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I grew up both in the Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Catholic Churches.

If a person had been married, then is divorced, and received a decree of nullity, can he be ordained in the Byzantine Catholic Church ? Can he pursue a priestly vocation in the Byzantine Catholic Church ?

Does Canon Law prohibit his ordination, or is it left up to the discretion of the local Bishop?

Dear Kozache,

Years ago, Father Sergius Keleher indicated to my lowly person that there is always the question of "public scandal" involved with people who have had their marriages annulled and who then seek ordination.

One individual I knew who was in that predicament had people writing to Rome to call on the bishops to deny him ordination etc.

Not a good thing.

Alex

I've always wondered about this too. Because according to canon law, etc, a marriage which has been annulled was never actually a marriage to begin with. So I would think that legally the man could be admitted to Holy Orders; or could (re?)marry then be admitted to Holy Orders.

I understand about scandal, however.

It is true that if a man marries a divorced or widowed woman, he cannot be admitted to Holy Orders?

I'd like both Catholic and Orthodox perspectives on these issues.

These are the questions that need to be asked!

Dear Domilsean,

And certainly never get an annulment with a woman with an extended family in the Eparchy you want to work in as a deacon or priest!!

Dirty looks during the sermon and all that . . .

What about receiving monastic tonsure if one is divorced (not even annulled and this is outside a person's ability to control)?

Alex

Unfortunately, there are a few priests in the Greek Orthodox Church who are presently and recently divorced. In most cases, the wife left.

The strain of being a priest's wife in our parishes is a great one...not only do you share your husband and the father of your children with hundreds of families, but there are the inevitable stresses of church politics, raising the children, and finances that go along with it.

Anyway, these men are allowed to continue as priests, but they are not allowed to remarry.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that I honour and bow in reverence to ALL Presvyteres, and thank them for sharing their husbands and the father of their children with us parishioners for the sake of Christ. May God bless them and their children.

In Christ,
Alice

Amen, Alice!

This is one of the reasons why I would (and have) advocate for the ordination of married men after they have had sufficient time to raise their children with their wives. As St. Paul indicated, the witness of a man's family life is one of the best indicators of how he will "father" in the household of God, the Church!

Regarding the divorce situation, I imagine that it would be up to the ordaining bishop to determine if the previous marriage should preclude someone from consideration for ordination. I would guess that the circumstances surrounding and following the divorce would be a factor in the discernment.

Again, just guesses, not canons.

In ICXC,

Gordo

In the Latin Archdiocese of Los Angeles, an annullment is not an impediment to pursue a vocation to the Permanent Diaconate.

I do not think it would be an impediment to pursue a vocation to the Priesthood if the aspirant has remained unmarried after the annullment.

Now, children and financial responsibility towards them and/or "ex" might be an issue.

Shalom,
Memo

In the The Archdiocese of Baltimore, they accepted a married Episcopal Priest to convert into the RC. He has children. He did not like the direction the Episcopal church is going. He was able to convert to RC and now practices in The Archdiocese of Baltimore as an Associate Pastor. From what I understand, he works as a teach in one of the Local RC schools to support his family. Now if the The Archdiocese of Baltimore can do this, than why can't all RC priest be married. I know few Ukrainian Catholic Priest who are married. The OCA as well has examples of married priest and divorced priest. The rule is they have to be married proir to ordination. So Why can't one who has been married, than without his control is divorced, and received a decree of nullity (from the same Archdiocese who accepts married Episcopal priest) be given a chance to answer a calling.

Just something to think about. Esp. when you read about missions closing because of dual roled priest.

Not too far off topic I hope. I heard on EWTN radio an interview with a priest who was divorced in his former life, got an annulment, then when his daughter was about 10 he was ordained to the deaconate and on to the priesthood.

So in the Latin Church it does not seem to be an impediment, at least on paper.

Memo,

I guess this is a little off subject, but while I can see financial responsibility for one's children produced through an allegedly non-existent marriage, I don't see what financial responsibility one would have to an "ex-spouse" who in fact was never one's spouse. To put my comments back on track with the discussion, I wonder how an annulled marriage could be an impediment since I'm sure that someone who lived in sin (shacking up) during their youth would not be impeded from the priesthood if they are sincerely repentant and have lived a godly life for a sufficient period of time. What scandal would there be? Since the Church is saying that this individual was never married. It wouldn't be a divorced person becoming priest because the Roman Catholic Church doesn't recognize divorce. So, I actually don't see what the issue would be. I'm not being tongue in cheek, I'm being very serious here.

Joe

Scripturally, it is clear that the bible says that the presbyter should be the "husband of one wife," meaning married only once. If one is divorced, that shouldn't automatically disqualify a person for ordination. It is remarriage that is the issue. Now, in the Orthodox Church, since divorce is recognized and remarriage is recognized, it would be wrong to ordain a divorced and remarried person. But in the Roman Catholic Church, divorce is not recognized. A person with an annulment is a person who was never married. And so a man who was "married" and then got an annulment, would be a man who had never been the husband of any wife. That is why I don't see a problem for the Roman Catholics.

The issue of permitting married protestant converts to become priests is altogether different of course. But, if the Roman Church recognizes that married persons can be good priests and is willing to ordain them, then why limit it to converts? Unless, it is to encourage their conversion and give them a job once they are converted? After all, if I were a protestant minister, I would have to realize that my conversion to Catholicism would be the end of my vocation and livelihood unless Rome made an exception for me. I can understand this. I can also see why cradle Catholic men would be upset though.

Joe

I dont know if we could call it an inpediment to ordination!
But a Bishop would certainly want to be assured of the stability of the person to be ordained. Remember divorice and what gives rise to it is never a one sided issue.
Stephanos I

Father,

Do you mean to imply that both people share some of the blame for a divorce no matter what the circumstances? I can think of several scenarios in which one party would not share any of the blame and would be well advised to seek a civil divorce, most involving mental illness or abuse.

Hi Joe,




We need to distinguish here two aspects of the situation:

1. The sacramental reality is that a marriage never existed, so in that regard, yes, there is no sacramental bond to the "ex-spouse".

2. However, there is also a legal reality and, as the case was first proposed, this man allegedly got a civil divorce and then a religious annullment. Legally, he was actually married and he is now divorced, so he might have financial responsibilities towards his "ex-spouse".

Now, even considering this man, as a Catholic priest could, in theory, get a "day job" to fulfill those obligations, this is extremely unlikely during his formation as a seminarian.

I simply do not see a bishop accepting a seminarian who would, by becoming one, fail to fulfill obligations to his family. It would be pastorally irresponsible.

Shalom,
Memo

I couldn't have said it better myself.