Vatican calling for Boycott of Da Vinci Code

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

The Catholic Church does make exceptions to the celibacy vow to married Protestant clergy and Orthodox priests that convert to Catholicism. As far as Protestant clergy go, though, I've only seen it done with Episcopalian priests, not, like say a converted Methodist clergyman. That's not to say it doesn't happen, I've just never seen or heard of it.

There have also been some Lutherans who have become priests.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

There have also been some Lutherans who have become priests.

Its my understanding that Lutherans are pastors, not priests. Pastors are allowed to marry, etc.

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

Its my understanding that Lutherans are pastors, not priests. Pastors are allowed to marry, etc.

Married Lutheran pastors who convert can become priests.

 

[BarnGoddess]

Maral

Hi BarnGoddess,
The Church you attended in Miami was probably what is called a High-Episcopal or High-Anglican Chruch. They call their sevices Masses, have confessionals, etc., and it is hard to see a difference between them and Roman Catholic Churches.
The last time I was in New York City, I was walking past a beautiful cathedral on a Sunday morning and the sign with the Mass schedule said there was one at 11:00AM. It was just a couple of minutes past 11:00, so I decided to go in there instead of the Church I usually go to when in New York. I was more than half way through the Mass before I realized I was in an Episcopal Church, not a Catholic Church.

Yes Maral, I should have posted about the High, Middle and Low Episcopal Churches. My uncle is a retired Episcopal Priest and was very definitely Low Church. I attended Low and Middle churches most of my life. I had just never been to such an extremely high service before. I wasn't comfortable. I know that the church we grew up in had a major change when a new priest was hired. New parishioners came in and before you knew it, they began speaking in "tongues". It became very charismatic. Most of the old parishioners fled to the Cathedral downtown, which was very Middle Episcopal.

I bet you felt right at home in the New York Cathedral. Was it St. John the Divine?

 

[TisHerself]

Married Lutheran pastors who convert can become priests.

Yes they can, There is one in fact who is a regular on EWTN I can't right now remember his name..Brain Freeze

 

[Maral]

Maral

Yes Maral, I should have posted about the High, Middle and Low Episcopal Churches. My uncle is a retired Episcopal Priest and was very definitely Low Church. I attended Low and Middle churches most of my life. I had just never been to such an extremely high service before. I wasn't comfortable. I know that the church we grew up in had a major change when a new priest was hired. New parishioners came in and before you knew it, they began speaking in "tongues". It became very charismatic. Most of the old parishioners fled to the Cathedral downtown, which was very Middle Episcopal.

I bet you felt right at home in the New York Cathedral. Was it St. John the Divine?

Yes, BarnGoddess, I do believe it was St. John the Divine. It was a beautiful Cathedral and the boys choir was absolutely awesome. I will probably go back there again just to hear them sing.

 

[cappuccina]

....that is one of the long-standing splits that the EO denominations have had with the Catholic Church...

'Tis... LOL

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Married Lutheran pastors who convert can become priests.

Yeah, but can they stay married?

 

[Dark Knight]

....that is one of the long-standing splits that the EO denominations have had with the Catholic Church...

'Tis... LOL

IIRC the Eastern Church priest's who get married cannot be promoted to Bishop, etc. Only the celibate ones can be promoted beyond priest.

 

[Dark Knight]

Yeah, but can they stay married?

Are you asking if we force them to divorce? LOL!!!! No, we don't, hehe. :slap:

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Are you asking if we force them to divorce? LOL!!!! No, we don't, hehe. :slap:

No, that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if they must divorce before they become priests? And, since the catholic church doesn't "do divorces," would they call them annullments instead?

 

[TisHerself]

Yeah, but can they stay married?

Yes they can stay married, as I said they have a married Catholic priest who is frequently on EWTN, he was at one time a Lutheran Pastor. He talks about his conversion into The Catholic Faith. The Church has special dispensations for Episcopal and Lutheran Pastors who convert to Catholicism to remain married and become Catholic Priests if they want to. Their are not a lot of them but yes there are some.

 

[Dark Knight]

No, that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if they must divorce before they become priests? And, since the catholic church doesn't "do divorces," would they call them annullments instead?

