Cardinal: Married Catholic priests a possibility

[Misfit]

Cardinal: Married Catholic priests a possibility - Salon.com

LONDON (AP) — Roman Catholic priests should be allowed to marry and have children, Britain’s most senior Catholic cleric said Friday.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who heads the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said the requirement for priestly celibacy is “not of divine origin” and could be reconsidered.

He told BBC Scotland that “the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry — Jesus didn’t say that.”

[Bavarian]

There are some married priests with familes now, very few. They were Protestant Ministers who converted. The Vatican gives approval case by case and they must take vow of celebacy if their wife dies.

Can you imagine how much we would have to contribute in the collection basket, plate, or by FaithDirect to support a wife and children?

[Zguy28]

Originally Posted by Bavarian

There are some married priests with familes now, very few. They were Protestant Ministers who converted. The Vatican gives approval case by case and they must take vow of celebacy if their wife dies.

The Scripture never demands celibacy. Paul only encourages it as advantageous to the Christian in general so that their attention is solely on God. But he also encourages marriage for those who struggle with feelings of sexual desire.

Either way, it isn't a sin to be married or to not be married.

Can you imagine how much we would have to contribute in the collection basket, plate, or by FaithDirect to support a wife and children?

Hopefully that is not the Vatican's reasoning.

[libby]

Originally Posted by Zguy28

The Scripture never demands celibacy. Paul only encourages it as advantageous to the Christian in general so that their attention is solely on God. But he also encourages marriage for those who struggle with feelings of sexual desire.

Either way, it isn't a sin to be married or to not be married.



Hopefully that is not the Vatican's reasoning.

Priestly celibacy is a discipline, but not a doctrine, so it certainly might change at some point in the future. I am certain that focusing all attention on God is exactly the reason.

[Radiant1]

Originally Posted by Bavarian

There are some married priests with familes now, very few. They were Protestant Ministers who converted. The Vatican gives approval case by case and they must take vow of celebacy if their wife dies.

This also holds true for Eastern rite Catholics, Melkites, Greeks, Ruthenians, etc.


This is why I dislike the term "Roman" Catholic because not all Catholics are of the Latin rite otherwise known as "Roman". Priestly celibacy is not a discipline across the board throughout the Catholic Church as many people tend to think, such discipline is only found in the Latin rite.

[Zguy28]

Originally Posted by Radiant1

This also holds true for Eastern rite Catholics, Melkites, Greeks, Ruthenians, etc.


This is why I dislike the term "Roman" Catholic because not all Catholics are of the Latin rite otherwise known as "Roman". Priestly celibacy is not a discipline across the board throughout the Catholic Church as many people tend to think, such discipline is only found in the Latin rite.

That's funny. I never used Roman because of the Latin rite, but because the self-proclaimed supremacy of the Roman see.

[Zguy28]

Originally Posted by libby

Priestly celibacy is a discipline, but not a doctrine, so it certainly might change at some point in the future. I am certain that focusing all attention on God is exactly the reason.

I'm certain it is too. However, imposing ecclesiastical law on folks who desire to serve God is dangerous business and you can become accidental Pharisees.

[libby]

Originally Posted by Zguy28

I'm certain it is too. However, imposing ecclesiastical law on folks who desire to serve God is dangerous business and you can become accidental Pharisees.

Who imposes? Priests know darn well what they are giving up if they commit their lives to God.
And for every priest that has broken their vows over the years, there are thousands of unknown priests who have lived out their vocations faithfully. But, (and this isn't directed at you, Zguy, it's directed at the inevitable individual who will likely step in and make a witty comment about abusive priests) people love to argue the exception in an effort to make their point

[Radiant1]

Originally Posted by Zguy28

I'm certain it is too. However, imposing ecclesiastical law on folks who desire to serve God is dangerous business and you can become accidental Pharisees.

It's a discipline, not "ecclesiastical law". With that being said, however, that's like saying a church body shouldn't require a pastor to do anything. "Don't bother with that funeral service or praying daily either, Pastor Z, we wouldn't want your service to God to be an imposition on you!"

[Zguy28]

Originally Posted by Radiant1

It's a discipline, not "ecclesiastical law".

Oh sorry, I guess I read this differently than you...

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Celibacy of the Clergy

Celibacy is the renunciation of marriage implicitly or explicitly made, for the more perfect observance of chastity, by all those who receive the Sacrament of Orders in any of the higher grades. The character of this renunciation, as we shall see, is differently understood in the Eastern and in the Western Church. Speaking, for the moment, only of Western Christendom, the candidates for orders are solemnly warned by the bishop at the beginning of the ceremony regarding the gravity of the obligation which they are incurring. He tells them:

You ought anxiously to consider again and again what sort of a burden this is which you are taking upon you of your own accord. Up to this you are free. You may still, if you choose, turn to the aims and desires of the world (licet vobis pro artitrio ad caecularia vota transire). But if you receive this order (of the subdiaconate) it will no longer be lawful to turn back from your purpose. You will be required to continue in the service of God, and with His assistance to observe chastity and to be bound for ever in the ministrations of the Altar, to serve who is to reign.

By stepping forward despite this warning, when invited to do so, and by co-operating in the rest of the ordination service, the candidate is understood to bind himself equivalently by a vow of chastity. He is henceforth unable to contract a valid marriage, and any serious transgression in the matter of this vow is not only a grievous sin in itself but incurs the additional guilt of sacrilege.

Before turning to the history of this observance it will be convenient to deal in the first place with certain general principles involved. The law of celibacy has repeatedly been made the object of attack, especially of recent years, and it is important at the outset to correct certain prejudices thus created. Although we do not find in the New Testament any indication of celibacy being made compulsory either upon the Apostles or those whom they ordained, we have ample warrant in the language of Our Saviour, and of St. Paul for looking upon virginity as the higher call, and by inference, as the condition befitting those who are set apart for the work of the ministry.

With that being said, however, that's like saying a church body shouldn't require a pastor to do anything. "Don't bother with that funeral service or praying daily either, Pastor Z, we wouldn't want your service to God to be an imposition on you!"

This is a non sequitur, but whatever.

A more appropriate analogy would be requiring a person to have a M.Div. to be able to pastor otherwise they are cannot.