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Archdiocese of Milwaukee to get its first married priest
JS Online ^ | July 25, 2008 | By TOM HEINEN

Posted on 07/26/2008 1:30:09 PM PDT by NYer

p>For the first time in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s history, a married Roman Catholic priest with children will be serving the faithful in southeastern Wisconsin.

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan asked his priests and deacons this week which of them would be willing to accept the man - a former Lutheran minister - as an associate pastor at their parish.

The priest and his wife, who have juvenile and adult sons, are moving from the Diocese of Venice, Fla. She has accepted a job here.

Although no married priest has served here, about 100 married priests have been ordained in the United States since the late Pope John Paul II created an exception in 1980 that allows married Lutheran and Anglican or Episcopal priests who have converted to Roman Catholicism to become priests, Dolan wrote in a letter to priests and deacons this week.

The priest, Father Michael Scheip, entered Catholicism in 1988 and was ordained in 1993 for the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., by now-retired Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., Dolan's letter says.

Dolan welcomes Scheip and his family and is working on a placement for him, archdiocesan spokeswoman Julie Wolf said Friday afternoon.

In his letter, which some priests received via e-mail on Thursday and others in regular postal deliveries Friday, Dolan says Scheip asked to be considered for a pastoral assignment here. His wife, Mary, has accepted a position at a Waukesha company, and his sons are enrolled in Catholic schools for the fall term, the letter says.

"I have spoken with Father Scheip, and he has met with the vicar (Father Curt Frederick, vicar for clergy) and we were both impressed with his sincerity," Dolan writes. "He comes with a genuine desire to be of service to the church here in Milwaukee. . . . I am writing to you to elicit your help in welcoming Father Scheip to the archdiocese. Would any of you be willing to accept his service to your parish as an associate pastor? How can I, as your archbishop, be of help to you and to your people in this regard?"

Many of the married Protestant priests who have become Roman Catholic priests were Episcopalians. Pope John Paul II's granting of the exception for converted, married clergy came after a significant number of Episcopal ministers and their parishioners converted to Catholicism after the Episcopal church decided to ordain women, a church law professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., told the Journal Sentinel in 2003.

The arrival of a married priest is expected to raise questions among the estimated 680,000 or more Catholics in the 10-county archdiocese. Not only are they accustomed to the Western church's requirement of celibacy for priests, which went into effect in the 11th century, they also have been dealing with parish mergers and other effects of a worsening priest shortage.

In his letter, Dolan says area Catholics will need catechesis, or religious education - especially in whatever parish Scheip is assigned - and he provides as an attachment a series of questions and answers that the archdiocesan chancery office prepared.

The first question is: "We were always taught that married men could not be ordained Catholic priests. How is it possible that we could have a married Catholic priest here in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee?"

The answer notes that celibacy has never been required of priests in the church's Eastern rite, though it is practiced universally in the West.

"Although it is highly valued, Pope Paul VI states that celibacy 'is not, of course, required by the nature of the priesthood itself. This is clear from the practice of the early church and the traditions of the Eastern rite churches,' " the answer says. "Much has been said about practical reasons for celibacy, such as giving the parish priest more time to dedicate to the children of God, etc. When all is said and done, however, we must understand it as a powerful sign of the presence of the kingdom of God. It is not essential to the priesthood, but it is a radical witness to the reign of Christ in the world."

Wolf had no biographical information available about Scheip, including what branch of Lutheranism he came from.

The St. Petersburg Times of Florida reported in June 2005 that the Scheips have five sons, then ages 9 to 21. The feature story describes the priest's arrival at home after leaving St. Patrick Catholic Church in the Sarasota area.

"He unhooks his priestly collar as he enters the house," the story says. "Sophie the boxer erupts in barks, and Scheip's three boys, those still living at home, gather around. 'How's vacation?' Scheip says as he is enveloped by the noise of the family room TV."

Scheip, who wears secular clothes when he goes out with his wife, plays a Washburn electric guitar at family rock 'n' roll jam sessions in the home, with one son playing bass and another drums, the story says.


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Worship
KEYWORDS: celibacy; lutheran; marriedpriests; milwaukee; priesthood
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To: NYer
Although no married priest has served here, about 100 married priests have been ordained in the United States since the late Pope John Paul II created an exception in 1980 that allows married Lutheran and Anglican or Episcopal priests who have converted to Roman Catholicism to become priests, Dolan wrote in a letter to priests and deacons this week.

I certainly hope Dolan correctly stated that only married Anglican converts can be ordained under the 1980 Pastoral Provision. Other married protestant converts who are ordained are done so with a dispensation from the discipline of celibacy. They too must agree to adopt the discipline of celibacy should their spouse precede them in death.

Pastoral Provision

41 posted on 07/27/2008 5:45:49 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
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To: Bringbackthedraft
Any idea of how many of these protestants are married?
42 posted on 07/27/2008 5:47:41 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
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To: raybbr
Christ was not a priest.

Was and still is. Better read all of Hebrews, perhaps for the very first time.

