The Gift: A Married Priest Looks at Celibacy

 

Fr. Ray Ryland was a married Episcolian priest who converted to CATHOLICISM, and was allowed into the clergy with a dispensation from the rule of celibacy. He takes a look at the Catholic tradition of celibacy in the priesthood.

Edited August 7, 200818 yr by cch5432

The Gift: A Married Priest Looks at Celibacy

 

Fr. Ray Ryland was a married Episcolian priest who converted to Christianity, and was allowed into the clergy with a dispensation from the rule of celibacy. He takes a look at the Catholic tradition of celibacy in the priesthood.

 

 

Shouldn't that be converted to Catholicism? Since they are Christians too.

The Gift: A Married Priest Looks at Celibacy

 

Fr. Ray Ryland was a married Episcolian priest who converted to Christianity, and was allowed into the clergy with a dispensation from the rule of celibacy. He takes a look at the Catholic tradition of celibacy in the priesthood.

:irked::fight:

:irked::fight:

 

 

Cut him some slack, methinks it's a typo.

 

If not then he's on his own. :lol:

Cut him some slack, methinks it's a typo.

 

If not then he's on his own. :lol:

 

Absolutely it's a typo. I'm actually in a PM argument right now with a few posters defending the salvation of non-Catholics. My fault :laugh:

:irked::fight:

 

Sorry. No insult intended. Although I must say, reading through his articles, you lost a good one.

Without reading the article (and I will) I firmly believe that if the Vatican does not allow married priests at some point there will be a schism within the church and the American Catholic Church will break away from Rome.

Haven't had a chance to read the article yet (and I too will) but what is the basis for not marrying?

 

I believe many of the original 12 apostles were married.

Haven't had a chance to read the article yet (and I too will) but what is the basis for not marrying?

 

I believe many of the original 12 apostles were married.

I haven't read the article either and me being Catholic I wonder the same thing....what is the basis for not marrying? Can anyone find it anywhere in the Bible that says a priest cannot be married - I don't think so.

What an outstanding article. THAT is scholarly writing.

I haven't read the article either and me being Catholic I wonder the same thing....what is the basis for not marrying? Can anyone find it anywhere in the Bible that says a priest cannot be married - I don't think so.

 

Read the article. He makes an excellent case for it (unmarried/celibate priests).

To provide the answer that those who haven't read the article have asked regarding biblical support:

 

 

When He called His successors, the apostles, "they left everything and followed him" (Lk 5:11). Later, Peter reminded Jesus, "We have left everything and followed you." Then he asked, with typical candor, "What then will we have?" (Mt 19:27). Jesus replied, "There is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come" (Lk 19:29, emphasis added). Recall also that when Jesus taught the indissolubility of marriage, He also highly commended celibacy (Mt 19:12). And Paul himself strongly endorsed celibacy for more effective service to the Lord.

 

The other questions are best answered by reading the article.

Here is another well-written article written from more of a social science and philosophy point of view.

 

http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=143&Itemid=12&ed=10

 

His conclusory paragraph mirrors my protestant thoughts on the issue.

 

In a world that has absolutized sex, a celibate priesthood is a necessary sign of higher things. It's tough, but then so is Christianity. Those who wish to abolish celibacy generally favor other dilutions of Catholic doctrine and discipline. They are pursuing an essentially bourgeois project. They think that Christianity is fine so long as it makes no demands and, as a corollary, that the Church should turn itself into yet another liberal Protestant denomination. But these leftover modernists are no longer in the ascendancy, if they ever were, and it is not surprising that the recent synod of bishops in Rome overwhelmingly endorsed the Church's ancient discipline of celibacy.

Haven't had a chance to read the article yet (and I too will) but what is the basis for not marrying?

 

I believe many of the original 12 apostles were married.

He provides two arguments- one is historical (some is biblical, other is just from earlier writings) and one is theological.

Without reading the article (and I will) I firmly believe that if the Vatican does not allow married priests at some point there will be a schism within the church and the American Catholic Church will break away from Rome.

 

Interesting perspective. I'd imagine a large (although not sure if a majority) of numbers would remain with Rome- I know that I probably would.