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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Orthodox domilsean Member
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Orthodox domilsean Member
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PS: I apply my comments to all Churches in all places and at all times, not just to the current situation in the Church of Greece. The Latins see it in quite the opposite way. So many times have I heard a wife will only hurt a priest! I think a married clergy would succeed in the Latin Rite, even if only in rural parishes (city parishes tend to pack the rectory with as many men they can/need/have).
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Joined: Oct 2002
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I'm sorry, I meant my comments to apply to the Byzantine Rite, both Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox.
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Originally posted by Diak:
The secular ideals at play here cannot be taken too lightly.
As one married Ukrainian Catholic priest once told me: "Whose going to date a guy after you tell her you will have to wear black all of the time and will only make $15,000 a year"? :rolleyes: Funny you should say that. I have Greek Orthodox friends who say, "If you want to be rich, become a Greek priest or marry one." There is a constant joke about priests running all over the cemetery looking for people gathered in memorial of their loved one, just so they can get a good tip. Kinda sad really. 
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Joined: Oct 2004
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I think we're on the same wavelength, Gordo! I was thinking the same thing the past few days. The best
training ground for leadership in a congregation begins at HOME. "He must manage his own household
well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his
own household, how can he take care of the church of God?" (I Tim. 3:4-5 NAB). Actually, I have found that certain priests in the Greek Church, by instilling their own secular values into their children, have 'perfect' children. Those children conform perfectly to the values of those around them. Other, more devout priests, have a great deal of problems with their children. Could be because they are raised with values that are contrary to the values of those around them. All in all, there are 'strong willed' children, etc. It is bothersome to me though, to see that the 'true' priests, are always the one's that suffer the most. No offense to Saint Paul. Zenovia
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Funny you should say that. I have Greek Orthodox friends who say, "If you want to be rich, become a
Greek priest or marry one."
There is a constant joke about priests running all over the cemetery looking for people gathered in
memorial of their loved one, just so they can get a good tip. Kinda sad really. And if you want to become richer, become a bishop. Actually though, there is a reason behind this. In Greece the priests and bishops were not paid by the state. They depended on handouts. The other thing, is that they had to acquire influential friendships.If some family was in dire need, it was the priest that would approach the rich in order to help them. Remember, welfare did not exist at that time. What we have in this country, is priests that have a steady income that is supplimented by those that continue to believe that by giving to the priest, they are contributing to God. Considering the wealth of our present day, many of the most influential priests and hierarchs, have accumulated quite a fortune. This is also true in the Middle East, if one should ever wonder why a high position ends up in the hands of those that are the most politically astute. Surely, a sorry situation. Of course it's counter acted, by what our Greek priests go through with their 'Greek' congregations. Zenovia
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