Posted on 07/16/2012 6:24:27 PM PDT by marshmallow
Former Episcopal priests are crossing over to the Catholic Church—and bringing their wives and kids along for the ride.
Chuck Hough III was thrilled when his son decided to enter the family business. His concerns were like those of any other parent: He wanted his son to make the decision independently, without pressure from family members or friends. Hough’s business, though, is unlike any other in the country. He and his son, Chuck Hough IV, were recently ordained Catholic priests. Both are serving in Texas. The Houghs will join the 75 or so married former Episcopal priests currently ministering in U.S. Catholic parishes.
The married Catholic priests are being welcomed through a special arrangement called the “Pastoral Provision,” approved in 1980 by Pope John Paul II. Their reasons for converting are diverse.
“I didn’t become Catholic to be a Catholic priest,” says the younger Hough, 31, the newly appointed pastor of Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church in Houston. “I became a Catholic for the salvation of my soul and the souls of my children and my wife. It’s a grace from God that they are allowing me to petition to become a priest. It was something that was on my heart, and I would faithfully be a Catholic layman for the rest of my life.”
While preparing for his diaconate ordination, Hough served as an assistant director of religious education at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Keller, Texas. Hough and his wife, Lindsay, lived in the parish rectory with their two children, Charlie, 4, and Wills, 1. He taught religious education and coached his son’s soccer team, the Thunderdragons.
The younger Hough renounced his Episcopal orders in June 2011 and, along with his wife, joined the Catholic Church in November. The couple is among a growing faction of Episcopalians......
(Excerpt) Read more at uscatholic.org ...
It has been done before just not in the last few cebturies.
I believe he was, others do not believe that.
Dp you really believe Jesus was Natural do you believe any natural could bring Lazarus back to life?
No, it hasn’t been done in about 15 or 16 centuries at least. And it was never the ideal. Learn some history.
You said it had never been done.,but I do apologise for making a statement in basically a religious post. I don’t know what got into me ,I knew better. Religious zealots do not care for opinions , THEY are the only arbiters .
Again I apologise.
Yes, because celibacy "as a life's work" is freely chosen by grownups. None of us get to choose celibacy before marriage; we're all born into it. Some people are happy that way; some aren't. Some aren't and never get the chance to change it.
Few people enter into marriage with an agreemnt of not having sex, it is usually the fault of an accident or medical problem and usually comes with age.
The "why" is not important to my point. Marriage vows don't become optional if your spouse becomes unable to perform the marital act.
I seem to recall that celebacy didn’t enter into the Church until the tenth century or so.
The Wikipedia article on the subject dispels that idea pretty adequately, I think. The history is much older than that, and much more complex.
2. There are married Catholic priests -- that in fact is the norm among Eastern Catholic rites. And amongst the Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox and Assyrians and Orientals, married men can become priests, but priests can't get married -- it makes sense if you think about it
3. It's not a backdoor. Quite frankly there should be more ability for married men to become Eastern Catholic priests, but definitely no reason for priests to go about courtin
I am just sorryb that I ventured an opinion, I am sure I will try not to venture an opinion again, as opinions on religion are not wanted here.
Disagreement is not being unfriendly. Have any opinion you want, express any opinion you want — within the limits set by the moderators. Other people will have different opinions. They get the same right to express them that you have. Maybe we’ll all learn something.
Learn Church History. Ordained men do not marry in either the Catholic or Orthodox churches. There was a history of married men being ordained, but not ordained men marrying. It has been that way for over 15 centuries.
Thnk you, Thank you , Oh most learned one. Now if you please go and spread your vast knowledge to someone else, I have stated repeatedly that I was sorry to even come on this post where so many knowledgeable theological experts know it all.
You apparently didn’t know the tradition. Get over it.
I still have the same opinion.
You still have yours. All the BS was a waste of time.
Get over that.
You wrote:
“I still have the same opinion.”
Because it apparently isn’t informed or influenced by actual facts.
“You still have yours.”
Yes, and mine is right. It is reflective of the facts.
“All the BS was a waste of time.”
Do you even know how to make an argument?
I am not here to make an argument, you are.
I just stated my opinion and listened to yours.
You wrote:
“I am not here to make an argument, you are.”
I’m not talking about arguing. I’m talking about being able to defend your position with something other than, well...the nothing that you have posted so far.
“I just stated my opinion and listened to yours.”
The difference is my opinion matters because it is based on the facts and yours doesn’t because there’s nothing to back it up.
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