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 ...
This puts the entire concept of priestly celibacy on the slippery slope of hypocrisy.
Celibacy has always been hypocrisy.
Catholic Priests should be allowed to marry.
I see this as a backdoor to the Priesthood for a man who desires a woman. Become an Episcopal Priest and marry and then change over.
It isn’t right all Priests should be allowed to marry IMO Catholic opinion
The Catholic tradition of a celibate priesthood is not endangered or confused and is not willing to discard good priests while also not willing to change the Roman traditions.
The need for priests in the USA is such that we are bringing in foreign priests to serve more than one parish, in many cases.
To your point though, I can’t say you are wrong. Even Catholics understand how these things look, but actually there always has been this one exception permitted, in some
“some” cases, in some circumstances.
How to Refute Arguments Against Priestly Celibacy
Priestly Celibacy Reflects Who - and Whose - We Are[Father George W.Rutler]
Celibacy
Tracing the Glorious Origins of Celibacy
God’s call to celibacy for the sake of His Kingdom - by Card. George
Vatican Says Celibacy Rule Nonnegotiable
Bishop Attacks Move to End Celibacy
A response to Fr. Joseph Wilson's defense of mandatory celibacy
The gift of Priestly celibacy as a sign of the charity of Christ, by Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Archbishop Dolan:"We Need to Be Renewing Our Pledge to Celibacy, Not Questioning It"
Celibacy is gift cherished by church
Celibacy Will Save the Priesthood
Celibacy Defended by EWTN's Fr. Levis
Call To Action: Dump Celibacy
The (Catholic) Church Has Always Prospered When Celibacy Is Honored
John Paul II Hails "Inestimable Value" of Priestly Celibacy
For Priests, Celibacy Is Not the Problem
Fr. Shannon Collins Discusses Celibacy
5 Arguments Against (Catholic) Priestly Celibacy and How to Refute Them
Why A Married Priesthood Won't Remedy the Priest Shortage
New Vatican Document on Homosexuality and the Priesthood Coming Before Fall 2005
Catholic priests demand the right to marry
Catholic priests urge Church to reconsider celibacy rules
Alternative Priests´ Council Hits Back on Mandatory Celibacy
Married Priests? The English Experience
Saying Yes to God: a Look into Vocations
New Vatican Document to Eliminate 1961 Papal Ban on Ordaining Homosexuals
Saying Yes to God: a Look into Vocations
Is it time to ordain married men to the Catholic priesthood?
40% of Scots priests want end to celibacy
A small, sturdy band of 'John Paul priests'(JPII legacy of conservative priests)
Yes, Gay Men Should Be Ordained
Cardinal says Priests will marry
Fathers, Husbands and Rebels: Married Priests
An Unneeded Headache (Vatican document on [NOT] admitting homosexual to the priesthood)
More (Priestly) Celibacy, Not Less
Vatican Prepares Draft Directives Against Admitting Gays as Priests
From Anglican to married Catholic priest
Spain gets first married priest
Spain (R) Catholic Church ordains first married priest
The Catholic Church - East-West Difference Over Priestly Celibacy
ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SCRANTON TO RECEIVE FIRST ECUSA PRIEST
Defending Chastity in the Priesthood
Ordination of married men is raised at Vatican synod
Patriarch of Venice deemphasizes ordination of married men to the priesthood
Cardinal Pell: Ending Celibacy Rule Would Be a Blunder
Priest shortage stems from crisis of faith, ignorance of the infinite, not celibacy, say Bishops [at Synod]
Vatican synod rules out married priests (for Latin Church)
Synod Affirms Priestly Celibacy
Married Priests Aren’t the Answer (a seminarian states his view)
5 Arguments Against Priestly Celibacy and How to Refute Them
(Catholic) Church makes a clear distinction between chastity and celibacy, says Priest
Why Not Married Priests? The Case for Clerical Celibacy
The biblical foundation of priestly celibacy
Married, ex-Episcopalian ordained a Catholic priest in California
Getting It Right:The Foundation of Friendship (What can a celibate priest really teach us about love
Another One Takes the Plunge [swims the Tiber]
Following the Signs (to a priestly vocation)
That sneaky desperate Catholic Church is at it again
Long Journey to Rome (Former Southern Baptist Pastor Now a Traveling Crusader for Catholic Church)
New, stricter Priestly Formation Program issued for U.S. Catholic seminaries
Ex-Lutheran bishop found Catholic rock: Joseph Jacobson to be ordained Catholic priest by Christmas
Jesuit defends priestly celibacy (a lengthy but worthy read)
The Gift: A Married Priest Looks at Celiba[cy]
Vatican Reaffirms Celibacy for Priests
Pope, Curia Aides Reaffirm Value of Priestly Celibacy (detailed Vatican response)
Vatican Said (Again!) Not Revising Celibacy Rule
On Priests, Marriage and the Sacraments
Should Catholic priests have the right to marry?
