Priest to marry being considered

[feed_me]

Please forgive me if this is wrong, I want to know if im hearing this correctly.

Britain’s most senior Catholic has suggested Catholic priests should be able to marry and have children, saying the demand for celibacy was not of “divine origin”.

In one of the most significant breaks with Catholic orthodoxy, Cardinal Keith O’Brien said many priests found it “very difficult to cope” with the celibate life and suggested lifting that ban could soon happen in the wider church.

The cardinal suggested that the next pope could review the marriage ban for priests. Marriage is allowed in some cases within the church already. The English Catholic church has accepted married former Anglican priests, under a policy introduced in 2011 by the present pope, Benedict XVI.

O’Brien, who has been the focus of bitter controversy over his staunch opposition to gay marriage and gay adoption, will be the only Catholic from the UK involved in the conclave in the Vatican next month to choose Benedict’s successor.

That vote will be one of his final official duties. Now semi-retired, the cardinal is due to step down shortly as archbishop of St Andrew’s and Edinburgh, and as the head of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland.

In an interview with the BBC, he said there were some elements of Catholic teaching which were “basic dogmatic belief” – such as opposition to abortion and euthanasia. But the proscription against priest’s marrying was not one of them.

“For example the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry – Jesus didn’t say that,” O’Brien said. “There was a time when priests got married, and of course we know at the present time in some branches of the church – in some branches of the Catholic church – priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine of origin and it could get discussed again.”

Saying he had never considered marriage, as he was “too busy” with his duties, the cardinal said: "In my time there was no choice and you didn’t really consider it too much, it was part of being a priest. When I was a young boy, the priest didn’t get married and that was it.

"I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married.

“It is a free world and I realise that many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy as they lived out their priesthood and felt the need of a companion, of a woman, to whom they could get married and raise a family of their own.”

Senior Scottish Catholics, including a former archbishop, have privately floated allowing priests to marry to cope with the severe shortage of young men entering the priesthood. Some parishes in the Scottish Highlands have to share priests because too few are available.

O’Brien said he could “hardly believe it” when he heard Pope Benedict had announced his resignation. The cardinal said he would welcome a new, young pope from outside Europe for the first time.

“It is something which the cardinals have to think about seriously, having had popes from Europe for such a long time now – hundreds of years – whether it isn’t time to think of the developing world as being a source of excellent men,” he said.

“And of course we do have excellent cardinals from other parts of the world as well – highly intelligent, well-trained, deeply spiritual men from other parts of the world.”

linky
guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/22/marriage-ban-priest-pope-cardinal

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Will priests be allowed to marry? No, this will not happen.

Will married men be allowed to be ordained to the priesthood? Possibly BUT I haven’t heard that it’s being seriously considered at this time. Married men can be ordained as permanent deacons but the number of men who seem to be called to that isn’t enough to make me think that there would be many more married men called to the priesthood.

I’

 

[grasscutter]

Correct me if I’m wrong anyone. My understanding is that celibacy in the priesthood is a discipline and not a doctrine. So, it’s something that could be changed.

I am still, however, in favour of unmarried clergy for a variety of reasons. One of them is that the vocation is so demanding that it would be unfair to a wife and children.

As a side bar, on the website Catholic Memes, there was one that said, “Why Would Priests Want to Marry, They’ve Already Taken A Vow of Celibacy?”.

 

[edwest2]

“free world” ???

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_24061967_sacerdotalis_en.html

This is an old subject, brought up again and again, as if it was never dealt with by the Church before. Sorry, “times” haven’t changed. The only changes have been made by people, sometimes without the necessary research to support their “new” idea. Over the last 40 years, the vast majority of those choices that have been supported and spread by small groups, have born bitter fruit, and failed, causing unnecessary suffering.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Fidelis]

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/579641_160719874077763_1867993365_n.jpg

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Correct me if I’m wrong anyone. My understanding is that celibacy in the priesthood is a discipline and not a doctrine. So, it’s something that could be changed.

I am still, however, in favour of unmarried clergy for a variety of reasons. One of them is that the vocation is so demanding that it would be unfair to a wife and children.

As a side bar, on the website Catholic Memes, there was one that said, “Why Would Priests Want to Marry, They’ve Already Taken A Vow of Celibacy?”.

It makes me wonder if he even has a clue what marriage entails. Companionship? Get a pet. Marriage involves sacrifice from both husband and wife. I may be saying this wrong but it shouldn’t involve the parish sacrificing. Or any of the couples children. I would be proud that my husband would be there for someone who is dying and needed last rites but I think I would get ticked if it took him away in the middle of the kids’ games and other activities.

I also wonder where he stands on contraception and divorce.

 

[Lormar]

I thought it was one of the slicksters from the sixties.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

How interesting.
This is a top-ranking Cardinal, yes? He is seeing the worthiness of this. Sounds like he’s suggesting at the end of the article that people going into the priesthood is going down in numbers, and this lifting of the ban would help the numbers rise.

For hundreds of years, priest could indeed be married, right?

Also, it would be odd to ban marriage for priests mainly because it is such a busy job and wives/children would not have enough time with their father/husband.
If we worked that way, we’d have to ban hundreds of other vocations from marrying.

I hope for the priests of the future that this subject is brought to the table again with the new pope. It sounds like a healthy revision–physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

No. A married man could become a priest but a priest can never marry.

I can’t tell if he doesn’t know that or isn’t communicating his position clearly.

 

[cheezey]

.
Is that Wally Cleaver from the Fifties?

