Posted on 02/22/2011 8:10:47 AM PST by SmithL
BERLIN, Germany (AP) --
In a rare move that needed the pope's approval, a Lutheran convert was ordained Tuesday as a Catholic priest in Germany and is being allowed to remain married to his wife — who has already become a nun.
Harm Klueting, 61, was ordained by Archbishop Joachim Cardinal Meisner in a private ceremony at the city's seminary, the Cologne archdiocese said.
Pope Benedict XVI gave Klueting a special permission to remain married to his wife Edeltraut Klueting, who became a Catholic Carmelite nun in 2004.
The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican's chief spokesman, said the exception is rare but there have been similar cases.
"It doesn't happen every day," he said.
Klueting and his wife were Lutherans when they married in 1977 and both served as Lutheran clerics before converting to Catholicism several years ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
fyi
Ping for later
She has already become a nun.
So they’re not really married.
If the Pope says they’re still married, they’re still married, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, at least.
So they’re not really married.As a Lutheran, I'm not going to weigh in on what Roman Catholic policy really is, but based entirely on this article, it sure looks like the Pope considers them to be married.
In our Archdiocese we had two married priests who came to the Catholic Church from other denominations.
One of them, unfortunately, died at a priest’s retreat of a heart attack........prayers for his family.
With more Anglicans and Lutherans coming to Catholicism, I think we may see more of this. What do you think?
“two married priests who came to the Catholic Church from other denominations.”
Made me look twice! Understood after re-reading, but how long’ll it be before two married same-sex priests/ministers/reverends from some liberal denomination make self-serving headlines expressing their desire to come home to the Mother Church?
Oh, come on.....each one had a wife!
How do you figure they’re not really married? The Church recognizes everybody’s (heterosexual, legal) marriage, no matter what the ceremony is. It’s a myth that the Church doesn’t regard people united outside of the Church as married.
Also, there was no civil divorce and no annulment. So even if people became Catholic religious after their marriage, that doesn’t dissolve or invalidate their existing marriage.
This was not that uncommon once upon a time. Sometimes two particularly devout spouses would both decide to join religious orders, usually after their children were grown (although in the middle ages, there are cases of women having brought children with them). They gave up the “use of marriage,” as I believe it was called, but were not considered divorced or annulled.
“....how long’ll it be before two married same-sex priests/ministers/reverends from some liberal denomination make self-serving headlines expressing their desire to come home to the Mother Church?”
You’re kidding, right? Let’s compare apples to apples here, not apples & oranges. This man was married before his conversion to Catholicism. And it is a heterosexual marriange. Big difference between gay marriage, which the Church recognizes as a sin & intrinsic evil. Sheesh.
Also, something likely is that they practice Continence, given her vows, as well as his. They would’ve been practicing that since her vows.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has lost many of its “best and brightest” in this manner, including Fr. Richard John Neuhaus of blessed memory.
Other notable converts include Fr. Philip Max Johnson, first Senior of the Society of the Holy Trinity; Fr. Leonard Klein, one of the founders of that Society; and Rev. Deacon Richard Ballard.
It must be wonderful to be able to receive all 7 sacraments.
I think you’re right.
I suspect this will be part of ending the rule for unmarried priests in the Latin rite.
Will take a few generations though.
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