Can a Roman Catholic Priest Adopt a Child?

[Azureknight 773]

Greetings all of you my brothers and sisters in Christ. Peace and love be unto you all. *points at the title of the thread* I have been curious about this whether canon laws and/ or any Catholic Church teaching that our priests may adopt a child.

Thank you.
-AzureKnight 773

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I would think that the same rules about celibacy would apply to adopting a child.

Besides, priest know families willing to adopt so they would normally set up the child with one of those families.

Jim

 

[Foundthelight]

Don't Catholic adoptions require two parents?

 

[epiclesis]

Don't Catholic adoptions require two parents?

I don't think so?



We used to have a guy on here several years ago who was a single dad with an adopted son. Haven't seen him around in probably five years though!

 

[Romans 13:3]

I know of a case where the priest brought the teen boy to live with at the rectory and became his guardian. Not sure if there was an adoption or only guardianship. The priest referred the boy as his son. They are both in prison now.

 

[Davidnic]

I know a priest who adopted a child. It was his sisters and she and her husband had died. It is not normal in Western Catholicism but it can happen with permission from a Bishop or head of the order. Normally then an accommodation is made and the priest becomes a teacher or something else that is not a demanding as running a parish or being a Parochial Vicar.

There are no canons that expressly forbid it that I am aware of, but it is not common practice and is a massive life change that needs to be approved by the Bishop because it can effect the execution of expected duties. So without a great deal of research I know of no canon that prevents it. However complicating factors mean that a Bishop is free to prevent it in his diocese or allow it.

 

[Rhamiel]

I do not think it is commonly allowed

 

[AMDG]

Knew a Latin Rite priest in the '80s who had adopted two older boys. The priest in question worked in the military chapel. Sometimes the priest would mention them, but they didn't accompany him. I just assumed that the boys were all grown up or at least remained back home when the priest joined the military chaplaincy.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Didn't JRR Tolkien get adopted by a Catholic priest after the death of both parents? Maybe I'm remembering that wrong

 

[Davidnic]

Didn't JRR Tolkien get adopted by a Catholic priest after the death of both parents? Maybe I'm remembering that wrong

I believe he and his brother were yep

 

[Michie]

I've read a few articles about priests adopting children. I'm not sure what the circumstances were to allow it though.

 

[Michie]

I know of a case where the priest brought the teen boy to live with at the rectory and became his guardian. Not sure if there was an adoption or only guardianship. The priest referred the boy as his son. They are both in prison now.

Why are they both in prison?

 

[Anhelyna]

My understanding of the Tolkien situation was that a Priest from the Birmingham Oratory had been appointed guardian - not sure if he was ever legally adopted . Wasn't his brother a good bit older than him ?

 

[Davidnic]

Two years younger I believe. Hillary Arthur Reuel Tolkien.