Married Catholic Priests

[financeguy]

Really?? Spiritual men and women have lived this way for centuries.

True, there is a very good argument for the ascetic life contributing towards spirituality, and celibacy is a part of that.

With Catholic priests they are expected to go out into the world, minister to their flock, etc, and as such be exposed to worldly temptations so celibacy in my view should be optional for them, but I am inclined to think it is not necessarily wrong to promote celibacy as an ideal, but not for everyone.

 

[Liesje]

With Catholic priests they are expected to go out into the world, minister to their flock, etc, and as such be exposed to worldly temptations so celibacy in my view should be optional for them, but I am inclined to think it is not necessarily wrong to promote celibacy as an ideal, but not for everyone.

I don't think it's wrong to promote it either, but there's a difference between promoting/encouraging and requiring (like deep said). The potential property loss arguement now makes a lot of sense to me, but that's no longer relevant. I'm just having a hard time understanding how a religion so vastly popular and relevant as Catholicism still requires celibate clergy....

 

[melon]

I'm just having a hard time understanding how a religion so vastly popular and relevant as Catholicism still requires celibate clergy....

Because, really, religion tends to have a hard time letting go of "traditions." Traditions, traditions, traditions. I, frankly, hate tradition, and I believe that the Pharisees let "tradition" stand in their way and blinded their faith.

Melon

 

[AvsGirl41]

Anthony Padovano did a great essay on this very topic for the National Catholic Reporter back in 1995. I think good old Dan Brown must have found it while researching novel ideals. I'm pretty sure his main character recited bits of it word for word.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_n24_v32/ai_18211311

 

[verte76]

I quite honestly don't see the celibacy requirement being changed in my lifetime. That's not to say that they shouldn't. Tradition runs way too strongly in favor of it continuing. It's claimed that a family would be too much of a distraction for a priest. We'd need bigger rectories, too.

 

[Pearl]

Although I support priests being married with children, if I were to see that allowed in my lifetime, I would find it too weird and I might be uncomfortable with it. Maybe because I won't be used to it.
I think it celibacy should be an option and something to be encouraged though, just as it is with Buddhist monks.
And if priests are allowed to marry, then a separate order should be created for them, because some orders require priests to live in poverty. Certainly not a way to bring up a family.

 

[verte76]

Most, if not all, Catholic religious communities require vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. No, not the way to raise a family. In fact, I have a friend who recently left a monastery because he changed his mind and wants a family.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I thought of this thread when the Pastor at my church was doing the blessing of engaged couples at Mass.

He mentioned something about having two regrets, one being that he can't be married (the other was regarding not having a photographer there to capture the moment, he talked about keeping the moment in our hearts). Anyway, I thought it was refreshing and unusual for a 67 year old Catholic priest to openly admit that.

 

[verte76]

I thought of this thread when the Pastor at my church was doing the blessing of engaged couples at Mass.

He mentioned something about having two regrets, one being that he can't be married (the other was regarding not having a photographer there to capture the moment, he talked about keeping the moment in our hearts). Anyway, I thought it was refreshing and unusual for a 67 year old Catholic priest to openly admit that.

Wow, that's honesty.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yes he's that type verte-he just spent time in Berkeley CA too, so maybe that had something to do w/ it

He also has been very honest and open about the priest abuse scandal, which I appreciate.