What is the Church planning to do about the priest shortage?

This question was made in very general terms but you can see right away that there are a number of facets to the question. Coupled with the first question was, "Will they change the criteria for being a priest?" The first question seems to focus more on how are the dioceses going to respond to the spiritual needs of the faithful with fewer priests. The second part of the question, however, seems to infer that maybe the Church needs to change who can be priests and the way priests live because this is significantly contributing the the priest shortage. It's going to take me three blog entries to answer these questions, so let's explore the latter question first.

The question of changing priest criteria comes down to two things: married priests and women priests. It is important to understand the Church teaching of each of these. The teaching that priests are to be celibate and unmarried is a discipline of the Church. This means that the Church has made the decision that unmarried, celibate priests benefit the faithful and best advance the Kingdom of God. A discipline is something that can be changed by the Church if it chooses. For example, the Church does allow ministers of other faiths who are married and convert to Catholicism to become Catholic priests. The Eastern Catholic Church has many married priests. I am not going to go into the misbelief that married priests would eliminate the problem of pedophile priests (the majority of pedophile cases in our country are committed by a family members and not by priests or strangers). I do want to discuss in this blog how married priests would change the landscape of our faith.

A married priest would be unfair to both the family and the faithful. Let's say that I am a married priest. I have a responsibility to my family to be a devoted husband and father. However, I also have a responsibility to be a devoted pastor to my parishioners. Married couples will immediately recognize where I am going here. As a spouse and parent, you give yourself 100% to your partner and kids. EVERYTHING is centered on their well-being and your love is totally dedicated to them. As a priest, I am called to give myself 100% to the well-being and care of my parishioners. As a married priest, I cannot give 100% of myself to my family and I cannot give 100% of myself to my parishioners. It is unfair to both my family and my parishioners. I know a number of married priests who were ministers of another faith, converted to Catholicism and were ordained. To a person, they all say that while they love their wife and children more than anything in the world, they're not nearly as effective of a spiritual shepherd to their people than if they were an unmarried priest solely dedicated to their care. They also say that their family does suffer because of the conflict that exists.

In my next blog, I will discuss the notion of women priests. We'll look at this both from the Church view and the historic view. One last note: I have begun updating my Catholic Quote of the Week section on the left side of this page. I will endeavor to change the quote at least weekly so take a moment to read the wisdom the Church has given us. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:03 | link | comments (2) |
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Comments:

#1  22 April 2008 - 09:00

 

I admire your class and restraint here.

I think I would have barked back about what her family was going to do about the Priest shortage. What are these parents doing about encouraging their children to religious life? Do dads ask their sons if they ever considered the cloth? Do uncles suggest to nephews to think about a calling, not just a paycheck? Do mothers tell their daughters that they can be everything they want to be, and that one of those things might be a nun?

Bless you, Fr. Rossman. I'm not sure I would have had such grace to handle it diplomatically and academically.

Blessings
--Joe

Anonymous

#2  22 April 2008 - 17:14

 

As a former Catholic and as a man who defended, successfully, a valid marriage against the near certainty of nullity I whole heartedly agree with you Father.

I have lived the celibate lifestyle, graciously bestowed upon me by my dear, unfaithful and maliciously abandoning wife, almost nineteen years now and could not imagine anything other than a celibate, single priesthood.

I remain a father, to five precious children and now four grandchildren, and find it foolish to think one can do it all and do justice to anything. At best you rob Peter to pay Paul.

Amen Father!

Anonymous

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