A question about priests not marrying

[DXRocker73]

It appears we have some great minds here working on our sides, it's great to see! And reassuring to me that the Faith will remain strong for years to come, not that I ever doubted that.

God Bless you all!

Kenneyse, I know exactly how you feel bud, been down that road myself quite a few times. I see the Church get condemned almost daily and 9 out of 10 times it's for something the Church doesn't do. It's frustrating, especially since most people you try to correct refuse to listen to reason, but they can't pretend forever. Sooner or later everyone has to fess up to reality.

As soon as I get enough posts, I intend to put this quote in my signature:

"There are not 100 people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, who hate what they wrongfully believe to be the Catholic Church."
-Archbishop Fulton Sheen

 

[Matthias]

I like that quote.

 

[geocajun]

me too!
So often I even see Catholics, who do not understand Catholic teaching (but honestly think they do) leave the Church. What makes it worse, is that they tell people that they do understand Catholic teaching, and try to weaken other Catholics zeal for their faith as well through publicizing their dissension to what is not even authentic teaching.

 

[thereselittleflower]

Kenneyse, I know exactly how you feel bud, been down that road myself quite a few times. I see the Church get condemned almost daily and 9 out of 10 times it's for something the Church doesn't do. It's frustrating, especially since most people you try to correct refuse to listen to reason, but they can't pretend forever. Sooner or later everyone has to fess up to reality.


As soon as I get enough posts, I intend to put this quote in my signature:

"There are not 100 people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, who hate what they wrongfully believe to be the Catholic Church."
-Archbishop Fulton Sheen

This quote is so absolutely dead on and true . . I remember hearing him say that in a repeat of a broadcast this last year, and I was so struck by it. In every encounber I have had with those who hate or dislike the Catholic Church it has been exactly as he presented there.

I was watching a broadcast by Archbiship Fulton Sheen about marriage . . oh he had me laughing so hard!


Peace in Him!

 

[IrishJohan]

Fine. Maybe you could refrain from adding your own editorial comments such as 'well I don't agree with it either' or at least make it clear that you do not plan on remaining Catholic so that people know they're not getting answers from a devout Catholic.

Michelle

If I am walking into a dispute with some history, I apologize. Yet I must take issue with this. I myself am a "devout Catholic" but believe allowing seminarians a choice on the matter is probably best. Mind you, this does not mean I support the nonsense from liberal critics trying to make this a social issue. The Latin Church had married men as priests in the First Millenium and even today in addition to priests from the Eastern Churches, there are married former Anglican and Lutheran ministers who have been ordained to the Catholic priesthood. I see no problem with this in principle. Of course there are numerous practical issues that need to be considered as this hasn't been done in the Latin Church on a grand scale for centuries. All in all though, one isn't less of a Catholic for thinking that ordaining married men is okay in the Latin Church. In the end I have confidence that the Spirit will lead the Latin Church to allow this or not. As He wills...

Pax Christi,
John

 

[IrishJohan]

For those denominations, who also call their ministers "priests", who change with the times by asllowing women to become priests, then *I* say these "women priests" should use the correct ENGLISH term which is "Priestess".

This is a separate issue IMO. I agree with Orthodox Father Alexander Schememann that this is just flat-out heresy. Of course he said this with a lil' more panache...

Pax Christi,
John

 

[IrishJohan]

It's no secret that Priests take a vow of faith, poverty, and chastity.

Actually only Religious Priests take this vow on the second of these. Diocesan priests do not take a vow of poverty.

Pax Christi,
John

 

[Matthias]

*dances around*.

 

[Filia Mariae]

Tracie,

I don't know if this will help with your question at all, but I posted it on another forum, so I cut and pasted it here. Let me know if it doesn't make sense to you.


Many people think celibacy is required because the Church views even sex within marriage as a little bit dirty. I cannot stress enough how wrong this thinking is! The Church does not think sex is dirty or bad.

The celibate priest is not suppressing a bad thing, but abstaining from a good thing, precisely so as to recognize and call attention to its inherent goodness. We don't fast because food is evil- we fast because giving up a material good reminds us of and draws us closer to the ultimate good- God Himself.