Married Priests Back Celibacy (Part 1 of 2)
Messori: Married priests no remedy for “vocations crisis”
Why Celibacy? [Catholic Caucus]
Married man considers turn as Catholic priest
The Nature of Priestly Ordination: Theological Background and Some Present Concerns
Ukrainian cardinal says married men not answer to vocations crisis
Angelo Roncalli (Pope John XXIII) and Priestly Celibacy
Married man considers turn as Catholic priest
Roman Catholic Priests the Case For:
Priestly Celibacy: Yes, it is Apostolic [Ecumenical]
Why Can't (Roman) Catholic Priests Get Married?
Married [converts] priests inspire flock
Bad Examples Do Not Invalidate The Value of Priestly Celibacy, Says Bishop
TENDENCY FOR PRIESTS IS TOWARD CELIBACY, SAYS EGYPTIAN BISHOP
The Jewel of Celibacy
What are you talking about? The Catholic Church does not have a requirement for Catholic celibacy. The Catholic Church also has no rule against married men becoming priests.
Please do something to support your opinion/statement.
This was allowed because it was seen as bringing priests 'home' to the Roman Catholic Church.
They were not going to void these legitimate marriages before God and what purpose would it serve to rob these men of their vocation?
It's not hypocrisy, it's a narrow compromise in the interest of unification.
That said, women should not be priests and priests should be celibate. It's not difficult if you're truly called and committed to that life. It's not the burden and huge deal many make it out to be. It's second nature.
Only to the obtuse.
One additional fact that you are likely unaware of is that these converts ordained under the Pastoral Provision; as well as other married protestant ministers who convert and seek ordination, must agree, prior to ordination, that if their spouse precedes them in death they will then adopt the discipline of celibacy for the remainder of their life. No agreement, no ordination.
I don’t mind your little insult.
Celibacy is no more natural than homosexualism, and shouldn’t be expected of any man.
Of course some people have little sexuality to give up.So I guess in some cases it isn’t all that important.
Best wishes to all of them.
Not really. Neither these men, nor any others, are permitted to marry or remarry after ordination and remain in active ministry.
So the issue then becomes whether or not to ordain married men. The rule in the Greek East has been to ordain married men to the diocesan priesthood almost exclusively. The rule in the Latin West has been to ordain only single men exclusively.
This adds occasional exceptions to the Western rule for married men who have already been involved in Christian ministry in other traditions, that's all.
Natural? If we're going to talk about what's "natural," why bother with Christianity at all? Christianity is not "natural," because it's intended to raise up to a supernatural level of existence called "heaven". Scripture calls being "natural," "being dead in your sins".
Our Lord speaks of those who are "eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven". He doesn't seem to have a problem with it. St. Paul directly praises celibates for being able to put the Lord first in their lives (1 Cor 7). Should we be deaf to that? Those who give up marriage in this lifetime to serve the church image for us how we will be in heaven, where, Scripture says, we "neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels".
I'm always surprised at your argument in the mouths of Christians in any case. If sexual continence is some impossible burden for a man of 35 or 40, a fortiori it's far more intolerable for a boy of 17. (Having been both of those, I think I'm qualified to make that judgement. ;-))
What do you say to the 17-year-old boy who comes to pick up your 16-year-old daughter for a date? "I'd prefer that you not take my darling daughter for a roll in the hay and return her to me deflowered and pregnant, but I recognize that that's a totally unreasonable and unnatural request for me to make"??
And what of those who can't marry for physical or social reasons, or whose spouses are incapable or unwilling to engage in conjugal life? You can't simultaneously say that sex outside marriage is wrong, and not being married is an intolerable burden. That implies that obeying God's law is an intolerable burden.
Celibacy as a life’s work is a bit different from celibacy before marriage, and I don’t say anything to the boy that picks up my daughter, I already have that worked out with my daughter.
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.
As for St. Paul, I am afraid you are much more proficient in the words of the Bible than I,but I seem to recall that celebacy didn’t enter into the Church until the tenth century or so. Much after St. Paul.
I am sure you will correct me if I am wrong.
Was Our Savior celibate?
That's exactly what Satan told Adam and Eve, and look where it got them (and us).
You wrote:
“Catholic Priests should be allowed to marry.”
Why would we do something that has never been done before?
You wrote:
“Celibacy is no more natural than homosexualism, and shouldn’t be expected of any man.”
So Christ praised the unnatural? Check Matthew 19:12.
You people should be Democrats, you are great at spinning things.
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