Pope Considers Lifting Celibacy Rule
From Wednesday's news:
"VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI has called a meeting Thursday with top Vatican officials to discuss lifting the celibacy requirement for priests seeking to marry or who have already married. "Link
I am shocked and awed. And skeptical.
As a Catholic I don't necessarily think priests should be allowed to marry. I think it would make their jobs very difficult and distract them from their obligations. Let's say, for example, a priest is married and has a young child. The same day he has to perform last rites on a long-standing and beloved parishoner who is on his deathbed, the priest's child becomes very ill. To whom does he tend? Which relationship is more important?
To me it is more important and a more logical and practical solution to allow women to become priests. They too would have to take vows of celibacy.
I know my opinion that priests should remain celibate is not a popular one - but then again, it wouldn't be the first time that was the case.
I'll be curious to see how this plays out.
posted by Hilda @ 12:10 AM
3 Comments:
I think celibacy is noble, but not practical. One the high road, one the low road. Very few take the high road in anything in life, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for higher practices and principles.
Maybe take a look at how the Jesuit priests manage their responsibilities...I do believe there is a sect that is allowed to marry.
And I would love to see women priests too.
I don't understand the whole premis of priests not being able to get married. I never understood it. I don't see how that "sacrifice" makes you closer to God (how it was explained to me once). Are they insinuating that marriage doesn't bring you closer to God? But this is coming from the person who was told she was going to eternal damnation when I questioned the church's position on marriage and failed to 'see the light'. So, don't go by me!
Karoda writes:
"Maybe take a look at how the Jesuit priests manage their responsibilities...I do believe there is a sect that is allowed to marry."
The Jesuits definitely can't marry, and there is no Roman Catholic sect that allows priests to marry. In some instances they accept widowed men to become priests and there may be infintesimally few exceptions where a married man is allowed to become a priest.
As the article states, some former Roman Catholic priests have ordained married men, but until now they have been censured and/or defrocked by the Vatican.
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