Celibacy is a lifestyle that reminds us that while this life is good, the ultimate good lies beyond this world. The celibate is a bodily reminder to us all that it is "the pearl of great price" alone which gives life meaning and purpose.

The celibate is also an eschatological sign (ie last things). This person waits for the final marriage between the Church and Christ, in prayer that as they give themselves completely to the Church, Christ will do the same.

Celibacy reminds us to keep material good ordered in proper way beneath the ultimate good, God. Stuff or things, will never make you happy. They may satisfy you for a short while, but soon you'll want more. Hence the quote from St Augustine on my signature.

Celibacy is also intmately related to marriage. Christ taught that there is no marriage in heaven, it is grounded in creation. That's because while marriage is a very great good, it is not the ultimate good. It is oriented towards children and a partnership that symbolizes the intimacy of God and His creation.

Celibacy is a sign that we all can be faithful to our vows made before God, no matter how difficult it sometimes is. If we were to say that celibacy is impossible (which is ludicrous), we may as well say that the marriage vows are impossible to keep. Both promise one exclusively to another.

The celibate priesthood also serves as inspiration for the still single, the widowed, the unable to marry (for whatever reason), homosexuals committed to living chastely according to God's will, etc.

And last but not least, the priest acts in persona Christi, or "in the person of Christ." He is not merely a man who ministered to his flock, he is an icon of the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. His voluntary choice for celibacy is a symbol of the physical crucifixtion Christ endured for us. The priest allows his inherently good sexual desires to be crucified for the greater good of the Church, as Jesus allowed Himself (perfectly good, the ultimate good)to be crucified that we might live.

 

[Filia Mariae]

Matthias,


Are you Kiwimac?

 

[InnerPhyre]

Order priests take a vow of chastity. Dioscesan priests take a vow of celibacy. One is swearing off sex. The other swears off marriage. If a Dioscesan priests has sex then, it's still a sin, so I guess u'r just getting into nitpicky stuff there, but I just thought I'd point out the difference.

 

[Tracie]

Carly,

Thank you very much!

Tracie

 

[Matthias]

Kiwimac?

 

[Filia Mariae]

Yeah, from C & F?

 

[thereselittleflower]

Order priests take a vow of chastity. Dioscesan priests take a vow of celibacy. One is swearing off sex. The other swears off marriage. If a Dioscesan priests has sex then, it's still a sin, so I guess u'r just getting into nitpicky stuff there, but I just thought I'd point out the difference.

Iv'e never understood the pratical difference between these vows . . as all sex outside of marraige is a sin . . so if someone takes a vow of celibacy, then they are by inference also taking a vow of chastity . .aren't they?

I don't understand the pupose of a vow of chastity when sex outside a marriage is sin . . why take a vow to not do a particular sin?

I am not questioning the rightness of these particular vows . . but I don't understand the purpose of the vow of chastity, as the Catholic Church teaches us that we should be chaste before marriage any way . . and it seems to me that chastity is inherent in the vow of celibacy already ,. . so why a differentiation?


Though these questions have not been pressing on my mind, I guess I will take advantage of this opportunity to ask!




Peace in Him!

 

[nyj]

Order priests take a vow of chastity. Dioscesan priests take a vow of celibacy.

I'm not so sure that this is correct. Those entering into religious life take a vow of chastity (brothers, nuns, etc) but Holy Orders requires a vow of celibacy (CCC 1577 to 1580). So all priests take a vow of celibacy.

 

[snoopyloopysk8a]

I believe that priests should be allowed to marry if they want to. What better model to the people, than for the priest to be married?

 

[Cathologetics]

What's the divorce rate of married pastors?

 

[marciadietrich]

I believe that priests should be allowed to marry if they want to. What better model to the people, than for the priest to be married?

What better model for singles, people yet to be married, widows, widowers, divorced or seperated than a celibate man?

I think there is an idea that a pastor has to be and do what the laity is and does or he can't relate to the laity and that the laity can't relate to him. That is one of the reasons for the push for women as priests/pastors.

In the end we can not have everything in common with the pastor and he can't have everything in common with us ... but he can, while remaining in his current state, "be all things to all men that by all means some might be saved" (1 Cor 9: 22 ) - to be in a fashion all things to us for our sake like Paul - who was also a celibate man.

Marcia