Posted on 09/17/2004 8:36:25 PM PDT by Land of the Irish
LOL!! That's a new one!
Are you aware there hasn't been a draft in 30 years?
"Now, if married Catholics were considered for the priesthood, it would be enriched further"
It would not!!
And there is no problem accepting married clergy coverts as priests. I have no idea what the thinking is.
"Are you aware there hasn't been a draft in 30 years?"
And the average priest in Wuerl's diocese has been ordained 31 years. I personally know two priests who enterered the seminary to avoid the draft. One of them is straight. He quit 20 years ago an got married.
"Being a Deacon, a husband, a father, running a business, trying to put kids through education, and repaying a mortgage, can be a very good witness to single men as to why they shouldn't even think of attempting to combine marriage and priesthood - even if the Church were to allow it!"
Couldn't the church avoid the above problems by ordaining older married men whose children are already grown? I would bet that there are deacons who would volunteer.
My biggest opposition to married priests (besides the tradition of the discipline), is I fear that they will be unable to totally devote themselves to the Church, and their will be that constant war within themselves between family and the church.
Most deacons that I know are ultra liberal in their 'catholicism'. They would, as priests, represent one more nail in the coffin for the R.C.C. as we know it. It would soon be followed by priestesses(since women can be deaconesses) and all sorts of other weird innovations. Like the novus ordo 'Sunday missalette'.
"Couldn't the church avoid the above problems by ordaining older married men whose children are already grown? I would bet that there are deacons who would volunteer."
IMHO it would not be good for the Church to do this - although I am sure that there are some deacons who would volunteer. However, the vocation to the diaconate is different from the vocation to the priesthood and just because a man is called to the former does not mean he is called to the latter. We currently have 5 celibate men in training for the diaconate at our seminary, and although they have been "strongly encouraged" to consider the priesthood, none of them feel that God is calling them to it.
With the current turmoil in the Church, allowing married men to be ordained priests would cause even more confusion and disenchantment. It would also encourage the heretics who want to "ordain" women to step up their campaign even further.
I think the Vatican was wrong to give the dispensation for married former Protestant ministers to be ordained. It has effectively created a division in the Church with two different classes of men:
a) Lifelong Catholics who are married and not considered suitable priestly material.
b) Former heretics who are married and, for some reason, ARE considered suitable priestly material.
It has made an ass of the Law. The rule of obligatory celibacy should either be upheld completely or abrogated completely.
In reality, there is no shortage of vocations among celibate men - its just that the ones who God is calling don't fit into the NewChurch paradigm. They are generally too "rigid" or "young fogeys" and the current regime wants to keep them out.
I have personally helped two men from one parish enter seminary over the summer, and we got them in because we knew how to get round the system. As long as they endure to the end, they will make good orthodox priests who are open to the Tridentine Mass.
If all of the 14,000 deacons in the U.S. set their minds to doing the same thing, the "vocations shortage" would be sorted out fairly quickly.
"It would soon be followed by priestesses(since women can be deaconesses) "
There are no such things as "deaconesses" in the Catholic Church. Women cannot be admitted to Holy Orders.
"Most deacons that I know are ultra liberal in their 'catholicism'."
I have only met a few deacons and do not know any very well. All but a few of the priests I know are also very liberal or at least talk a liberal line to please our very liberal bishop.
I just don't see why this has a direct bearing on whether older married men could be ordained. We are not talking about doctrine. Other rites of our church do quite well with married men.
"Being a Deacon, a husband, a father, running a business, trying to put kids through education, and repaying a mortgage, can be a very good witness to single men as to why they shouldn't even think of attempting to combine marriage and priesthood - even if the Church were to allow it! "
Excellent point Tantumergo.
"With the current turmoil in the Church, allowing married men to be ordained priests would cause even more confusion and disenchantment.
It would also encourage the heretics who want to "ordain" women to step up their campaign even further."
I respectfully disagree. The heretics will press on regardless. I have met two married priests (Anglican Use) whose parishes could serve as a model for all of us. Very traditional folks.
"I think the Vatican was wrong to give the dispensation for married former Protestant ministers to be ordained. It has effectively created a division in the Church with two different classes of men:..."
Agreed. But I think such a dispensation should be extended to married older Catholic men.
Like in the Eastern Churches, bishops should be chosen from the unmarried. Among other things, it would keep the wives out of church politics.
Re: "What am I missing?"
TRADITION :-)
The Vatican tends to bend the rules whenever it wants to. Usually for politically correct reasons. This is why Catholics get the feel that there really is no law. Therefore you have your "Kerry-Catholics". A recent poll revealed 70% of Catholics favor abortion and artificial birth control. Why not? Has the Vatican really made it clear that anything is wrong in the past 40 years---other than wanting a Latin Mass?
I don't have a problem with people complaining about their bishops, especially when they are in error, i.e. bishops sending child molestors to other parishes. Those bishops should be removed from office and prosecuted, but neverthe less, prayed for. What I'm complaining about is people who say they are going to leave the church because of these people. I've heard too many people say "I went to confession and the priest was mean to me, so, I'm leaving the church". Stuff like that bothers me.
If I went to a doctor, and picked a "bad" doctor, would I never to go a doctor again? Of course not. Christ founded the catholic church, He is perfect, the hierarchy is not. All I'm saying is that I would not leave for the errors of others, thats all.
If a bishop is leading others astray or committing a crime, damn well I'm going to criticize. I'm sorry, I probably wasn't clear on that. I just didn't want my post to be too long.
"If I went to a doctor, and picked a "bad" doctor, would I never to go a doctor again? Of course not. Christ founded the catholic church, He is perfect, the hierarchy is not. "
An excellent way of looking at a very sordid situation.
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