What's going on with the Catholic priests in my community?

Question

The Catholic priest from my local church (where I went to elementry school too) resigned and married a woman that attended the church. He and his wife (good family friends of mine) were excommunicated.

The Catholic priest at my grandma's church left the Church and is now openly gay in the community. The Catholic priest that led a Church I occassionally attended in high school left the Church moved to Spain with his gay partner. Both priests were excommunicated.

I am no longer Catholic, but it wasn't because of these priests, I actually have a lot of respect for them. But why does it seem like the Catholic faith have a lot of in the closet gays, and men that leave the Church to marry.

What are your thoughts on this?

Answer 1

I'm a Catholic. I know of a regional priest here who left the Church to marry a woman. He's now an Episcopal priest. As the media is all too happy to inform us, there are also a number of gay priests out there. I suppose that some priests find the Church's demands for a celibate clergy too much to live up to. That may be the real issue, with the gay-vs-straight issue being something of a smokescreen (gay or straight, celibacy isn't for everyone). I know that celibacy was certainly a concern of mine when I was considering becoming a monk (a move that would've required me to emotionally and physically abandon my girlfriend). What people aren't concentrating on is the vast majority of priests who handle it just fine and are doing their jobs efficiently.

Answer 2

In the Orthodox Church priests may be married if they are married before they are ordained.
The Catholic Church in the states has some problems, I can't remember exactly (not any problems with the actual denomination but some problems with the people running it) but I think that some people in it will say things that contradict what the Pope says and it can be rather confusing.
Men want to marry (well, some) and in the Orthodox Church they let them but it has to be before they are ordained.
I don't know why that's happening. But in the Catholic Church in the states one of the problems they were having is that rather than excommunicating men that abused (sexually and such) boys, they just moved them to a different parish. Unfortunately it's given the Church a rather bad name and a lot of people make really rude comments about Catholic priests which I can't stand. I was baptised Catholic by an italian priest and my parents and I switched to Orthodoxy when I was about 2 or 3 so I don't know much about the denomination. sorry.

Answer 3

I think it has *always* been that way, ever since celibacy was introduced into church leadership around 300AD. Up until recently, though, priests had their trysts, lovers, children, etc. "on the quiet" and were helped covering it up by the church. Now there's less cover-up, so they decide to openly leave the church rather than try and live the ridiculous celibate lifestyle.
IMHO it's a good thing -- better to have it all out in the open rather than hidden. And eventually, it'll drive the catholic church to realize how silly celibacy is, and allow priests to marry.

Answer 4

I don't think that it's that they have more closet gays or more clergy that want to marry than other denominations, it's just that (at least in the case of marriage), Catholics priests and nuns are the only clergy in any denomination that CAN'T marry, so when one DOES want to marry, it's a big deal and gets noticed a lot more than say, your local Methodist minister getting hitched. As for gays, I think it's just that it's a pretty taboo thing in MANY religions, so a lot of gay religious people feel like they have to stay closeted.

Answer 5

Not, only that. A bishop I knew since childhood left and got married. He asked for a dispensation (??)

May be it's because they have taken to heart the Bible--which do not forbid them to marry. The celebacy imposed by Rome is non-biblical but from their tradition.

I too was a former Catholic--an ardent one at that who memorized the rosary at the age of 7--but left when I thoroughly studied the bible more than 10 years ago.

Answer 6

Because they are crazy. It says no where that preists cant marry and have familes, and If it does it comes from the Pope and his cronies. See men and women were created for one another, you dont marry God, you can be spiritual and married. I am. Anyhow, catholocism is a strage sect of christianity. Who gave a priest the right to forgive someones sins, isnt that Gods job????

Answer 7

It is sad. They have lost their faith. Many have joined the way of the world instead of being faithful, after all they are human. Please do not condemn the institution of the Holy Catholic Church as a whole because of the apostasy. I assure you it is Satans end games to strike the Sheppard and scatter the sheep. Hold fast to your faith, it will be o.k. Jesus is coming soon

Answer 8

Maybe some peopel get ordained and thenevolve, they fall in love with a woman and get married.
Maybe the homosexual priests were already homosexuals when they were ordained, and they did so because they were afraid of what the community would think of them being homosexuals. Then, same story, they fell in love and decided that it wasn't worth being ashamed of.
Why don't you ask them?

Answer 9

I'm suprised they got ex-commuicated Didn't think that happened much these days.

Strikes me the next issue on the Pope's eventual agends (in this or the next century) is to reconsider allow priests to marry.

Answer 10

since men created this religion, men are responsible for what is happening to the priests. it is not right to NOT marry just because you are a priest. no where did God say this. but man did.

live and learn