Thank you for the expansion on celibacy as a discipline and the reason why bishops are chosen from the celibate priests. As for a married man becoming a Syro-Malabar priest, that is already a reality - IF - he is a member of that rite. IOW, a Latin Rite married man would have to formally switch rites before entering their seminary.
You may have previously read the comments made by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Pierre Cardinal Sfeir, as I have posted them to other threads. For the benefit of freeper rface, it might assist in better comprehending the advantages and drawbacks to a married priesthood.
During the 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist, for example, Cardinal Angelo Scola, Patriarch of Venice, raised the issue of viri probati (tested men), saying that some bishops had “put forward the request to ordain married faithful of proven faith and virtue.” Bishops from Great Britain and New Zealand supported the idea, arguing that it might encourage additional young men to enter the priesthood.During the interventions by Eastern-rite bishops, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, the Maronite patriarch of Antioch in Lebanon, said that half of his diocese’s priests are married.
“It must be recognized that if admitting married men resolves one problem, it creates others just as serious,” he told the synod members.
The priest’s duty to care for his wife and children, ensure their education and oversee their entry into society are among the problems Cardinal Sfeir mentioned.
“Another difficulty facing a married priest arises if he does not enjoy a good relationship with his parishioners,” he said. “His bishop cannot transfer him because of the difficulty of transferring his whole family.”
Celibacy, in fact, is “the most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church,” the cardinal declared, contrasting the practice against an impure culture. “How can celibacy be conserved in an atmosphere laden with eroticism? Newspapers, Internet, billboards, shows, everything appears shameless and constantly offends the virtue of chastity.
“If Jesus Christ wanted priests to be married,” he continued, “he would have gotten married himself.”
The last statement is by far, the best argument. It is also worth noting that some of the married priest converts to the RC, have also weighed in on this issue. Consider the following.
rface, I hope our combined efforts to respond to your question are helpful. This discussion is as old as christianity ;-)
Thank you! That was very insightful. I’ve copied it for future reference :)