Huh? A celibate pries has a low salary because he gets free housing. Okay.
However, a 'married' priest could do the same for the same amount of money? I am DEFINITELY missing something here. What about the family's clothing, school sports, summer camp? What about trips to the shoe store? A celibate priest requires a pair of sturdy, basic black, Florsheim shoes. A family ... well ... no need for me to even begin to list their footwear needs. What about the Orthodontist? And ... what about college tuition?!!
I have obviously missed something in your post .. thank you for clarifying it.
Dear NYer,
Yes, part of the compensation received by priests is free housing and food, at least in our archdiocese. Our own priests live in a very comfortable house, at no charge. Surrounding parishes have more humble rectories (our pastor was a general contractor before becoming a priest, and he oversaw the building of a large, beautiful new rectory - it's about 5000 sq ft), but nonetheless, the priests live in them without cost to them.
Priests in the Archdiocese of Washington make about $20,000 per year. I think that pastors get a little more, and others a little less. For a single fellow without any housing cost, that's pretty comfortable.
"However, a 'married' priest could do the same for the same amount of money?"
Well, that's not what I actually said. Here's what I actually said:
"If a married priest could live in our rectory with his family, it would be unnecessary to increase his salary three-fold. It might not be necessary to increase his salary to even double."
In other words, in contradiction to this article, it would not be necessary to triple the married priest's salary (say, from $20,000 to $60,000) if he were to live in the rectory. Frankly, if we're offering folks free housing plus $60K per year, maybe I might sign up!
With free housing costs, it might not even be quite necessary to double his salary. Housing costs can be real bear around here.
Frankly, without any housing cost, a pastor could live modestly, but comfortably, in this area on an extra $30,000 - $35,000 per year. Especially if the local Catholic school admits the kids for free.
I'm not saying that a married priest wouldn't need more pay than a single priest, only that it wouldn't be triple if the priest and his family could live in the rectory.
The article grossly exaggerates the financial implications of a married priesthood.
I don't think that Washington is out of line with other dioceses. From an article from the Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/news/religion/priest5_20040405.htm
"Detroit priest salaries will range from about $12,000 for new priests to about $20,000 for priests still running parishes in their late 70s. Besides salary, priests get a $10,257 annual transportation allowance, plus housing, food, health care and pension contributions."
There, including his car allowance, a pastor gets a bit over $30,000, plus housing and food.
sitetest
The priest's wife would work outside the home just as about 80% of minister's wives presently do. What planet do you people live on? Minister's wives will be the ones sitting nearest the throne of Jesus in heaven. They not only are wives, mothers, and supplement the low salaries paid their husbands by working outside the home, but they are involved in practically every activity in the congregation as well. Actually, you Catholics are not getting your money's worth with an unmarried clergy. You could be getting "two for the price of one", in Billy Jeff's immortal words.