No it is Ward Cleaver’s blonde (or white haired) brother

Back to the subject, it would raise the numbers. So many people can support the Church in so many ways, so why not, since one is a discipline and one is a calling?

 

[Fidelis]

Most people have an uninformed opinion on this matter, looking at it emotionally and a misguided view of the nature of the Church and the priesthood. Before even having an opinion on it, one should know the background and the facts:

Why a Celibate Priesthood?
The spiritual and practical reasons are rife
By: Mark P. Shea

 

[Fidelis]

.
Is that Wally Cleaver from the Fifties?
.

Nah, that’s too old to be Wally. More like his dad, Ward Cleaver, but with white hair…

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Ward and Wally Cleaver

 

[landon13]

I highly doubt that because it is against Scripture and against the teachings of the Church
[BIBLEDRB]1 Corinthians 7:32-35[/BIBLEDRB] Celibacy in the Priesthood is a good thing so one can focus upon the Lord without any distractions such as a wife.
Jesus Christ himself also praised celibacy for the ministers of the Lord [BIBLEDRB]Matthew 19:10-12[/BIBLEDRB] One who devotes themselves to the ministry of Christ entirely should, according to the Bible, live a celibate life.

 

[Ignatius]

Please forgive me if this is wrong, I

There are married priests now and it’s not likely to become any more common. The main stream press is so ignorant. Very sad.

 

[marymary1975]

I highly doubt that because it is against Scripture and against the teachings of the Church
[BIBLEDRB]1 Corinthians 7:32-35[/BIBLEDRB] Celibacy in the Priesthood is a good thing so one can focus upon the Lord without any distractions such as a wife.
Jesus Christ himself also praised celibacy for the ministers of the Lord [BIBLEDRB]Matthew 19:10-12[/BIBLEDRB] One who devotes themselves to the ministry of Christ entirely should, according to the Bible, live a celibate life.

thanks for posting this

 

[cheezey]

Landon,
Would you help me to understand 1 Corinthians 7:35 - 38? Thanks

35 I am saying this to help you, not to limit you. But I want you to live in the right way, to give yourselves fully to the Lord without concern for other things.
36 If a man thinks he is not doing the right thing with the girl he is engaged to, if she is almost past the best age to marry and he feels he should marry her, he should do what he wants. They should get married. It is no sin.
37 But if a man is sure in his mind that there is no need for marriage, and has his own desires under control, and has decided not to marry the one to whom he is engaged, he is doing the right thing.
38 So the man who marries his girl does right, but the man who does not marry will do better.

 

[BrotherJ]

Call me a radical but I believe it should be discussed.

I have had numerous occasions when I have really needed to talk with a Priest and none are available, or they are too busy. I have gotten the run-around… Parish secretary says ask Father, Father says “Call the Parish Office, I don’t have my book”

Since we KNOW there is a shortage of Men who have become Priests I believe we should be looking for solutions. We should consider Married Men, we should consider Women, I believe the DISCUSSIONS should take place. Nothing should be so dangerous that it can not be talked about.

A Married Priest would have a better perspective on marital issues.

Maybe there should be an outreach of good Catholic people who assist the Priests.

There is a need so all solutions should be EXAMINED, I do not know the best solution, but if nothing is considered then nothing is solved.

(While I mentioned looking into female Priests I have to admit I avoid Female Extarordinary Ministers - just an old bias that I should work on)

J

 

[thistle]

I highly doubt that because it is against Scripture and against the teachings of the Church
[BIBLEDRB]1 Corinthians 7:32-35[/BIBLEDRB] Celibacy in the Priesthood is a good thing so one can focus upon the Lord without any distractions such as a wife.
Jesus Christ himself also praised celibacy for the ministers of the Lord [BIBLEDRB]Matthew 19:10-12[/BIBLEDRB] One who devotes themselves to the ministry of Christ entirely should, according to the Bible, live a celibate life.

It is NOT against the teachings of the Church. Celibacy is a discipline and not a doctrine. Any discipline can be changed.

 

[ALLGIRLS]

It can be changed (again, to let married men become priests, not to let priests marry), but I’m not buying the argument that it’s the answer to the priest shortage. The problem is with committment, in all vocations. We have a 50% divorce rate (within the Church it’s pretty much the same as the secular world), and Protestant denominations that allow married men AND women clergy are still seeing a shortage. If you think you can’t get to talk to a priest now, imagine if they had a wife and kids and were away at sporting events or at the hospital when their wives were giving birth, etc. And Catholics don’t tithe enough now. Who’s going to support a priest’s family? Is the wife supposed to go to work? And Catholics are called to be open to life. Would a priest have to restrict his family to 2 children (or maybe even one), because of his “other vocation”? A lot of Protestant ministers have other full time jobs. A priest just wouldn’t be able to do that, not with all the vocation entails. It’s not the panacea it’s proponents make it out to be. Honestly, I think they’re just thinking with their “little heads”.

In Christ,
Ellen

 

[grasscutter]

It is NOT against the teachings of the Church. Celibacy is a discipline and not a doctrine. Any discipline can be changed.

Thank you! I thought by the responses that either I was the only one who knew this or was crazy. Again, I’m not in favour of married priests, but it’s not my decision.

 

[cheezey]

It is NOT against the teachings of the Church. Celibacy is a discipline and not a doctrine. Any discipline can be changed.

Thank you! I thought by the responses that either I was the only one who knew this or was crazy. Again, I’m not in favour of married priests, but it’s not my decision.