2.10.2007

Because I have Faith...

The other day I was watching the evening news and they ran a story on a Priest and a Nun who years ago after they took their vows, they wed. It was like a car accident that I didn't want to look at but could not avert my eyes. I walked away from the television feeling like I wanted to rant but I needed to collect my thoughts before I blogged about this.

I recently read in "Following Christ in the World" by Seton Press this: "All men and women are called to the universal priesthood of the faithful by virtue of their baptism. All of the baptized can participate in the sacrifice of the Mass and receive the sacrificial Victim in the Holy Communion. All Catholics should stand in awe of this great privilege and thank God that He has called some men to receive the power to renew the covenant for us."

This all being said... someone told me the other day that they think the Catholic Church needs to "get with the times" and Priests should be allowed to marry. They went on to tell me that they thought the Church would eventually be dry of Priests unless something is done by way of Priests being able to marry.

Let me get this straight... times are a changin' and therefore the Church has to bend? Correct me if I am wrong but it looks to me that the change that is happening in our world have come about through sin, because of sin, and a result of sin.

I about tossed my shoe through my television when this "priest" on the news made the claim that we have all heard... the Church would not be having so many priests abusing children if they would only be allowed to marry. First of all, I am a warrior when it comes to abused children. I will fight and protect any child I know-or any adult that I know who has been abused as a child-until the day I take my last breath. This is not something I take lightly and I firmly believe that if a person abuses a precious child... a little lamb, they they deserve to be punished to the fullest. Here on earth and how God sees after death. I say that so you understand when I say "HA!" that you do not think I am undermining what children have gone through-in and out of the Church. But, correct me if I am wrong... but there are pedophiles that are married are there not? There are pedophiles who are leaders in other religious churches and there are pedophiles who are school teachers, bus drivers, youth ministers, uncles, grandfathers, and fathers. Do I believe that priests will be judged more severely because of their sins here on earth? Yes... Fr. D has always said that the road to hell is paved with the skulls of priests. This is because a priest holds the sins of their Church on their shoulders. Remember, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my bothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." James 3:1

We need to pray for our Priests. They are married to the Church and they have devoted their lives to our salvation. Just as I fast in order to teach myself to control my desires to demonstrate my love for God, so a Priest practices the fast which is celibacy. It is a wholesome and pure thing that is incredibly difficult in the world that surrounds them. We need to realize that this is not an easy fast and that it is a lifelong lesson of discipline that offers these chosen men the ability to be completely devoted to Our Lord and to offer complete concentration on the Will of God.

To read more about this, the article The Truth, the Young, and Married Priests http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2043 is a great read.

Too often we look for things that will make us more comfortable with our sins rather than taking on the courage to stand for what we believe and for what is right in this world. We all sin, we all make dramatic mistakes... I pray that we all discover the meaning to God's Word in our lives. Proverbs 4:20-27 basically tells us to Look straight ahead and fix our eyes on what lies before us. To mark out a straight path for our feet and stick to it. Don't get sidetracked.

You are all in my prayers
~Blessings, Cris

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Boo YEAH! Amen Sistah!

:-)

Hi. Just me again.

ukok said...

Priest and Nun married? Bleurgh!What is wrong with that picture?!

As you may know, my own parish priest is a married priest, a convert from anglicanism..his wife led him to the church...and it's just so much stress on the family, his carrying out an ordained priesthood. I'm not kidding, working for him gives me a lot of insight because he's also Dean of the erm, Deanery...the single priests have nowhere near the pressure he has, it's like he almost has to prove that he can live out his vocation 200% harder than he would have to if he was unmarried, and that's before we even get into the effect it has on his family.

My other friend is anglican and married to an anglican vicar, the needs of both families are put on the back burner for the most part by their husbands because the church and parishioners always have to come first. The women behind both men deserve an award and rarely is that recognised.

It's just another way of looking at the whole, 'married priests' debate.

Ultimately for me it comes down to this, if the Holy Father, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit declares that single ordained priests can marry, I'll support that just as strenuously as I do the celibate unmarried priesthood :-)

june cleaver said...

UK, that is why I included the article by Deacon Fournier... he said is so much more eloquently than I could. I believe in the teachings of the Church and the guidance of our Pope. Your priest was married before he was ordained, and I am sure it was not something he went into lightly-and I can only pray he felt the calling of the Holy Spirit-because I am sure it is not easy on his family. It would be a different story if he was ordained a priest and then married.
The priest that married my husband and I-a very good friend, went through a difficult time when he struggled over the decision to leave the priesthood and marry a woman that he had fallen in love with. My heart went out to him-and he followed the Church in that he left the priesthood in order to marry. This in no way makes him any less a child of God as when he was a priest.
My main thought on this entire thing is that people understand the priesthood for what it is-a vocation, a calling... much like the one that you and I have as mothers-not just a simple decision that anyone can make. We give ourselves over fully to it out of obedience and love for Christ.
Your priest and his family are very blessed to have such a woman of faith as a friend-
God Bless-Cris :)

Renee said...

In the Eastern Catholic Churches, there are married priests. The rules that apply are that they must have married before they became a priest, and the wife is considered to have a vocation as a priest's wife. They both must have discerned the vocation to be allowed to be ordained. Also, married priests can only be parish priests, never bishops or in any other hierarchical position. It is similar to the Orthodox tradition, as they originate from the same tradition.

I am not arguing with your point, though. In the Western Church there are and always have been very sound reasons for a celibate priesthood, and people who argue against celebacy generally have their best interest at heart, not the churches.

Stolmit said...

Cris, you left a comment on my blog recently. Thank you for the compliment regarding my photography. Much appreciated.

Regarding priests marrying, I have to be honest with you. I don't know if I have a definitive opinion one way or the other. Though partially raised Catholic and do carry respect for those principles I learned during Catechism, I feel rather disconnected from this debate. Isn't it great though to have a forum to voice one's ideas and concerns? That's one reason I like blogging and reading others.

Suzanne said...

Wonderful blog! I must agree with you and the comments you made in your comment box to others. Beautifully said and well thought out with prayer! God bless! Suzanne