www.byzcath.org

I asked a married priest with whom I am acquainted this question as his "only day off" is Monday.

"Do you and your wife live like brother and sister the rest of the week?" I asked.

"Oikonomia" was his response.




I believe that Dr. Alex wrote this one:

A young married priest was just ordained and the bishop assigned him to offer up the Divine Liturgy everyday.

"Does that mean, Your Grace, that since I have to refrain from relations with my wife every evening before Liturgy that my wife and I have to live like brother and sister?"

The Bishop replied, "Good Father, that's what the afternoons are for!"

What about priests who are gainfully employed outside the parish?

Obviously not an ideal, but most Eastern parishes are small and cannot afford to support a family.

Thoughts?

Gordo

That is how ROCOR operates. I know of a ROCOR priest who is gainfully employed as an aeronautical engineer. For feast days Liturgy starts at 7pm. Vespers on Saturday and Divine Liturgy Sunday morning at 10am. He has a small parish and has told me being employed is not an issue.

My BCC priest owns his own company and lives two hours away from our Church. We don't have a problem. Whats the big deal about having a secular job?

Dear Friends,

One of our married priests has actually gone to teachers' college to become a high school teacher to supplement his income.

Such "tent-makers" are truly in keeping with Gospel values, as St Paul himself said. If someone will not work, neither let him eat!

Alex

A married priest with whom I am acquainted who is UGCC made a small fortune in the .com boom in the 90s and the money was used to pay for seminary, support him through seminary, and now helps with his income. The Eparchy also gives him a stipend.

Sometimes I think that God puts our beloved priests (and the Panis out there! ) in certain professions to help them out with their ministries.

Alex,

I love the term "tentmakers". It is very appropriate (and biblical)!

Gordo

I have thought about this a great deal. Since there is no recent tradition (at least in the Ruthenian Eparchies) of having married priests, having married priests will require a reorientation of thought on the part of the hierarchs and laity.

So for example, the ability of the Bishops to transfer priests and require them to be at conferences in the middle of the week will be limited when a family is involved. And, since children are in school August/September through May/June ... And, if the priest is being (at least in part) supported by his wife's work ...?

Of course, having married priests is very doable and possible ... But it will require a change from the way things were ...

PrJ,



It will require "reorientation" like you stated above, but this is really not that big of an issue. Regarding conferences, remember most people get vacation hours at their job. If planned well in advance this will most likely not be an issue.

I thought it was a given that married priest will have to have secular jobs to supplement income.

One thing Bishops will have to consider is the issue of transfers. For example, this ROCOR priest friend of mine is being transfered to another state. He is currently looking for employment and this process is taking some time (6 months). Bishops will have to realize this and just plan things in advance.

Please don't romanticize this too much -- speaking from personal experience, it is EXTREMELY difficult to balance a family, a secular career and parish ministry while maintaining a personal spiritual life, physical health and psychological balance.

While it may be necessary sometimes, I hope every lay person realizes that it is not the ideal -- for St Paul says that a laborer is worthy of his hire.

"Regarding conferences, remember most people get vacation hours at their job. If planned well in advance this will most likely not be an issue."

Think again. Some jobs require notice and vacation times are subject to seniority isues as well as minimum staffing requirements. For instance at my job vacations have to be submitted by 1/31 for the year, they are reviewed and approval posted 2/28. This is the only way of guarenteeing your planned time and even then you might be declined. It is also unfair to expect married clergy to eat up their vacation time on clergy conferences when that time should be spent with family or on their needs.

Both the laity and the hierachy are going to have to rethink how things are done.

[quote=Fr. Deacon LanceIt is also unfair to expect married clergy to eat up their vacation time on clergy conferences when that time should be spent with family or on their needs.
[/quote]

Thank you, Deacon Lance, for this sensitivity. I can't tell you how many children and/or wives of priests I have met who have deep anger and bitterness against the Church because of the way their fathers/husbands were treated and the way their needs as children and wives were neglected by the demands that were placed upon their fathers/husbands.

I remember when I was ordained, a wise elderly man pointed to my children and said, "Remember, you were their father first." It is something I have tried never to forget.

It's quite easy to find excuses and examples of the practice not working. So much less effort than actually trying to make it work.

Its not about excuses or about the practice not working just about bishops and laity being realisitc about the demands they can make on married clergy.

Been there. Done that. NO - it is NOT easy!

I think your concerns are valid. I think the idea of a celibate pastorate combined with married associates helps to alleviate some of the pressures that might come from married priesthood. Much in the same way that a married diaconate functions, although as we know, the ministries and their demands are quite distinct.

Gordo

Father Deacon Lance:

An excellent point. A married deacon's wife once told me that if I valued my marriage I'd avoid becoming a deacon. She told me that since her husband's ordination twenty years prior they have not had a vacation, since every minute her husband was free was scehduled to travel with the bishop or attend conferences, retreats, etc. Her disappointment with what had been promised BEFORE ordination and the reality of a change of bishops and the AFTER ordination reality brought by the change of bishops was more than evident.

In Christ,

BOB