General question to my Eastern Rite brothers/sisters

[Hesychios]

Originally Posted by dochawk

"nothing" is to strong a word--celibacy is the *only* reason I did not pursue tr RC seminary after college.

for that matter, if the EC seminary was an option for married former RC, I'd probably have found a way years ago.

Celibacy is not the only issue; perhaps not the biggest--but it definitely *is* an issue.

hawk

You could go to an Orthodox seminary, you would not be the first Eastern Catholic to do so. Apply directly to the seminary.

If you are already formally a member of an Eastern Catholic Sui Iuris church, there is actually a good chance an Eastern Catholic bishop would pick you up after seminary, but don't wait for your current bishop to approve before you start this process, you could wait a lifetime with no answer.

[Cristiano]

Originally Posted by Khalid

.............But, a man who is married can become a priest; a priest can not marry, nor can he re-marry if he is widowed. Holy Orders are a canonical (and, truly, ontological, as per the indelible mark confirmed by the grace of Ordination) impediment to marriage.

Your statement is not correct. There is for example the case of an Irish priest that asked to be laicized in order to get married, the ontological change was still there. He got the approval from the Holy See for the move to the laity and for marriage, he had children and after a long time he became a widow. He then asked for permission to be re-incardinated and the Holy See gave approval with the only condition to spend a couple of years in seminary to refresh is knowledge, he is not an active priest again.

P.S. I was also referring to your post #10.

[Khalid]

I do understand the point made, but wonder if it's "economy" (I doubt it is, as economy can't contradict divine law), and stand in wonder at it, as it flies in the face of the most simple logical principles (such as that of non-contradiction) when combined with the foundational principles of Catholic sacramental theology. I'd be interested (very interested) in understand how exactly the ordination-laicization-marriage is supposed to work on a philosophical, and not merely economical, level (e.g. what justification is there, or what am I missing in all of logic or theology, that makes it appear to be as impossible as a third coming of Christ to me, yet the Church has different practice?).

[Zekariya]

Originally Posted by Khalid

That's why I put it in parentheses. It seems to me, that when a laicized priest marries, he calls down anathema and wrath upon himself, because he took an irrevocable vow of celibacy in they eyes of God and men. It follows logically from the doctrine of vows and of Holy Orders in Catholicism, that Holy Orders are an ontological impediment to valid marriage. (Although, as you have pointed out, the practice of the Church differs from this.)

I was also speaking of Catholicism alone, not Orthodoxy.

Matthew 16:19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

One may be loosed from a vow by virtue of the Episcopate. This particular instance is reserved for the Holy See alone. However, if the Holy See looses a priest from the vow on earth, it is loosed in heaven as well. Once a priest is loosed from the vow of celibacy, God sees it a having been loosed; the vow has ceased to exist and God does not pour wrath upon the man.

[Nicea325]

All great information,but does anyone from an Eastern Rite have a source or link which may provide the information I seek?

[ByzCathCantor]

Originally Posted by Nicea325

All great information,but does anyone from an Eastern Rite have a source or link which may provide the information I seek?

Information of shortages of priests? or on the married priesthood?

If the latter, there is no central place to look for information, as the norms governing such are specific to each sui juris church. In the case of the Ruthenian Church, candidates for priesthood who wish to marry beforehand (must be before ordination) must seek permission of their bishop, who is obligated to clear it with Rome.

There are other sui juris churches that make their own determination and set their own rules.

The information you have gotten here regarding married priesthood in the Eastern Catholic Churches seems to be generally correct.

[Nicea325]

Originally Posted by ByzCathCantor

Information of shortages of priests? or on the married priesthood? If the latter, there is no central place to look for information, as the norms governing such are specific to each sui juris church. In the case of the Ruthenian Church, candidates for priesthood who wish to marry beforehand (must be before ordination) must seek permission of their bishop, who is obligated to clear it with Rome. There are other sui juris churches that make their own determination and set their own rules. The information you have gotten here regarding married priesthood in the Eastern Catholic Churches seems to be generally correct.

Sounds good to me and thanks again all of you and may God Bless all of you and your communities.

[Vico]

Originally Posted by Nicea325

All great information,but does anyone from an Eastern Rite have a source or link which may provide the information I seek?

You can see from the statistics for 2010 world total. With * do not have enough priests to have one per parish.

* Armenian: 116 parishes, 81 priests
* Syro-Malankara: 641 parishes, 587 priests
* Chaldean: 151 parishes, 147 priests
* Ukrainian: 3856 parishes, 1376 priests
* Ruthenian: 626 parishes, 501 priests
* Romanian: 1233 parishes, 819 priests
* Krizevci: 65 parishes, 46 priests

Coptic: 161 parishes, 241 priests
Ethiopian: 207 parishes, 587 priests
Syrian: 85 parishes, 118 priests
Syro-Malabar: 2744 parishes, 5832 priests
Melkite: 519 parishes, 591 priests
Macedonian: 7 parishes, 11 priests
Greek: 4 parishes, 11 priests
Bulgarian: 21 parishes, 21 priests
Slovak: 274 parishes, 445 priests
Italo-Albanian: 45 parishes, 82 priests
Hungarian: 178 parishes, 262 priests
Albanian: 9 parishes, 12 priests
Ordinariates: 29 parishes, 67 priests