Posted on 02/15/2005 3:33:16 PM PST by siunevada
Good one. Never thought about that.
Excellent article!
Thanks for posting this one!
While the Eastern Catholic Churches allow for married priests, they must make this decision before their ordination. Like their counterparts in the Western Church, once married they may not re-marry, should their spouse die, nor may they be elevated to bishop. In the Maronite Church, they may not leave Lebanon. The Lebanese born priest who serves our NY parish, is descended from a married priest. This pastor chose celibacy before ordination and will remain so.
He brings to the parish a dirth of linguistic and theological gifts. He speaks 8 languages fluently, has a working knowledge of 3 others, and reads Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew and Koine Greek. Like a father, he alone distributes communion to the parishioners, the homebound and the hospitalized. He asks for parish participation but returns the gifts through grateful acknowledgement.
He also delivers powerful homilies based on Scripture. In the Maronite Church, when the priest has finished reading the Gospel, he elevates the Book and proclaims "This is the Truth" and then blesses the congregation with the Book of the Gospels. This past Sunday's Gospel was on The Leper. Father pointed out that leprosy has, for the most part, disappeared from this world with the exception of certain pockets in India. He explained leprosy as a disease that eats from the outside, in. He took it from there, explaining modern day leprosy, 'sin', which eats from the inside, out. What a marvelous analogy!
This past Sunday, he sponsored a dinner for the parishioners and supporters of the parish. He is a priest in the true sense of the word.
Would that all of you would seek out a Maronite priest to minister to their spiritual needs!
"They say celibacy is foreign to their culture and that priests should be able to marry."
It was probably foreign to the pagan cultures of Europe, too.
Rome has said no such thing. All five of the married Anglican converts in our diocese are pastors. One is pastor of the largest parish in the diocese, and has a celibate associate and two permanent deacons.
Yes. I would agree with the author. We should talk to those who are married and are serving as Catholic priests. Some are in favor, others are not. Just like the celibate priests.
BTTT!
Pope: Priests Must Stay Celibate
Giving Thanks for the Good Shepherds ( A Defense of Priestly Celibacy)
Don't end celibacy for priests
The celibate superhero
Priestly Celibacy And Its Roots In Christ
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
Gods 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
Thanks for this! It's usually those that throw a dollar into the collection basket and think that priests are rolling in money, who say that they think priests should marry. Who is going to pay for housing, groceries, family medical bills, orthodontics, college etc. This has been my argument on marriage in the priesthood from just the practical side. Really wakes them up.
Mandatory celibacy for Latin Rite priests is not a Church teaching.
It is a discipline.
My humble apologies for the mix up. Nix "teachings" insert "discipline".
Your response will certainly hold water with those who cannot accept - or comprehend - the all too important spiritual aspects of celibacy: solitary dedication of purpose to God's service, and sacrifice of the flesh to benefit the soul.....and thus his service to other souls.
Regardless of the cited exceptions to mandatory celeibary stated above (which are a very tiny minority of priests), celibacy remains a very important companant to the priesthood. It is much more then a mere "discipline": it is the basis of the "wedding" of the priest to Christ's church.
I agree totally, celibacy is a gift. It's interesting to see the eyes glaze over when you speak of the spiritual aspects of celibacy. Hit them in the purse and they have new appreciation for celibacy. Sad but very effective.
Our church group discussed this issue recently. The Anglican bishop who ordained the priest much be able to trace his ordination lineage back to a pre-Henry VIII reformation bishop. In other words, one that predates the Anglican church itself.
This is not true. The Anglican priest is ordained in the Catholic Church as a Catholic priest. It doesn't matter what the lineage of the Anglican bishop who ordained him happens to be. I have this from one of the Anglican converts in our diocese of whom I've asked this question. He has no idea what his "ordination lineage" is.
The Anglican dispensation also has brought Lutheran and Methodist ministers into the priesthood, and they, obviously, have no lineage to pre-reformation bishops.
It's not.
Rome has said no such thing.
Perhaps his statement is particular to England and not universal. Well, it's obviously not universal since we do have married Anglican Rite pastors outside of England.
The priest is already married to the Church. Here is a good reason why he cannot be married to a woman.
Very good article.
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