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RPConover
Guest
I would be fine with married men being ordained(as it was in the past and still is in Eastern Rites), but not the other way around.
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Khoria_Anna
Guest
Speaking as one who is well acquainted with both married (Eastern rites, former Protestants and Orthodox) and celibate priests, I’ve observed that married priests stand in awe of their celibate brothers, and wholeheartedly endorse the western Church’s discipline of celibacy in the priesthood.
The men who have chosen to life a life of selfless service to the Church stand in a special way as icons of Christ for us all in a way that a married man cannot. Even in Orthodoxy, where married clergy are the norm, there are celibate monk priests from whose ranks alone bishops are chosen.
The Western Church may someday be ready to accept a married priesthood, but first the Church has to understand and appreciate those who “have become eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom.” Their service and sacrifice is so far misunderstood that many see it as a perversion of the natural order. Until that attitude changes, the Western Church will not be ready for a married clergy, other than for the few exceptions that are currently allowed.
The men who have chosen to life a life of selfless service to the Church stand in a special way as icons of Christ for us all in a way that a married man cannot. Even in Orthodoxy, where married clergy are the norm, there are celibate monk priests from whose ranks alone bishops are chosen.
The Western Church may someday be ready to accept a married priesthood, but first the Church has to understand and appreciate those who “have become eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom.” Their service and sacrifice is so far misunderstood that many see it as a perversion of the natural order. Until that attitude changes, the Western Church will not be ready for a married clergy, other than for the few exceptions that are currently allowed.
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ChristIsTheWay
Guest
You should now provide an argument in favor of your position. Simply having an opinion is not good enough, you must be able to back up your reasons for that opinion.
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water
Guest
This will never happen, my brothers/sisters. While I am still acknowleding that being alone is not good because of temptation, but we can not use this little quote “It is not good for man to be alone.” and apply to the priesthood - it should be applied for those who are neither priest nor a married man. Living a single life like that could be dangerous to your soul.
The following verses are the reason why priest should never be married. If we all want to expand the kingdom of God, then the following verses will make a great sense to us:
1 Corinthians 7:33-34
But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided.. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit."
Verse 38. So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better.
Matthew 19:29: " And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sister or father or mom or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."
If one says I want to totally dedicate my entire life to Jesus but is still hanging on to the earthly matter, then he is probably semi-dedicate his life to Jesus.
To be a priest is to give up oneself’s life to God and to bring lives of others to God - How wonderful! I wish I had this vocation.
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Tazgurl21
Guest
I don’t know don’t really have a backup for my opinion but oh well, I just think the priests should be allowed to marry. Thats why alot of them left the priesthood to have a married life. why you think we have a shortage of priests? lie i siad before dsiocesan priests don’t take vows they just make a promise. religious priests take a vow to chasity. While the diocesan priests make a promise to celibacy. I know they are humans like the rest of us but they do have earthly needs. plus these two newly ordained priests i know are flirts at times.
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mercygate
Guest
In today’s Gospel, the host invites a man to his banquet, and the man says: “I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.” (Emphasis mine.)
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mercygate
Guest
This may have been true in the 1970s when men who entered the priesthood in the 1960s did so with the understanding that the rule of celibacy would be lifted. The fact that priests may sometimes leave the priesthood and subsequently marry is by no means a post hoc ergo propter hoc proposition.
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water
Guest
One of the answers - it is because We, ie. You and I, are not praying hard enough for having those men who gave up their own lives for Jesus.
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water
Guest
Right. He is too occupied; the poor, the homeless and the sick were invited - they have nothing to hesitate but come to the feast.
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Tazgurl21
Guest
Yeah duh, but i don’t have a prolem with priests who flirt. But if celibacy isn’t really required than why do they live celibate lives?
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mercygate
Guest
What do you mean “isn’t really required?” The Church does not limit her expression of love to the least it must do but reaches for the greatest good.
Preists of the Latin Rite lead celibate lives because Our Lord lived a celibate life. Because St. Paul counsels celibacy as the greater good. Because it is a God-given charism for the building up of the Church and for the sanctification of her priests. Because the Latin Church has never refused this precious gift which God has offered his Church.
Celibacy is required under the discipline of the Latin Church for all of these reasons.
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water
Guest
I can see your own problem now.
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frleo
Guest
This tread caught my attention and I’ve read through it. I’d like to add a few thoughts of my own. For those who don’t know me here on the forums, I am a Catholic priest serving in Eastern Montana and as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserve.
