Can you explain how this came to be and what possible impact this will have for other Catholic married deacons from our diocese in the Roman Rite? Do they all now have the option of requesting ordination to the priesthood? If not, why? If yes, what impact could this have on the celibate non-married priesthood?Last week I explained that the married priesthood has been part of our Catholic tradition since the time of the Apostles. But over time, celibacy became the norm. Last week, the Church canonized John Henry Newman. Newman was an Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism. While he was not married, there were other Anglican clergy who converted to Catholicism during his lifetime. I've heard from those who know Newman much better than I do, that he believed that celibacy was necessary for the priesthood, but he is known to have lamented on the fact that the Catholic Church didn't know what to do with these men. Clearly this is not a 20th century issue. Newman always referred to a passage from St. Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians in explaining why he had never married. St. Paul wrote:
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. (1 Cor. 7:8)In 1951 Pope Pius XII had granted special permission for a married Lutheran pastor to be ordained to the Catholic priesthood. Then, in his 1967 encyclical, On the Celibacy of the Priest, Pope Paul VI called for a study of married ministers of other churches who converted to Catholicism to continue to exercise ministry. But it wasn’t until 1980 that Pope John Paul II allowed an exception for married Episcopal clergy who wanted to become Catholic priests. Since then, Vatican officials also have considered requests from members of other Christian denominations. There are approximately 120 active Roman Catholic priests in the United States who are married (not sure how many in Canada or worldwide). Originally this practice only applied to men who had been Episcopal/Anglican clergy, but now they come from the Lutheran, Presbyterian, or Methodist churches. After they and their families entered into full communion with the Church, they would have had to petition Rome for permission to be ordained as Catholic priests. They would have had to go through priestly formation before ordination since the Catholic Church does not recognize ordination in other churches as valid.
I know we have a tradition of married priests, but for most, this is not a situation that they have experience with. My guess is most Roman Catholics would probably say married clergy is not allowed. Not many Roman Catholics have ever met a married priest. (I'm 46 years old and I've only ever heard of married priests in the Eastern Rite Church or met men and women who are married priests from Protestant denominations.) I suppose this is true when it comes to deacons too. My children really don't know any permanent deacons. I experienced one ordination as a child. So I think we all need a refresher on the topic!I hope this has been useful. I have written extensively on the Permanent Diaconate, so I won’t go into that at this point. Maureen added:
I think the biggest confusion is why it would be allowed for a convert from a Protestant denomination and not allowed for our Catholic "born and raised" deacons. I get the feeling some in the Catholic Church see it as unfair or jump ahead and think of it as a scary idea of change with regards to married priests. Something you have said in your response below makes me think I may be on the right page with things here. As I have tried to read up on this a bit, I believe that this allowance has more to do with bringing together the Protestant and Catholic Churches back together again one day. Opening the door to welcome and unite those who may wish to come back to the Catholic Church - but already in a role of ministry, not wanting to give up a true calling by God.Thank you, Maureen, for your question and your comments. Perhaps, in closing, I can say this: We do have a tradition of married priesthood in the Catholic Church. This should not be a scary thing. These men are not automatically allowed to be priests. They still have to go through training and ordination. I think Maureen is right that it is a way to bridge the gap between denominations and the Catholic Church, but it's also a way to honour a call that someone may have had outside of the Church after they come into full Communion. It's a great question and a great conversation. Send me your comments. -- *A reminder that discipline is NOT doctrine. Disciplines are universal laws of the Church. They may include particular laws of a diocese, liturgical norms, or Church practice. They require obedience by all Catholics. Those who reject them are considered to be in a state of "disobedience".
【鹽與光傳媒資訊】2025年7月6日(星期日)起,教宗將前往距離羅馬約25公里的岡道爾夫堡夏宮( Castel Gandolfo),展開為期14天的休假,直到7月20日。
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王新亮神父:「今天的福音對我們的生活有什麼啟示呢?我們的工作是重要的,但是我們不要忘記為了什麼而工作。如果我們的工作不是為了愛天主和愛身邊的人,那就沒有了意義。」
【鹽與光傳媒資訊】多倫多中華殉道聖人堂將於2025年7月12日(星期六)在多倫多中華殉道聖人堂舉行講座,主題為「慈母教會」,講者是駐馬耳他及利比亞宗座大使韓大輝總主教。講座內容包括:聖經和傳統的根據、教宗地位的反思、 共議同行的實踐。歡迎大家參與!