www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Question About Married Priests

I am Roman Rite and am going to switch to the Ukrainian Rite in some time. The rector as the Cathedral I go to is married with two children. While in seminary and while serving as a priest, how is the family supported?

MikeF2009:

Glory be to Jesus Christ!!

Welcome to the forum.

There are probably as many answers to your question as there are men in that position. Some will be married after they complete their education. Some will have wives that work while they are in formation. Some will have help from people in a parish or have scholarships. If there is a will and a call, the Lord provides what is necessary.

Bob

Moderator

People wonder how priests support their families? How many impoverished Roman celibate priests have you seen? Get past this celibacy issue and move on. Our priests married in the old country and should be married here.

bergschlawiner:

I didn't pick up on the second part of the question. The priest is paid a salary and the family functions as any other one does. If there is a need for the spouse to work outside the home, she does. But no one should assume that the priest is free.

The problem in so many Latin parishes is that the attempt to run a private school on the parish budget often means that the clergy are expected to take a minuscule salary--"after all, what does a single man need" goes the general attitude.

It's interesting to note that very small Protestant churches often are able to pay their pastor a living wage and a whole package of benefits. So the queestion has to be why can the same thing not be done for Catholic clergy.

Bob

Are Eastern Catholic Bishops in the United States allowed to ordain married men to the Holy Priesthood?

Fr. John W. Morris

Bless Father,

I can't speak for the Oriental Catholic Churches but Byzantine Catholic Bishops (of all jurisdictions) can ordained married men to the priesthood in the United States. Different jurisdictions have different particular law in this matter and the topic is still hotly debated among some. I know that my bishop just recently ordained two married deacons as priests for our eparchy.

"after all, what does a single man need"

Beer (or Vodka)

Money to Play Poker

Internet Connection

Carry Out Food.

Greens Fees.

Season Tickets for the Steelers and Pirates.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....any other suggestions?

Or not.

In my region many Lutheran and UCC (German Reformed strain) congregations are moving to part-time clergy or entering into shared ministry with neigbboring communities. Larger congregations which had been served by two or more clergy have reduced to just one; in fact, the two largest Lutheran congregations in the region which had been served by three clergy have now reduced to one.

In some cases the clergy have resigned rather than accept reduced compensation.

In my situation, I agreed to take about a ten percent reduction next year, which will probably be the final year for quasi full-time ministry. I have been on my wife's health insurance for nearly two decades.

The same is true for Orthodox communities in many places.

On the other hand, most rabbis pull in six figures, while rabbis at elite synagogues can make north of three hundred thousand a year.

The local synagogue closed several months ago. Their annual dues were $5,000 a year.

Fr. David

Just $5,000?

That may explain why it closed. My former personal attorney was the president of his synagogue. We happened to discuss ministerial salaries one time and he told me what the rabbi received for compensation- $200K, housing and car allowance, medical and dental insurance,retirement fund, sabbatical, continuing education allowance.

So I have ask, why do we Catholics expect our clergy, whether celibate or married, to work for wages that are at or maybe just above the poverty level. Personally, I think this may be one of the reasons even single men do not consider the priesthood.

I say this only passing it on. Catholic parishioners are notorious cheapskates when it comes to giving money to the Church. I remember +Fr. Mike asking me after I came into the Church, somewhat incredulously "How do Protestant pastors get their people to give 10%?" He was flabbergasted by it.

Of course, the fact is that across the board, they don't. Many give that amount, but a survey done about 20 years ago found out that the average giving among Protestant/Evangelical eklessial bodies was about 5-6%.

Catholics?

Right around 1%.

Fr. Mike had to close a parish because the people wouldn't give. I suspect that everyone thought that someone else would do it and the bills weren't getting paid. Bishop Andrew said to close it and that's what happened.

And you think they would support a pastor in the manner that those rabbis are supported.

HAH!!

Maybe if Catholic parochial leadership did not foist expenses on parishoners without their input and have every diocese a mini Great Society the continuosly walked over parishoner would think about tithing. The Catholic laity are not suckers.
When my chums were Byzantine rite priests, they literally had nothing to do all week...they could manage a wife and career if they had to. So many priests with nothing to do treat their job as a "living" in the 18-19 cent. British sense. Of couse this would be impossible for Latin rite priests with their big assembly line parishes and hours of pointless meetings they have to attend...with the result that they have little in common and little empathy for the common man.