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly vocation, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus:" Hebrews 3:1

"Having therefore a great high priest that hath passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God: let us hold fast our confession." Hebrews 4:14

"As He saith also in another place: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech. Who in the days of His flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offering up prayers and supplications to Him that was able to save Him from death, was heard for His reverence. And whereas indeed He was the Son of God, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered: And being consummated, He became, to all that obey Him, the cause of eternal salvation. Called by God a high priest according to the order of Melchisedech." Hebrews 5:6-10

"But this, for that He continueth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood, Whereby He is able also to save for ever them that come to God by Him; always living to make intercession for us. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" Hebrews 7:24-26

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." St. Jerome

43 posted on 07/27/2008 6:07:56 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
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To: marajade

The Canon of the Bible was closed in 405 AD by Pope St. Innocent I. The original Nicene Creed was adopted in 325 AD at the First Council of Nicaea.


44 posted on 07/27/2008 6:14:49 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
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To: NYer

Do Catholic priests take vows of poverty?


45 posted on 07/27/2008 6:21:34 AM PDT by John Leland 1789
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To: A.A. Cunningham
So, was Christ celibate his whole life?

In any case the Church has two choices. Allow priests to marry and grow the numbers in the priesthood or don't allow marriage and let the numbers continue to shrink.

46 posted on 07/27/2008 6:41:02 AM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote!)
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To: raybbr
In any case the Church has two choices. Allow priests to marry and grow the numbers in the priesthood or don't allow marriage and let the numbers continue to shrink.

That's a common myth.

There are waiting lists for conservative, traditional seminaries.

47 posted on 07/27/2008 6:45:20 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Mr. Lucky

Good answer.


48 posted on 07/27/2008 6:48:04 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Petronski
That's a common myth. There are waiting lists for conservative, traditional seminaries.

Is there the same number of seminaries as there was fifty years ago?

If what you claim is true then why does the Church constantly bemoan the age/lack of priests?

49 posted on 07/27/2008 7:01:31 AM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote!)
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To: NYer
The article saith, in passing,
...the Western church's requirement of celibacy for priests, which went into effect in the 11th century ...

And I am currently in a clash with someone who maintains it was the rule from the earliest days.

Anybody got some good sources on celibacy, I mean in addition to I Tim 3:2 and 3:12 and Titus 1:6?

50 posted on 07/27/2008 8:39:17 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: NYer

The church has revealed that there have been 13,000 credible accusations against Catholic clerics since 1950. ............... Our next door neighbor was compensated for her child, the child of one of the priests. It never made the news in the 50’s. I was groped by a young priest when I was about 11, and I wasn’t alone, same parish. (As kids during those days you didn’t report those things because you were afraid.) Another good looking priest who had the women parishioners swooning, donned black leather and a motorcycle and spent his evenings in the Village(NYC) and he wasn’t saving souls. Priests are human and have the same amount of hormones as anyone else. This whole thing about unmarried priests is going against human nature and nature in general. I believe it all started because they didn’t want to make priesthood a family business where father passed it on to his son(s) and thus creating a special class? I’m sure there are many married Catholic men who would make great Priests as many married men make great Rabbis, Ministers and Mullahs. I would think a family man as a priest would have a better outlook on life as he is responsible for the health, welfare, support and education of his family from when they are born until they die.


51 posted on 07/27/2008 8:59:12 AM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (If everyone stays home and no one votes will Congress disappear?)
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To: Mad Dawg
This thread should be start anyway. The original article is from the Vatican site: The biblical foundation of priestly celibacy.
52 posted on 07/27/2008 9:02:18 AM PDT by maryz
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To: raybbr

Because far too many seminaries are watered-down liberalized pap factories.


53 posted on 07/27/2008 9:09:34 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Mad Dawg
And this is pretty chronologically arranged: Priestly celibacy in patristics and in the history of the Church. Again, from the Vatican website.
54 posted on 07/27/2008 9:09:38 AM PDT by maryz
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To: Bringbackthedraft
This whole thing about unmarried priests is going against human nature and nature in general.

It sure goes against the oversexualized world of the 21st century.

As it should.

I believe it all started because they didn’t want to make priesthood a family business where father passed it on to his son(s) and thus creating a special class?

I'm sure you believe a lot of things. I wonder if any of them are true.

55 posted on 07/27/2008 9:15:53 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: maryz
Thank you for that. I had already read the first paper and while I found the interpretation of "the husband of one wife" what I can only call "inspiring" it did not persuade me that Paul was not contemplating married bishops, priests, and deacons.

But I will now study the second. Thanks.

56 posted on 07/27/2008 11:09:25 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: John Leland 1789
Do Catholic priests take vows of poverty?

Only certain orders, such as the Franciscans. Diocesan priests do not take vows of poverty. They do, however, take a vow of obedience to their bishop.

57 posted on 07/27/2008 2:36:34 PM PDT by NYer ("Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ." - St. Jerome)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

http://www.gotquestions.org/canon-Bible.html

This links says ad 250


58 posted on 07/27/2008 5:00:53 PM PDT by marajade (Yes, I'm a SW freak!)
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To: marajade

it is the basic Christian statement of faith, period. The Creed of Nicea is considered absolute doctrine in the Church.


59 posted on 07/27/2008 7:39:46 PM PDT by ChurtleDawg (voting only encourages them)
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