Should Roman Catholic Priests be allowed to marry?
Rome says “No” because a priest can’t serve two masters. This statement is both complimentary and degrading, based upon perspective. It is complimentary in that it places the status of women equal to that of God. It is degrading because it lessens the male of the species to one of servitude to God and his wife.
Do you know that there are no theological grounds preventing priests from getting married? None. So what’s the hold up? The Catholic Church argues that it cannot afford to support a priest, his wife and his children. How do the Protestant Churches do it? They’ve been doing it for years. If a priest’s wife doesn’t mind doing the house chores and serving as the parish secretary and gets paid for it, Catholic Churches could dismiss their parish secretaries and the women that prepare the meals for the priests and clean their houses. Stop paying for these two services and give the money to the priest’s wife. After all, isn’t the Roman Catholic Church the wealthiest corporation in the world? True, each parish is a mini-corporation, but all are part of the whole.
What is the rationale behind allowing Anglican priests who are married and have families being accepted into the Catholic Church and are allowed to bring their families with them, but Roman Catholics training for the priesthood aren’t allowed to get married? How does that work?
In the Eastern Orthodox Church a few years ago, if a man was a deacon, he was allowed to marry and become a priest, but could not become a bishop. If he didn’t marry before becoming a priest, he wasn’t allowed to get married while a priest, but he could become a bishop. I don’t know if this is still the case. Perhaps this could be a first step for the Catholic Church.
What do you think?
(Note: When I use Catholic Church, I am referring to the Roman Catholic Church. Many Anglicans consider themselves to be just as Catholic as Roman Catholics).
I was raised in the Roman Catholic religion, but left the church in 1983. I have always felt that priests should marry, so they would know what it's like to raise a family firsthand. I find the phrase that a priest "can't serve two masters" hilarious coming from Rome, which still treats women like second-class citizens - otherwise, why aren't there female Catholic priests? Like we're supposed to believe the Pope thinks women are the masters of the home. Yeah, that's it, sure. The hypocrisy is overwhelming. Although it's fiction, perhaps more of the powers-that-be in Rome should read The DaVinci Code.
ReplyDeleteI am a practicing Catholic, went to Catholic school, was taught by nuns. I'm the cantor for 5pm mass, I'm the funeral cantor and I lead the school masses...and I'm a heretic of sorts.
ReplyDeleteI don't see what deacons can marry and priests can't. I don't see what the difference is. A good friend of mine, who happens to be a priest once told a congregation very matter of factly that our parish at the time, some 25K families, couldn't support a priest with a family.
When I was in high school, one of the priests was a compassionate, funny person who connected with teens around him, and could listen and give practical advice without going all "scripture" on us. He fell in love, and eventually left the priesthood. Another faith is benefiting from his wisdom now, and that's a shame. WE need priests like him who get teens.
At the end of the day, the God of my understanding isn't going to be too worried if a priest is married. He also doesn't care what building you sit in when you speak to him, as long as you do.
The RC church needs to come into the 20th Century. Expecting them to make it to the 21st is asking too much...