Posted on 01/26/2005 8:45:26 AM PST by tvn
TONY EASTLEY: With their numbers in radical decline, Australia's Catholic Priests are urging the Vatican to overturn its ban on married clergy. The National Council of Priests has written to Rome urging it to re-consider the rules on celibacy. There's concern that sex and marriage have become an obstacle to recruitment.
Priests argue that their dwindling ranks could be boosted if they were allowed to marry and have families. Presently, only Priests who convert to Catholicism from other churches are allowed to be married.
The parish priest of Melbourne St Simon's Church, Father Martin Dixon, sits on the executive committee of the National Council of Priests.
AM's Nick Grimm spoke to Father Dixon.
MARTIN DIXON: Well, I think the issue of married Priests can be an issue that should be looked at and can be looked at. Marriage is not a bar to Priesthood, there are a large number of married men who are Priests in Australia already.
Melbourne has two of them here already, so it is happening, and I suppose we're saying, why just restrict it to particularly men who are Anglican Priests who have now become Catholics? It should be open to all men.
NICK GRIMM: The vow of celibacy has long been one of the defining features of the Catholic Priesthood though, hasn't it?
MARTIN DIXON: It has been, but it hasn't been for the whole history of the church. Half the history of the church has been married clergy, and the clergy in the beginning were married. Peter had his wife – the first Apostle. So, it's never been a restrictor for a long time within the church.
NICK GRIMM: So you would argue that this is a tradition which shouldn't be considered a sacred tradition?
MARTIN DIXON: No, I think it's one of the traditions we have to look at in the light of the present situation of the world we live in. It's not an unchangeable thing. The practice has been shown now that we can ordain married men. It therefore is not unchangeable.
NICK GRIMM: It is argued at times, isn't it, that there's a view that Priests can't really minister effectively if they live a life which is still quite remote from the everyday experience of many people?
MARTIN DIXON: If you live in the Parish and you're working among the people, you're not remote. You know the feelings, you know the pains, and you know the joys of it. You don't have to be married to know what it's like.
TONY EASTLEY: The parish priest of Melbourne St Simon's Church, Father Martin Dixon, speaking with AM's Nick Grimm.
Once a priest is defrocked, he cannot be made a priest again.
This is akin to saying that someone who has studied ad nauseum from the greatest books about how to ride a bicycle somehow understands better than those who actually ride.
You, sir, are spot-on with that comment.
Have you read theology of the body?
Getting a divorce is a worse sexual perversion than molesting children?!?!?!?
Slight correction. Not worse, but on par with. Sorry bout that.
I agree.
What concerns me is that NO ONE wants to be a Catholic priest in America.
Theologically, they are equally terrible. Just because one is more widely accpeted doesn't make it less horrendous and devestating.
Five of my roommates did, and let me tell you, they were hardcore, on fire, conservative Catholics. None of this "liberal theology" crap :-)
1 Corinthians 7:9
But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
May their tribe prosper.
That does not alter the fact that it's mighty slim pickins out there. That's not an opinion. That's a fact.
You're point being? There's a difference between being weak and not being able to control yourself.
ping
All believers are called to be Christlike, not just clergy. Does this mean that all believers should try for celibacy? No. This would violate the Lord's command to "Be fruitful and multiply". Furthermore, the qualifications for ministry as deacon, priest or bishop include being married to one woman and having a good family (1st Timothy 3).
If priests must be single because Jesus was single, then it logically follows that priests must also be Jewish, in their 30's and without higher education.
Rome should seriously look at bringing back (not introducing) the policy still followed in Orthodox churches- that is that married men may become deacons and priests, but deacons and priests may not get married. In another words, the marriage must occur before ordination to the deaconate.
There is a severe shortage, I'll agree with you there, but there is much hope to be had. There are many places where admittance to seminaries have increased exponentially. This also happens to be in Dioceses where the theology preached by the Bishop is conservative, in-line with Rome and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is lauded (i.e. Archdiocese of Atlanta, Archdiocese of Denver...).
Celibacy simply means to not be or get married. Since one should not have sex outside of marriage, as the Church teaches, they are also abstinent (or should be).
Control was the problem, was it not? The priests that have caused the scandal obviously burned with passion and didn't control it. Would have been better for them to marry. I doubt there is a priest out there that doesn't suffer destraction because of the desire to have a mate. They'd probably be better priests with a wife there supporting them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.