I was recently told that there is a large, well organized, international organization that actively discriminates against practising, married, faithful, Catholic men. This heinous organization denies incredible, life altering opportunities to these Catholic men and in a spirit of contempt for them pass them over; opting for Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodists, Presbyterian, Orthodox and other denominations of Christians for important positions. As a practising, Roman Catholic I was appalled to hear that such discrimination was still allowed this day and age. Catholic men are men like any else. We pray, we love our wives, we work hard, we are intelligent, contributing members of society. A married, Catholic man is Vice President of the United States, Speaker of the House, Senators, Governors, Congressmen, Mayors, C.E.O.s of major corporations. This just cannot be…
“Which group?” I asked furiously. The response shocked me. I expected some large liberal media conglomerate, some shady medical company, some university system bent on destroying traditional values. None of these. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this large, well organized, international organization is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The life altering opportunity is the priesthood.
I know I usual slather sarcasm all over my entire posts like smooth, creamy peanut butter (mmmm… peanut butter…) but this time I will break from precedent and boldly speak my mind on a real beef I have with the Church.
I love the Church; always have. In years past I even vehemently defended the celibate priesthood. But I can no longer wrap my head around what is going on now. Before the recent developments with the Anglican ordinariate I could write off in my own mind the presence of a few “freak” minister converts who, due to pastoral sensitivity, were allowed to pursue the priesthood. But with the droves now entering in I can no longer figure it out. I am personally offended.
What does the Holy See have against us married Catholic men? Why are we so inferior? Why can Byzantine, Maronite, Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican and other protestant married men be accepted as candidates to the Roman Catholic priesthood and not Roman Catholic married men? How did we become the exception? Do we smell bad? How is it that God calls my Lutheran minister neighbour to the priesthood and the Church welcomes the idea with open arms and open minds but if I were to propose my possible calling to the same vocation I would be looked at as if I had two heads?
It just doesn’t make sense to anyone anymore. Someone please explain it to me. It’s not theological. I mean, with the issue of the ordination of women the Church has declared that it is not just a discipline but an actual theological impossibility. Not the case with marriage as is evidenced by the increasing number of married, Latin Rite, Roman Catholic priests. It’s not that they are already priests. The Church does not recognize Anglican ordinations, not to mention protestant ministers that do not even claim ordination. We used to chalk it up to a Western/Eastern thang… not anymore... as far as I know London is west of Rome.
Benny you got some splainin to do. Don’t be hating on us. We’re not that bad. The Church has got some splainin to do. Tell us! Straight up. Why do men from other denominations get a pass and baptized Catholics get snubbed?
At this point, I still cannot get the point of why married men would want to be priests.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm absolutely shocked. Do you realize how heavy a burden priesthood is? Why would you want it?
I'm a happily married man with kids. This is a vocation for me. I love it.
But I lead fellow Catholics too, to the extent that one parish priest got "jealous" of our leadership structure. He said, your community is organized almost like a parish, with ministries from womb to tomb, for married men, singles, widows, widowers, divorced individuals, you name it. You have a responsibility over your flock almost in the same sense as priests have responsibility over the parish.
Home is the best place to start the holy priesthood. Then let that priesthood spill over to your community. Spread the gospel one family at a time.
That's the spirit of Vatican II.
Married men are in the best position to lead the movement of transformation among the lay people in the Church.
That too is priesthood, though not in the same sense as you seem to advocate.
Its a good question...Why do men feel called to the priesthood? Why does a Lutheran pastor with a family of 5 feel called to the Catholic priesthood? Why does a Jewish man feel called to be a Rabbi? An Evangelical man to be a pastor? A Buddhist to be a monk? I'm not sure... I don't feel those calls. If the ban on married Catholic men was lifted I would not apply. A call is mysterious.
ReplyDeleteThe question is not so much why men would want to minister as why the Church is inconsistent in her application of a discipline. The Church is ultra-sensitive to the ministerial calling of married men from other denominiations but completely closed to the same calling among married members of her own flock.
Just a little comment. I agree with you. It's inconsistent. I live near a catholic church in my neighborhood. I have nothing to do with it now. It has been invaded by home schoolers. Until last month the parish had an associate who was recently ordained who had come over from the Episcopal Church. My neighbors call him the apostate. Another catholic neighbor coming home from Mass there one Sunday, said he was confused by this transformed Episcopal priest. I really could not explain. I just decided the next time Rome uses the phrase, "We can't do that because it would confuse the faithful." I will just hold up this incident!
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