someone told me that catholic priests CAN be married, as long as they were married before they became a priest. is this true? and if so, how is it fair?
2007-05-11 07:48:01 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, and no...
A distinction of Churches needs to be made. I am a married priest in an Old Catholic Church. Many Roman Catholic Priests leave their Church to get married. Many of them also join Old Catholic Churches.
The Roman Catholic Church does allow for ministers and priests from certain other denominations who are married to become priests in their Church. I personally know of Lutherans and Episcopalians who have done so. Those men who are born and raised Roman Catholic and married are not permitted into the priesthood unless they have been widowed or their marriage has been annulled by the Church. There are provisions according to Roman Cannon Law for Men who are married to become permanent Deacons.
For more information regarding Christianity, Catholacism, or the Old Catholic Church, please follow the links below.
Regards,
Fr. Michael Callahan
2007-05-11 13:19:04 · answer #1 · answered by old.catholic 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am only aware of two loopholes. 1) A married clergyman from another faith/denomination may convert and become a priest; 2) A widower may become a priest after his wife dies.
One of the priests at the parish where my parents live is a widower with children. I did not know this at first. When he mentioned his children during the homily I though he was speaking metaphorically.
A married man cannot be ordained a priest. He can be ordained a deacon but cannot become a priest.
On a slightly different subject there is no requirement for the pope to be a cardinal, bishop or priest. Any catholic man can be pope, so there is still hope for me.
EDIT: OOPS! common mistake. I am referring to Roman Catholic above. There are different rules for different denominations, some of which refer to their clergy as priest. Sorry for the confusion.
2007-05-11 08:01:11 · answer #2 · answered by Adoptive Father 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic Church will comprehend an interfaith marriage on condition that the two dad and mom comply with advance the youngsters as Catholics. in case you're making plans to advance them as Jews, then frankly I fully fail to make certain the element of having a clergyman there in any respect. Any priest who could be keen to do it does not be in solid status with the Church, and is the reason why those you point out don't have parishes. actual, that is all a farce. Why are you bothering to attempt to discover a valid priest to officiate while neither of you provides a flying feather relating to the Catholic faith? it quite is a mockery. do exactly what you want and circulate away the Church out of it.
2017-01-09 16:01:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kat, Sugar and Raven are quite wrong.
It depends on the **type** of Catholic.
Western Rite Catholics, such as Roman, can not get married. Well, they can, but then they are no longer priests.
A number of Easter Rite Catholics, such as Byzantine and Greek, can be married.
But it is correct, they must be married before they become priests.
High Anglicans are both Protestant and Catholic. They can get married. There are many kinds of Catholic outside of the umbrella of the Holy See. Many of them have married clergy.
Currently in the US there are about 80 married Roman Catholic priests. Some are converts from Anglicanism. Some are converts from purely Protestant faiths. Such as Lutheran minister David Medow. Many conservative Anglicans come to us because they object to the ordination of women.
Below are a few articles.
2007-05-11 07:57:25 · answer #4 · answered by Max Marie, OFS 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is only part of the story.
In the last twenty-five years at least seventy-seven married men have been ordained as Catholic priests in the United States.
All of these men were previously ordained ministers in other Christian denominations.
Sixty-six of these married priests are former Episcopalians, seven are former Lutherans, three are former Methodists, and one is a former Presbyterian.
Here is an interesting article: http://www.corpus.org/Page.cfm?Web_ID=577
With love in Christ.
2007-05-11 17:31:32 · answer #5 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You misunderstand. If you were married at one time and are NO LONGER MARRIED, you may enter the priesthood. Since most catholics here in the U.S. are Roman catholics, my answer was based on that. Not the eastern sects.
2007-05-11 07:54:40 · answer #6 · answered by Raven 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm not catholid, but I don't think that is true. I've never known of any preist who was married, before or after.
2007-05-11 07:50:38 · answer #7 · answered by kat70359 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It's true. They can. They made this vow before they took the vow of priesthood. I saw it on 60 min once.
2007-05-11 07:51:19 · answer #8 · answered by Sugar 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