[Proud2BAmerican]

In my entire life as a Catholic (spent participating in 3 different dioceses), I've never encountered a single married priest, nor have I known anyone who has, nor have I even *heard* of a married priest.

Do you have any idea what the figures are for the married priests in the Catholic Church? I just don't see how the case can be made that Rome allowing converted married men to become priests somehow undercuts the requirement of celibacy for entrants into the priesthood.

[sinkspur]

We've got four Episcopalian converts in the diocese of Ft. Worth; I know two of them: Fr. Peter Hart and Fr. John Gremmels.

There are just over 100 Protestant converts serving in the Catholic priesthood today.

Their presence indicates that celibacy is not absolute, and that married men can serve as Catholic priests, and be effective, and be accepted by Catholics just as celibate priests are.

BTW, I obviously stand corrected on Neuhaus; I thought he was married.

[bejaykay]

proud2b says, "I just don't see how the case can be made that Rome allowing converted married men to become priests somehow undercuts the requirement of celibacy for entrants into the priesthood." I did not intend to imply that. I was simply stating that there ARE married priests. I was mostly responding to another who was trying to use it to make a point.