Do The Faithful Realize The Problems With Optional Celibacy?

The Wanderer ^ | August 28 2003 | Fr. Joseph F. Wilson

[sinkspur]

"The bishops have a bond with the people"

Would that this were so, but, most Catholics in most dioceses couldn't name their bishop if there were a $10,000 prize for doing so.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Do the Eastern priests have an additional job or do the families' live off the priestly stipend?

I am familiar with one Greek Orthodox man who was also a priest in the previous town where I lived. He was a very successful businessman and prominent in the community. I later found out that he was also a priest.

[As you well know...]

I truly believe that married clergy would reduce the sexual turmoil that some Roman Catholic clergy face....

Yeah, 'spose so.Married laymen in Latin Rites have no sexual turmoil, so it stands to follow....

Whatever happened to Diversity? Why must Latin Rite Caths imitate everyone else? I tend to get suspicious...Why not embrace diffences?

[As you well know...]

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I do know the answer...Because Satan desires the destruction of the Priesthood, that's why

[sinkspur]

Because Satan desires the destruction of the Priesthood, that's why

Seems the Eastern Rite priesthood has survived married priests.

Is Satan destroying that Rite, and, indeed, all the other small Rites in the Catholic Church, all of whom ordain married men?

[As you well know...]

sinkspur, the question is closed, accrd to the Pope. You and steven hand and all the other folks agitating/promoting married priests will never have their desires fulfilled in the Latin Rite.

It ain't gonna change.

Jesus is The Way. He is celibate. It's over. Move on to something else.

[sinkspur]

It ain't gonna change.

Maybe. You and I will be dead if it ever does, for sure.

Jesus is The Way. He is celibate.

Are you celibate. If imitating Jesus in his celibacy is a requirement for salvation, the number of those in paradise could fit in a football stadium.

[sinkspur]

BTW, is Satan destroying the Eastern Rite because it allows married priests?

[As you well know...]

Are you celibate.

Only during the football season.

If imitating Jesus in his celibacy is a requirement for salvation, the number of those in paradise could fit in a football stadium.

Ha Ha ha...I thought it was understood we were talkng about the Priesthood.

As to Paradise, I think my only chance is Martyrdom just so I can squeak into Purgatory.

[As you well know...]

Well, as you well know, the Satan tirelessly roams the earth like a roaring lion and he seeks to destroy both the Eastern and the Western (Latin) Rite priesthood.

Next to Jesus Himself, the Priesthood is Satan's target.

[Land of the Irish]

If imitating Jesus in his celibacy is a requirement for salvation, the number of those in paradise could fit in a football stadium.

What stadium would that be?

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Physicians for Life

[possum]

The Latin church must keep its own council regarding celibacy in its Latin rite. I would point out that the dire circumstance the author envisions of a priest needing to follow his wife's job does not happen in the Orthodox Church (nor I presume in the Eastern rites of the Latin church): The wife of a candidate for ordination must accept formally her husband's obedience to his bishop before the candidate is accepted for ordination. Being a presbytera (or matushka or khouria) is a ministry as well, even though it is the husband who receives ordination.

It would be helpful in your discussions if both sides were really familiar with how the married priesthood in the East actually works in practice.

If the Latin Rite ever goes back to optional celibacy, the process for prescreening married candidates for ordination would therefore have to take into account the candidate's wife's suitability for her possible ministry. Thanks for weighing in, Reader.

Although it obviously CAN work, I still vote for diversity,(except in the case of married Anglican clergy who come home).

[RobbyS]

The Orthodox Churches and the Eastern rites also have a long tradition of married clergy. The Latin rite has very little. Probably they will set up a commission that is likely to have Protestant members and pay more attention to their opinions than to those of the uniate members. Funny thing about pride.

[RobbyS]

No worse than picking the kid up by the back of his neck. I've seen that.

[Loyalist]

If the Latin Rite ever goes back to optional celibacy, the process for prescreening married candidates for ordination would therefore have to take into account the candidate's wife's suitability for her possible ministry. Thanks for weighing in, Reader.

I can't see too many modern Catholic career women agreeing to subordinate their career to their husbands' vocation.

Especially not if they're pulling down the bigger pay cheque in the household.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

The Western mindset is so different from the East. It would be very, very difficult to institute this change.

[possum]

I can't see too many modern Catholic career women agreeing to subordinate their career to their husbands' vocation.

Especially not if they're pulling down the bigger pay cheque in the household.

Me neither. My hat's off to those women in the Eastern Rites and those married to returned Anglican priests who manage to pull it off. Their sacrifice is as great as or greater than their husbands'. It's difficult to accept a vocation involving hardship, but imagine if it's not even your own vocation?

[Onelifetogive]

Would that this were so, but, most Catholics in most dioceses couldn't name their bishop if there were a $10,000 prize for doing so.

You sure about that? Isn't his name chanted each week in a prayer?

"...with Herbert Snitzlemeyer, our Bishop and John Paul, our Pope?"

[Onelifetogive]

The Western mindset is so different from the East. It would be very, very difficult to institute this change.

??? Most Christians in the US live with the "married pastor" model.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I'm talking about the priesthood. The requirements are different than for Protestant and other non-RC pastors.