The Eastern-Rite Catholic Church allows for priests who are married with children. It would be interesting to know if a shortage of priests exist there. Even though I’m hearing that most Catholics would be in favor of having the celibacy discipline removed, would they be in favor of upping their pledge–perhaps tripling or quadrupling–in order for this to be sustainable? I bet most would not.Studies aside. Let me throw in my 2cents.
A celibate priesthood will never disappear or be mandated. It goes back just as far as Christ himself. Further, a married priesthood would not be the answer to a sex scandal anyhow. It really is about formation, not marriage. Another thing in defense of married priests is that protestants afford paying ministers enough to support their families. I see no problem with increasing their salaries in such cases. However, the structure of the Church is much different than a protestant church. But if the Episcopalians, Lutherans, Prebyterians, Methodists, and other liturgical faiths can do it then affording to pay priests shouldn’t even be discussed. The real issue is maintaining the dignity of existing priests and their chosen vocation. Married priests are torn towards their wife and children. It should be that way.
What we consider a shortage, Romans consider a surplus… a 400 family roman parish is considered middle of the road in size, if not a little small, worthy of a single priest and a 2000 family parish large, and likely to have a second priest… the Byzantines consider a 2000 family diocese middle of the road, with typically 30-200 families per parish. And traditionally, the typical Byzantine parish would have a priest per 200 families or so, at least 1 deacon, often 1 per 100-200 families. Sometimes more. Often, priests in larger parishes had day jobs; they were part-time priests.The Eastern-Rite Catholic Church allows for priests who are married with children. It would be interesting to know if a shortage of priests exist there. Even though I’m hearing that most Catholics would be in favor of having the celibacy discipline removed, would they be in favor of upping their pledge–perhaps tripling or quadrupling–in order for this to be sustainable? I bet most would not.
and do you think it is a good thing for a husband and father to spend 12 to 16 hours a day at work?Does a family make a banker, baker, carpenter, etc. any less? We’ve had husbands devote 12-16 hours a day in their secular jobs.
My fundamentalist faith teaches the same thing as the Catholic Church about giving, only benevolent funds are much lower. The preachers make between 35,000 to 60,000 or even a bit higher depending on the size of the community. The really big bread winner preachers are usually shunned by the majority of the communities because they are considered very liberal and not biblical. Max Lucado and other preachers preached at a couple of congregations we attended or tried. We found many of them to might as well be Baptist or worst, Methodist or some other apostate faith (what they believe). Baptists are the one’s that usually tithe tithe, meaning of the words. The New Testament prescribes to give according to which you have prospered. That may be more or less of a tithe.I wasn’t kidding. The 'preacher"s (?) salary comes from the diocese , and that money comes from the collection plate.
And the salary is VERY small.
They are not supposed to be. In the US, the typical timeframe is every 5-6 years. That’s less than the military moves people. Further, most priests move less than 50 miles when moved. Many move only 30 or so. Dioceses like Juneau, Fairbanks, or Anchorage, where some parishes are over 100 miles from the next parish, are not the norm. Bishops also tend to leave married clerics in one parish for extended times; My dad was at one parish for 10 years, and another for almost 20 now…Catholic priests are moved around quite a lot. It would take a special woman to pick up and go every time. It is hard on kids who are moved around a lot too.
Even thirty miles represents a hardship with a family, however, as it will still require the financial cost of a move, and a dislocation of schools, etc, for the children.They are not supposed to be. In the US, the typical timeframe is every 5-6 years. That’s less than the military moves people. Further, most priests move less than 50 miles when moved. Many move only 30 or so.
A 30 mile move of parish, in many areas, won’t necessitate the cleric moving his family at all. My dad, for example, was assigned to a parish 25 miles away from his current one; when he was transferred, he simply drove to the new parish instead of the old. So long as they are transferred within the same urban area, no physical move will be essential; perhaps advisable, but not essential.Even thirty miles represents a hardship with a family, however, as it will still require the financial cost of a move, and a dislocation of schools, etc, for the children.
The fact that it happens more frequently in a military context does not negate that it will be hard on priestly families, and much more difficult for all concerned, including the Church, than when family is not an issue.
ICXC NIKA.
Of course not! But for many of us, its the life we face. We live with it and make do. My point is, if a secular person can make it work, why not a priest?and do you think it is a good thing for a husband and father to spend 12 to 16 hours a day at work?
My wife and I were jobless for over 3 months at the same time and now have found jobs in downtown which is an hour away from where we live. We now only get to spend about 2-4 hours each per day of our son’s waking time at home. The other hours we’re either at work and he’s in daycare, or asleep. Everyone makes a sacrifice, who says having a family is all sunshine and rainbows? Why does a priest have to have perfect conditions before having a family when the rest of us do not?I’ve had marginal experience in this. My husband had a job as a professional scout. He loved this job but the scout office downsized and they offered to move him to a major city. I said no. I didn’t want to pull my kids out of school or move so far from family. I didn’t want to live in a major city. Especially since the pay would not be much more considering the higher cost of living.
I think it was a great disappointment to my husband that he couldn’t continue his career because of me.
Catholic priests are moved around quite a lot. It would take a special woman to pick up and go every time. It is hard on kids who are moved around a lot too.
I don’t see priests as more in demand as people with secular high pressure jobs. In fact, the priest I know seem to have more free time than me. What more those who are surgeons, firefighters, policemen, etc.Of course not. But very, VERY heavily in demand, nonetheless.
The high pressure medical professions have far less numbers. Are you looking at doctors as one group? GPs don’t usually get called for emergencies and work regular hours. Surgeons on the other hand do, especially if their specialization is one that there are not many, especially in a particular city or town. Now contrast that with a rural priest who may have 100-300 parishioners, versus a rural doctor who’s probably the only doctor for the next 100 miles.Because there are far more doctors than priests, and it’s not because MDs are allowed to have a family. It’s because medicine is perceived as an elite profession, something the priesthood no longer is.
On the contrary, Jesus nor St. Paul never imposed celibacy. They said those who can should seek it. But didn’t disqualify those who cannot.The smaller priesthood is not a tragedy, it’s a natural result of greater social freedom. Until the mid 1900s, the priesthood in Catholic cultures was a potential exit for young men from physical labor, and an entrance into a better life. Today, young men have many life choices available, most of which do not require a fully sacrificial life, as the Church does.
Getting into medical college is extremely competitive. Not so Church formation.
Celibacy is too valuable for its witness to the Gospel, to curtail it solely to correct misconceptions.
ICXC NIKA.