tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post3145899959435608645..comments2024-03-25T06:39:42.081-04:00Comments on Bonfire of the Vanities: Will the pope OK married priests?Fr Martin Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01375628123126091747noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post-48621774105079544132013-09-29T00:55:09.795-04:002013-09-29T00:55:09.795-04:00Father, I am a poor and completely unworthy servan...Father, I am a poor and completely unworthy servant, in dire need of a quadruple dose of humility. Pray for me. If the bishop doesn't run me out on a rail, I'll be a candidate for ordination as of October 12...I'll be "on track" to be ordained in the spring of 2016. <br /><br /><br />I was indeed at your ordination. I was there in the company of Father Cy Middendorf, SM, and Father Chris Rohmiller. Father Chris has entered Eternal Life, and I think Father Cy has as well, but I am not entirely sure. He was at Mercy Sienna in Dayton last time I knew his whereabouts. I was not aware until I read your post that Father Dan Shuh has also entered Eternal Life. I will pray for him.Deacon David Oatneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01895500028831981591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post-91931206881818163642013-09-28T13:57:07.612-04:002013-09-28T13:57:07.612-04:00David:
Yes, I was ordained with Father Larry Gear...David:<br /><br />Yes, I was ordained with Father Larry Gearhart, in 2003.<br /><br />Best wishes on your vocation to the diaconate! Thank you for answering the call!Fr Martin Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01375628123126091747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post-19393673791374750382013-09-27T21:35:22.107-04:002013-09-27T21:35:22.107-04:00Father, thank you for your defense of clerical cel...Father, thank you for your defense of clerical celibacy. As an Aspirant to the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Knoxville, I have come to appreciate the value of celibacy for priests and to confront the reality that I may be called on to embrace celibacy if anything happens to my wife. I agree completely that those who sing the siren song of "married priests, married priests, married priests!" have never experienced what it is like to have married ministers, as those of us who are former Protestants are well aware...nor do many of those who say these things ponder what the Scriptures say.<br /><br />Your discussion of Father Dan Shuh reminds me...my memory may be failing me here, but I may have been at your ordination. Were you ordained with Father Larry Gearhardt?Deacon David Oatneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01895500028831981591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post-35587662803992279572013-09-26T12:42:05.597-04:002013-09-26T12:42:05.597-04:00I think the benefits of having a married priest cl...I think the benefits of having a married priest class outweigh the detriments.Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02395546579597858011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post-78084143230835513342013-09-20T23:40:24.423-04:002013-09-20T23:40:24.423-04:00I certainly hope the discipline is maintained. It ...I certainly hope the discipline is maintained. It has done a lot of good for the Church.Irenaeus of New Yorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15417864023451617631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14168956.post-4548141547665729442013-09-18T18:34:53.119-04:002013-09-18T18:34:53.119-04:00The subject of married priests is one raised only ...The subject of married priests is one raised only last weekend at my Maronite Catholic parish. As a Roman Catholic, practicing my faith in an Eastern Catholic Church, I was prepared for the question. <br /><br />In October 2005, Cardinal Sfeir, (then) Patriarch of the Maronite Church, addressed this topic at the 11th General Synod Fathers, gathered for their eighth meeting at the Vatican. The Cardinal defended the practice of the celibate priesthood and discussed the beauty of the tradition, calling it the "most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church."<br /><br />While pointing out that "the Maronite Church admits married priests" and that "half of our diocesan priests are married", the Cardinal Patriarch said that "it must be recognized that if admitting married men resolves one problem, it creates others just as serious."<br /><br />"A married priest", he said, "has the duty to look after his wife and family, ensuring his children receive a good education and overseeing their entry into society. ... Another difficulty facing a married priest arises if he does not enjoy a good relationship with his parishioners; his bishop cannot transfer him because of the difficulty of transferring his whole family.<br /><br />He noted that "married priests have perpetuated the faith among people whose difficult lives they shared, and without them this faith would no longer exist."<br /><br />"On the other hand," he said, "celibacy is the most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church,"<br /><br />It should be pointed out that the Maronite Catholic Church, in respect of priestly celibacy practiced by the Latin Church, only sends celibate priests to serve outside of Lebanon. Our pastor is a celibate priest and missionary, and member of a monastic community. <br /><br />Once this information had been conveyed, the visiting RC caught on very quickly, saying he had never considered these other aspects and the ramifications they would have on a local parish. For the most part, here in the US, parish communities are much smaller than their Latin Rite counterparts. We can barely support a celibate priest, much less one that is married with children. Carolyn Lallihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04240212193164773808noreply@blogger.com