Priests and Chastity?

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I apologize for my ignorance. But what does it mean if a priest does not take the vow of Chastity?
 
cbks said:
I apologize for my ignorance. But what does it mean if a priest does not take the vow of Chastity?
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I’m not sure exactly what you are asking. However, priests who are members of a religious order take a vow of celibacy. Priests who are not members of a religious order make of promise of celibacy.

In the Eastern Rite, a married man may be ordained.

If a married noncatholic minister coverts to Catholicism is ordained a Catholic priest (like an Episcopal priest), they are allowed to remain married; but if their wife dies, they must remain celibate.
 
Angel_Bradford said:
I’m not sure exactly what you are asking. However, priests who are members of a religious order take a vow of celibacy. Priests who are not members of a religious order make of promise of celibacy.

In the Eastern Rite, a married man may be ordained.

If a married noncatholic minister coverts to Catholicism is ordained a Catholic priest (like an Episcopal priest), they are allowed to remain married; but if their wife dies, they must remain celibate.
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The religious vow is of Chastity, not celibacy, though celibacy is included in that vow.
 
Let me try again… The priest told me that when he became a catholic priest, he did not take the vow of Chastity… He also told me that he did not take the vow of poverty - that one i think i understand - but the Chastity one throws me for a loop. Please advise.
 
cbks said:
Let me try again… The priest told me that when he became a catholic priest, he did not take the vow of Chastity… He also told me that he did not take the vow of poverty - that one i think i understand - but the Chastity one throws me for a loop. Please advise.
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He’s most likely a diocesan priest which, as I stated in my previous post, are not members of a religious order. As such, they do not take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Instead, they promise to be odedient to the bishop and his sucessors and and to be chaste/celibate.

I’m not sure how he managed to dispense with the promise of chastity unless he was already married (or he had his fingers crossed:p).
 
cbks said:
Let me try again… The priest told me that when he became a catholic priest, he did not take the vow of Chastity… He also told me that he did not take the vow of poverty - that one i think i understand - but the Chastity one throws me for a loop. Please advise.
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He might not be a member of a religious order, though he would still be expected to live a chaste/celibate life as a priest.

Edit: looks like this was answered as I was typing 😃
 
Angel_Bradford said:
I’m not sure how he managed to dispense with the promise of chastity unless he was already married (or he had his fingers crossed:p).
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One can and SHOULD be chaste within marriage, too. If he was already married, the appropriate promise of chastity can still be made.
 
A vow of celibacy would automatically include a vow of chastity, I would think. If you are celibate, you have to be chaste. You don’t need to be celibate to be chaste, but you do need to be chaste to be celibate. I haven’t taken a priestly vow, but it seems if I took that vow as a priest, chastity would include the gamut of possibilities available to my vocation.
 
cbks said:
Let me try again… The priest told me that when he became a catholic priest, he did not take the vow of Chastity… He also told me that he did not take the vow of poverty - that one i think i understand - but the Chastity one throws me for a loop. Please advise.
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if he was not a member of a religious order he did not take vows, he made promises, specifically to celibacy.

All Catholics are bound by chastity to their state in life.

in what context was this conversation?
 
He was trying to get kids interested in the priesthood - and mention to them that …he didn’t take the vow of poverty or chastity…
 
drops canon law bomb

Can. 277 §1. Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and therefore are bound to celibacy which is a special gift of God by which sacred ministers can adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and are able to dedicate themselves more freely to the service of God and humanity.

§2. Clerics are to behave with due prudence towards persons whose company can endanger their obligation to observe continence or give rise to scandal among the faithful.

the Diaconate is part of the clerical structure as well :eek: runs for the hills
 
cbks said:
He was trying to get kids interested in the priesthood - and mention to them that …he didn’t take the vow of poverty or chastity…
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Did he expressly state that his intent was as you portray, or did he say these things in a passing manner, and you took it as such?
 
cbks said:
He was trying to get kids interested in the priesthood - and mention to them that …he didn’t take the vow of poverty or chastity…
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Let me take a stab at it.

Most young people do not realize the difference between a Diocesan priest and an Order priest. I think the concept of either one being chaste is clear regardless of if it was a vow or a promise or just what a priest should do. So, on to poverty.

If the young people see Father Diocesan driving a nice car, they may wonder why Father Dominician from down the road walks or Father Jesuit drives a beat up old clunker or why Father Diocesan has a beach house with a couple of other Father Diocesan’s while Father Franciscan vacations at the abby. I think all father was trying to do was to educate that he does not take vows like his other brother priests as a reason for some of the differences the young folks may be confused about.
 
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