Priestly Celibacy stuff?

[Augustinian]

I do laugh every time I read this.

Celibacy is the only reason that I did not attend seminary.

I think you can speak for yourself on this, but do you really know how many men are in a similar position? And are there really a lot of Catholic women that would want to be married to priests? You can say that its like the wives of career army officers, but those men have time limited careers, priest is a lifetime vocation.

 

[dochawk]

I think you can speak for yourself on this, but do you really know how many men are in a similar position?

I have a big ego, but I truly doubt that I’m unique.

And are there really a lot of Catholic women that would want to be married to priests?

My wife, for one . . .

And in my little EC parish (under 100 families), at least two who are discerning whose wives are strongly in favor . . .

I’d also note that the rate of those discerning and accepting vocations in the EC churches in the US would seem to be a multiple of the RC rate . . .

 

[13pollitos]

Married priests must be married before ordination. Just as it is with the wives of permanent deacons, the wives must discern with them and give their consent numerous times before ordination. It isn’t as if the wife has no say in the process and unlike career military (my husband is retired after 25 years), the husband can’t just sign a contract without her knowledge or consent. Lots of military wives are faced with going along for the ride or divorcing because they have no way of stopping their husband from enlisting, re-enlisting or excepting a commission. The wives of the men in seminary have numerous opportunities stop the process.

 

[edwest]

Pope Paul VI

http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_24061967_sacerdotalis.html

 

[otjm]

Interesting from the perspective of 51 years later. Thank you for posting, as I thought it was John Paul 2 who opened the door to married Protestant pastors being ordained.

After 51 years, and the world not coming to a grinding halt over ordaining married men to the deaconate, and with Brazil petitioning to allow the ordination of married men, we can all wait and see. It would not surprise me at all either way that decision is made.

I for one would support a “both/and” rule. Celibacy certainly will continue to appeal to those who have absolutely no desire to marry. The church has yet to come to terms with a certain visible and not so visible issue that continues to linger on the periphery.

 

[edwest]

The goal is definitely not optional celibacy.

 

[twf]

Yes, the argument that celibacy is the root cause of child abuse is one of the most deeply disturbing things I’ve encountered. If I were a single man, I would start to worry that the general public will suddenly fear me as a “potential child abuser” because I’m not regularly having relations with a woman… what a bizarre line of thinking.

That said, I have no issue with the Church ordaining more married men to the priesthood. We will always have celibate clerics among the religious either way… celibacy isn’t intrinsic to the priesthood, but it is intrinsic to religious life.

 

[otjm]

I don’t think that was what I was conveying. I think that we may eventually have a priesthood where the Church ordains married me and celibate men. I have never really understood the jaw flapping over “getting rid of celibacy”. that is ridiculous. And I am well aware of the rule, now followed with married deacons, that if a married man is ordained and his wife dies, his future is celibacy.

Having both a married clergy and a celibate clergy is part of the history of the Church. I seriously doubt, for a multitude of reasons, that allowing married men to be ordained is going to create any rush to the Cathedral.

The rule of celibacy is a disciplinary rule, although some (I am not referencing you) seem to raise it to the level of a doctrine. It is not; and what I have seen personally of married priests (one a prior Presbyterian, the other Episcopal) they are well accepted and have done well in the parishes they have been assigned to.