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Dear James,

What is your ministry?

Are you clergy?

Thank you.

In Christ,
Alice

I know a RC priest who is married, and has been since before getting ordained. Rev. Fr. Scott Medlock.

The RCC only permits this economia to converts who were protestant ministers, unfortunately. (Orthodox clerics who convert to the Catholic Church are technically received into the appropriate Church Sui Iuris by vesting, not into the Roman Church Sui Iuris.)

JAMES:

Christ is in our midst!!

There's another problem that none of this addresses. That's the problem of salary. My mother is part of the group that counts the parish collection and has access to the budget of her parish. She says that the numbers she sees for her pastor's salary and food allowance is such that there is no woman around who would stand for that kind of living. If she's any representative of what is going on, there isn't the money for married clergy. We have to remember that the greatest portion of the collection goes to support schools--in my parish it's been greater than 55% of the total. We have less than 33% of our peope who regularly contribute via envelopes and the "loose" collection isn't that great to augment it.

So Catholics who think they want this need to rethink their financial commitment. And they've got to get their brethren contributing, too.

BOB

That is a very valid point and a very important one indeed!!!

I am wondering: how does the RC church feel about ordaining widowers--men who may be of any age that have been married, but will now be celibate as priests? This could be a good compromise and a good addition to the dwindling ranks.

Alice

I know of several widowers who have been ordained in their retirement years. I think these men can be a fantastic resource for the church and can certainly help with the priest shortage. Our current pastor is one. He was ordained at 78 years of age. He did have trouble finding a bishop willing to ordain him at his age. Most of the others I know were ordained in their late 50s.

On the other hand, I once mentioned this solution to a priest I know. He told me that if the Catholic Church would only teach the truth to young people instead of watering it down, there would be no priest shortage. Men would be clamoring to the priesthood, more than willing to make the sacrifice of wife and family to serve God and His Church.

Elizabeth

This is a huge issue. There would have to be a major shift in this aspect of Catholic culture before it could become widespread to allow married priests. We are about to get a married priest in our parish. We as a parish can't support him and his family financially, but I've been searching for a way to try. We expect a lot of our priests and it isn't reasonable to expect them to see to all the sacramental, spiritual, and administrative needs of a parish, as well as working another job full-time. *That* would be hard on his family.

Elizabeth

I kno two RC widowers ordained clerics in the last two years. One is a permanent deacon, the other a priest. The permanent deacon wishes to remain a deacon until retirement from his civil job.

Likewise, if my Mother were to die, Dad could possibly be ordained a priest (he's a RC permanent Deacon), but due to his age, that is unlikely since he's just a couple years from the Roman Church's mandatory retirement age.

WIDOWERS ARE ALWAys encouuraged to apply to priesthood--As a matter of fact there is a seminary in ohio entirely dedicated to what they refer to as "delayed vocations" I believe the min
age to apply is 55- no max age--but health is a factor it is a demanding ministry. Again the problem is interested men in the vocation---

Yes, I am an ordained permanent Deacon in the RC Diocese I was ordained in 1999 and am presently assigned to parish ministry in local parish and also to a max security prison as catholic chaplain to death row and lifer inmates for last three years--thank you for asking---

This is quite true Bob--Priests are paid by the Diocese not by Parish funds--Parish funds are to remain in Parish--for parish. we too contribute a high share to our school.. The salary factor will be considered by the Diocese--they would be given an appropriate salary--but please remember a PRIEST GETS a salary small but adequaet--Diocese pays insurance--food room and board educational expenses,etc--the priest is responsible for his veh and upkeep of it and his personal clothing and expenses--he is not in ministry to make money but his cash outlay is minimal and mostly for personal expenses--he is responsible for his own taxes and is considered at this time to be a sub-contractor for fed tax purposes of the diocese--the same consideration was given to our lay employees-the cash salary paid is more than adequate --the salary is not the driving factor here ....

the church does not water down--It probably the fact that they do not that there is a shortage--the ministry is given as it is--long hours dedicated service to others celebacy,low pay, etc the rewards of the vineyard are promised in the afterlife our youth today seem to want it now without effort. they want it for themselves not others if not they move on---seminary training before ordination is 9-12 years--academic, parish work homeless shelters, etc--it is not portrayed as a galmorous career--it is a vocation not a job--if this is watered and sugarcoated and I was younger i too would probably loomk at the salt and happiness the world promises...

James:

Christ is in our midst!!

It must be different in our diocese. In my parish' budget we have line items for clergy salaries, provisions (food), and the upkeep of the rectory. We have an insurance assessment for the pastor and any assistants. We have a line item for a retirement contribution. There are some other smaller items that I remember seeing. (I was parish council president in 1990.)

The point here is that "small but adequate" is not what it will take to support a family--wife and children, tuition to Catholic school, dental braces, etc. To support a married man, one would have to start at a minimum of about $40,000 because not only would there be family, but you also have to consider educational loans.

Bob

Celibacy means more than abstaining from sex and not getting married. Celibacy is a gift which is not given to all, but to a few. Far more men are qualified to serve at the Holy Table than are given the gift of celibacy. The real choice is not between priesthood and marriage, but between marriage and monasticism. Forcing men who in all other respects are qualified to be priests to also accept the outward signs of celibacy, even though the lack the gift, is at the root of a great many evils.

The total compensation package for the manager of your local supermarket probably runs to six figures. Your pastor manages an enterprise at least as complex as a supermarket, and on top of it has responsibility for the souls entrusted to him. The journeyman is worth is pay. Most rabbis make something north of $150,000 per year, and in really up-scale synagogues, more than $300,000 per year. Every synagogue is self-supporting. Perhaps Catholics need to learn the meaning of the word "tithe"?

Bob--small but adequete was the number used for priests today--Our Diocese also did number crunching on the issue --Believe it or not your number was 20000 light of what our Diocese came up with--60000 was the number --this is considered fair compensation again with 30-33% Mass attendence can a parish honestyl support this?? Our schools are closing at a too quick rate because of lack of financial support i do not see any hope of parish finances changing to support a family of clergy
In truth-I feel the attitude will come to be--I have difficulty supporting my own family--Why should I be responsible for the priest's family?
Let him get a real job---Mabe this sounds a bit jaded but my other ministry is chaplain in high max security death row prison--we try to keep both feet on the ground and I really try to see things as they are or might be not as I would like it to be.
Again, Eastern churches have been blessed I would like to see them as the paradeim (excuse the spelling) for mrd clergy
in RC rite--How do they do it??