Yes you are asking if we required a happy marriage to end first, lol. Nope. And an annullment isn't a guarantee, so that would be risky to count on that, if it were "required." But no, they may remain married, and, actually, if they did divorce and didn't qualify for annullment, they would likely be rejected as Priests.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Thanks to both of you for your answers!

 

[TisHerself]

....that is one of the long-standing splits that the EO denominations have had with the Catholic Church...

'Tis... LOL

No, not at all. First of all, priests can't marry in the EO -- but married men can become priests. However, in the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, that same rule holds, (married men can become Eastern Catholic priests, and do so all the time) ,so this is in no way a reason for the split.

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

....that is one of the long-standing splits that the EO denominations have had with the Catholic Church...

'Tis... LOL

In the Eastern Rite Churches in Communion with Rome, married men may be ordained as priests just as in the Orthodox Churches.

 

[Maral]

Originally Posted by cappuccina
....Jesus was a great philosopher, teacher, someone who was able to put forth an alternative moral system in a very barbaric world and was quietly charismatic enough that people followed his teachings and continue to do so to this day. That's great, however, there is no scientific evidence that he is anything more or less than what I have stated above. Now, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but, in fact, there is no actual evidence in the true sense of the word.

Hey, Capp, I'm curious about what you said in the quote above. You state that there is no scientific evidence that Jesus is anything more or less than what you wrote. You don't say that you do not believe in the divinity of Jesus, but it reads that way to me. I apologize if I am wrong. I know that you are a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church and a fundamental belief of the Orthodox Church is the faith in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, Who became "incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and became man".

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

Trivia: During the time when the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe was being severely repressed by the Soviet Empire, some married men were secretly ordained as priests. This was done because the bishops knew that the Communists would not suspect that the married men were priests. The trick worked.

 

[TisHerself]

Hey, Capp, I'm curious about what you said in the quote above. You state that there is no scientific evidence that Jesus is anything more or less than what you wrote. You don't say that you do not believe in the divinity of Jesus, but it reads that way to me. I apologize if I am wrong. I know that you are a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church and a fundamental belief of the Orthodox Church is the faith in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, Who became "incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and became man".

If Capp is a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church she would know that there is no split between them and the Catholic Church because of Married Priests.

 

[LuvChocolate]

Interesting observation!!!!!!!!!

While I was still in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, I lived with a Catholic roommate. Now, I'm Episcopalian (courtesy of Henry VIII), so our liturgy was very similar. The exception is no Pope, just Bishops (Episcopal means having bishops). On a Christmas Eve we dicided to go to Christmas Eve midnight services in our respective religions. He dropped me off at an Episcopal Church where we lived and he went on the the Catholic Church he regularly attended. After the services, we related our experiences. Very interesting indeed.......

I should have been suspicious immediately when the sign in front of the church mentioned "mass" instead of "service". As I entered, there was Holy Water available. I have never encountered that in any Episcopal Church. Then they had a "Mary's Altar". I had never seen that either. There were votive candles in front of that altar. The priest used incense during the service. Very rare in the Episcopal Church. After the service, I found out he had been a Roman Catholic priest, but left the church to marry. He attended our seminary to learn our liturgy and became an Episcopal priest. He fit in with the parish he served as that's exactly what they wanted.

Now we switch to my roommate. He said they had an new assistant priest in his parish. He was a retired Episcopal priest and was married........He spoke with several women in his church and they seemed to really like him. He was able to relate as he was married and he said the women liked his wife. He told me there was a shortage of Catholic priests and were accepting married clergy from the Episcopal Church

I was amazed at the switch in our respective churches. Can any Roman Catholics comment?

Also, I live now in a small community, actually between two small communities. Each town has an very active Catholic Church. Because of the shortage of priests, one serves both parishes. Now there is also a Traditional Catholic Church in the area. They bought the Lutheran Church and parsonage when the Lutherans built a new church. The practice the Latin Mass. I know from talking with some parishoners, Rome does not really recognize them. Any comments on this?

DK or Maral?

Hi BarnGoddess,
Regarding the married priest, it is my understanding that when their tenure runs out an unmarried priest will take his place. I know of one Episcopal church where the whole parish converted to Catholicism, so their priest is married.
We have been having dialog with the Lutheran church for some time now and we pray for unity.
A church is regonized as Catholic if they are in communion with the pope.