conclusions.

 

[JimG]

Ten Things to Remember About Married Catholic Priests

 

[LittleFlower378]

To get more priests we need more altar boys! There needs to be a crusade for altar boys. Young men serving at the altar will help. We should have so many boys that we will not need the girls any more.

Also, we need strong holy families like I said before. To get holy families we need strong holy priests. If most Catholics at mass are using contraception, but have not heard a peep out of the parish for 2 years about the evil of contraception, how is that making anyone holy?

If the Church would just allow any married man to become a priest, I could see an even deeper problem of priests not following doctrine.

 

[James248]

The apostles were bishops, but after a few years most bishops were not ordained by Jesus.

I am not opposed to selective changes to celibacy rules for priests. I was responding to an earlier poster who said “Jesus himself ordained married priests”. We don’t have proof that Jesus ordained anyone who was currently married, nor proof that He did not do so. Obviously Peter had been married. Sources of Peter’s wife being alive and being martyred later are not in Scripture. The scriptural silence about Peter’s wife is noted.

I am simply urging people not to make blanket statements, like “Jesus ordained married men”, nor “Jesus never ordained married men”.

This is not an argument about celibacy, but about jumping to conclusions.

Does 1 Corinthians 9:5 ring a bell?

Apparently you have a wrong idea of a blanket statement.

 

[stinkcat_14]

To get more priests we need more altar boys! There needs to be a crusade for altar boys. Young men serving at the altar will help. We should have so many boys that we will not need the girls any more.

Also, we need strong holy families like I said before. To get holy families we need strong holy priests. If most Catholics at mass are using contraception, but have not heard a peep out of the parish for 2 years about the evil of contraception, how is that making anyone holy?

If the Church would just allow any married man to become a priest, I could see an even deeper problem of priests not following doctrine.

I am not sure why the Church would allow just any married man to become a priest, anymore than it currently allows any single man to become a priest.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

To get more priests we need more altar boys! There needs to be a crusade for altar boys. Young men serving at the altar will help. We should have so many boys that we will not need the girls any more.

No. Not in any parish I have association with. It was a wonderful day in 1994 when service at the altar FINALLY opened to girls and women in the same way they had been serving as lectors, as extraordinary ministers and as pastoral associates. It was a moment of great celebration.

If the Church would just allow any married man to become a priest, I could see an even deeper problem of priests not following doctrine.

It should not be any married man just as it should be any unmarried man who becomes a candidate for priesthood. Thus must be thoroughly examined and vetted.