Perhaps it’s because I came to Catholicism via a brief stay in Eastern Orthodoxy, but I voted ‘yes’ to a poll presented over at The Cafeteria is Closed. However, one priest made a comment that really made me think about the issue more deeply.
The possibility of increasing the number of priests really interests me. I’m concerned. I won’t lie. But is that trusting in God? After all, it is His Church. Yet, there’s a part of me that wants the priest shortage solved now. God doesn’t work on my time-table, thankfully. There are, admittedly, numerous questions that would have to be answered. Like the increased pay for a man who is now supporting an entire family. Increased cost of health insurance, etc. But these are just tangential to the the theological question: is the celibate priesthood what God wants for the Church?
The fact that other Catholic rites have married priests would seem to militate against a negative answer to that question. Yet, in so many cases, I’ve seen priests in Eastern Churches who have to take second jobs in order to provide for their families. And let’s not forget the stresses to the family, and the very real possibility of divorce and estrangement.
It’s a difficult question. One I’ve thought about often, but not in depth. I’m a new Catholic still (tomorrow is my one year anniversary), and I want to think with the mind of the Church on the issue. One thing that always bothers me about the married priesthood advocates . . . you rarely find one that is just for married priests. There always seems to be a litany of other issues tacked on with the position.
April 6, 2008 at 10:15 pm |
As someone who is currently in the process of stepping out of seminary I must say that a call to priesthood only makes sense when celibate. Married priesthood to me is not the true priesthood. I am leaving seminary and possible will one day be married, I don’t see them as polar opposites but rather as going together. Celibacy and Marriage reflect each other, one straightens the other.
Moreover, if men will not follow God’s will because it means they can’t be married, then I don’t know that I am okay with them as my pastor. What does that say? “God I will follow you will, only if I can do this at the same time.”
April 7, 2008 at 6:45 am |
Chris brings up a good point.
Looking at some of the Eastern Churches (and I am a Greek Catholic) people need to be aware that our parishes are usually quite small. The OCA is probably at an all-time high when it comes to clergy numbers… But what of the laity numbers? And is there a correlation?
Estimates on OCA membership are tricky to be sure. If there is anyone that still believes it is 1M+, I have this great ocean-front property in Arizona I need to get rid of for rock bottom prices, please call me…
The last OCA yearbook lists 1026 clergy – 180 some deacons, the rest priests…
Using the Hartford Institute’s estimated membership of 39,000 for the OCA…
(per: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/tab2.pdf)
You get –
ratio of clergy to laity: 38.01
ratio of priests to laity: 47.04
39,000 / 456 parishes = 85.52 members per parish
Using Fr. Jonathan Ivanoff’s estimated membership of 27,196
You get –
ratio of clergy to laity: 26.50
ratio of priests to laity: 32.85
27,196 / 456 parishes = 59.64 members per parish
If some sources are correct, that the OCA active membership is closer to 15,000 you are getting to a point where 1 in 15 members of the OCA is a deacon, priest or bishop. Not great any way you slice it.
If the Latin rite went to married priesthood we could expect about a 10-20% bump in the numbers… at least at first. After that… I am not so sure it would make a huge difference. The diocese that attract vocations now, will do so either way. The diocese that do not, will still not attract men.
I am really not interested in adopting a bi-vocational model for the priesthood wherein married men who are priests have to work secular jobs full time to support a family and serve as priests on the weekend and a few weeknights here and there.
What is perhaps making this issue moot is the growth of vocations among a number of diocese – some places are enjoying highs they have not seen in decades and are expecting more of the same. Quite frankly, I believe only necessity would put this issue on the table, and at this time it is not necessary.
April 7, 2008 at 7:04 am |
Thanks for the comments. I’ll have to think about the issue a bit more.
April 7, 2008 at 10:17 am |
When I first converted from Protestantism, I was in fairly strongly in favor of a married priesthood for the latin Rite. Now that a few years have gone by, I seriously question the wisdom of such a move. I’m glad that I am able to simply defer to the wisdom of the Church in this matter.
April 12, 2008 at 11:51 pm |
Our priest, who serves two parishes half an hour apart, lives in a teeny apartment attached to one of them. It is in a really rough part of town. The apartment–which liteally is attached to the church, like a little annex–is much too small for a family. This priest lives a pretty spartan life. He has the freedom and flexibility to do so because he is celibate. I don’t think it would be fair to expect a wife and family to live under such circumstances.
Anyway, his example always springs to mind when I hear folks talk about a married priesthood. Saint Paul said the single man is free to serve the Lord unreservedly, completely. I think that’s the key. The priesthood is an incredibly demanding vocation. The priest (if he’s worth his salt) gives of himself 24/7. What would he have left to give a wife and kids? I think, almost inevitably, the wife and kids would be neglected. Or else the parish would be. “No man can serve two masters.”
I’ve heard horror stories about Protestant ministers who gave so much time and energy to their ministries that they neglected their families, and their kids ran wild. I’ve heard horror stories about missionaries’ kids sent off to boarding school at a tender age…some still have not forgiven their parents for putting “the mission” ahead of them. I dunno…just looking at it from the perspective of a wife and mom: I think marriage and child-rearing are demanding eough wihout adding the huge extra stress of a draining, demanding ministry. For logistical reasons, therefore, I just can’t see a married priesthood working out for the Latin Rite…at least not on a large scale.
I am open to correction, but that’s how it seems to l’il ole me.
Diane