First thing to note is that the article is from Aug, '01 which was before 9/11 so the war stance of America magizine does not work as an arguement, but I agree that America has a bias.
Those who mentioned the idea of inviting the priest over have something there. Priests are a part of many families, but are often not included in what is going on. It is easy to leave the priest in the rectory, or in the case of the military, in his home and forget that they are there. Not everyone likes every priest they’ve had, but usually someone likes the priest who is in the parish. Make sure you encourage people to invite the priests they like to dinner, or out, sometime. (Did you do anything in your parish for Priesthood Sunday last month?) After I was mobilized in Nov, '01 for eleven months, I had several military families who reached out to me as their priest to make sure I had plenty to do and to be a part of their families. Some of those families have even come to Montana to visit me. It would also be helpful to spend more time in prayer praying for vocations so priests are less likely to be assigned to parishes by themselves, or that they would have other priests who are assigned closer to their location. (When I am in my western parish, I am 85 miles from another priest. I’m 45 miles from a priest in my eastern parish.)
A life of prayer is important for priests. It helps them build that intimate relationship with God that is so important to their lives. If priests would go to the church or chapel when tempted, it would do a lot to prevent the “problems” that have been reported.
On the celibacy issue, I would not be able to serve my parish adequately if I had a family. I’ve seen the struggles that face many Protestant ministers with families. They have twice as many extended family emergencies that take them away from their parishes (two extended families once they get married). They also have a boat load of immediate family problems – wives who are sick, children who are sick, teachers that must be visited, family issues, etc. Celibacy truly is a benefit to the church and understanding celibacy as a gift from God instead of a burden makes a difference in the outlook by the priests and the people they serve. Seminaries today have been doing a better job helping priests see this gift.
Some priests are just naturally more outgoing and appear flirty. That does not mean they don’t take their promises seriously. It means they like having fun with people.
I hope this give you all some insight from a priest on the issues.
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mercygate
Guest
High five, Father! I hope you find that we have adequately characterized and defended the discipline of clerical celibacy on this thread.
You have pushed my button. We have a new priest (3 weeks) in the parish. Seems like a terrific guy. I think he’s bi-ritual: Latin & Syro-Malabar. I’ll invite him to dinner before Advent sets in!
Is that a Great Pyrenees with you in the picture?
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frleo
Guest
I’m sure your new priest will get a lot of invites during Advent and Christmas, but it would be good to invite him before that so he knows he is cared for.
I think the celibacy issue was well outlined in this thread. Just wanted to add my own thoughts
Yep, that is my Pyr, “Wolfkiller” or “Wolf” for short.
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mercygate
Guest
Great Pyrenees are GORGEOUS. I hope he has a long, healthy life. I’m sure that where you live, there is plenty of room for him to run.
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prv
Guest
Sending troublesome priests to the military? That is terrible. I don’t agree with all the governnment does with our military, but it is important that the Church not leave them abandoned, for it is the will of Christ that all be ministered to. They deserve the best that the Church can offer them.Is the author of the article Catholic? Sounds to me like a non-Catholic military chaplain. Furthermore, it may be related to who ends up as chaplains in the mililtary services. Many of the Protestant chaplains are “non-denominational” and volunteer for the military chaplaincy–often after having served in the military. Unfortunately in the past, Catholic military chaplains, who are sponsored by their home diocese, were trouble in their home diocese and their bishops were more than happy to pass them on to the military chaplaincy.
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prv
Guest
W/o taking issue here with priestly celibacy, it is not a divine law that priests not be married. (Or else, the prohibition would apply equally to Catholic priests of the Eastern rite, and the Church would have no power to exempt former Episcopalian priests. We just need to make a clarification here.) Finally, it must be stated that being faithful to our leaders, is rather being faithful to Christ insomuch as they do teach Christ—in stem cell research, etc. The clergy are there to make Christ present to us in every age----this is accomplished by ordination----and to bring us into everlasting life. This is against those who claim that the role of Catholic clergy is merely to boss over us. Therefore, I consider myself a Catholic who strives to follow the will of Christ, who is present in His ordained clergy, and who desired that the clergy minister to us—not a Catholic who follows leaders, as some will say, “just because” it is the Catholic thing to do and Catholics are mindless people. Just a clarification. (I’m not accusing you or anyone of anything.
) What is necessary, of course, is obedience in those things which the Church does have power over.
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prv
Guest
Most certainly not me! I was just responding to those who said there were. Even if such was the case, the Archdiocese of the Military Services surely has ecclesiastical power to reject these candidates for chaplaincy and send them back to their home (territorial) dioceses.
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