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Oh my goodness ... we actually AGREE on something, Joe!

To quote our illustrious President, "Bring 'em on!" :rolleyes:

It takes time. There must be harmony there somewhere since we both like the Three Stooges! I am personally familiar with my Latin Catholic neighbors. My mother was a Latin Catholic, my wife is one (Italian too), my home parish was the most Latinized one in our eparchy at one time, and I attended a Latin seminary. So, we share some common ground there between the Stooges and Latin Catholicism.

Joe

And Curly Joe DeRita (the last Stooge*) was a devout "R.C." -- another link, nyuk nyuk!

*(The actual words on his gravestone, "Curly Joe DeRita, The Last Stooge", bless his heart. )

Someone mentioned earlier the idea of "working priests" in the spirit of St. Paul the Tentmaker!

A few years ago, I befriended a local married Romanian Orthodox priest who was preparing to work in a secular field (Human Resources, my own field of choice). He indicated that, due to the relatively small size of parishes and their lack of financial resources, married priests in his eparchy could work in the marketplace to provide financial support to their families and help offset some of the costs to their parishes.

I am wondering if such a model would work in our own financially strapped BCC eparchies? (especially where new missions are forming...) Perhaps one of the reasons why we have so few married candidates to the priesthood is that it is virtually impossible to support a family on $12K a year!

I have seen this model work in some Protestant and Anglican churches, and see it as similar to the experience of the married diaconate in the Greek and Latin churches.

As far as the formation program for those currently working in the marketplace, it could be modeled after the Metropolia's diaconal formation program over say a six year period (2 weeks per-year intensive on-site formation @ St. Cyril and Methodius, MDiv courses completed via distance ed, using an active internship model in the parish - going on pastoral visitations, serving different roles and ministries in the church, etc.). The pastor could act as the candidate's primary "mentor-in-ministry", in conjunction with regular contact with the vocation director and the Bishop.

In this model, the primary setting for formation is the actual parish, versus an academic campus. (Not that I have anything against seminaries, mind you...)

Thoughts?

Gordo

Gordo, married Greek Catholic priests often also have second "day jobs". The more common ones amongst both Catholic and Orthodox seem to be teachers, prison or hospital chaplains, etc.

Where would they pick up their auras and mystiques?

At the "Mystique Boutique"

Is this the same booth where one signs one's celibacy promise?

Gordo,

You have proposed some really good ideas. Hopefully our bishops would be open to such possibilities, and will eventually take the step of accepting a married man as a candidate for the priesthood.

Anthony

Gordo,

We think along similar lines:

https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000278

Consider teleconferencing: Wouldn't it be unique for classrooms of students from a number of centrally-located study centers to be on-line discussing topics and listening to lectures? Many universities already conduct on-line classes and some even offer degrees. For those wanting more in-depth coverage on a topic, why not recorded CDs or videos/DVDs? A moderator of the study center can provide assistance to students or additional help.

Joe

What great ideas! Thanks for them.

Steve

PS Do you think that there's even the slightest or remotest chance that a member from my Church could have a share in the aura and mystique booth.

I know a winner idea when I see one!