Mosaic of Christ the High Priest. The Catholic Church accepts into priesthood special cases of worthy candidates who were married prior to their ordination to the Presbyteral Order as in the case of St. Peter. However, the main rule is that priests must be celibate because The Priest - THE LORD JESUS CHRIST - is never married to a single woman but to the CHURCH. Also, the rest of the Apostles including Sts. Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and Titus, Mark, Luke and the rest never get married for the sake of the Kingdom. They followed the footsteps of the Eternal High Priest.
Harrisburg, Pa., June 15 (CNA) .- A former Protestant pastor who is a married father of eight was ordained a Catholic priest on Saturday for the Diocese of Harrisburg.
The newly ordained Fr. Paul Shenck was raised Jewish and baptized a Christian when he was 16 years old. In 1994 he left the New Covenant Tabernacle, an evangelical church he founded, and then became a pastor in western New York for the Reformed Episcopal Church. He entered the Catholic Church in 2004.
He and his wife Rebecca have been married for 33 years.
While Latin-rite Catholic priests are ordinarily required to be celibates, a special provision instituted in 1980 by Pope John Paul II allows the ordination of married men in certain cases. Fr. Shenck is the Diocese of Harrisburg's first married priest.
The new priest celebrated his first Mass with his mother at St. Francis Home in Williamsville, Penn. He was ordained by Bishop Victor Galeone of St. Augustine, Fla. because the diocese's former bishop Kevin C. Rhoades had been moved to the Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend in Indiana.
Previously, Fr. Shenck served as the executive vice president of the American Center for Law and Justice. He moved to Baltimore in 1997 and opened the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill.
He is presently chairman of the National Pro-life Center and director of the Respect Life Office for the Diocese of Harrisburg.
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This is a great article, it sounds like Fr. Shenck has done a lot in his life for the God's mission and Glory. I'm from Gilbert, AZ from St. Anne's where our pastor priest was also married and previously from an episcopal church. Father Doug, he is one of the best priest I've dealt with, he was able to relate to his congregation at such a personal level. I believe their our many family men that are great spiritual leaders that would be awesome influential priests for the Catholic Church. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteJoe Cuttone
www.cuttone.blogspot.com
Dear Joe,
ReplyDeleteIndeed, priests who are converts and are from different experience of life are great blessings to the Catholic Church. They are on fire for God and the proclamation of the Gospel and being former pastors they can also relate more with the lay.
Truly, married clergy as in the case above and in your experience are precious gems in the Church.
On the other hand, we cannot deny also the fact that the LORD JESUS as well as Paul and the rest of the Apostles were celibate. Celibate priests also are very very precious gems in the Church. They proclaim to us the heavenly reality that in heaven the children of God are like angels... they do not marry and beget children. Celibacy is heaven on earth. It is the total gift of self to God for the good of the Chuch.
Let those who can take celibacy take it for the Kingdom of God and let those who cannot take it then leave happily their married life. If they are for priesthood the Lord will call them also later on.
God bless you.
When you say “Children of God” who do you mean by this?
ReplyDelete-Aren’t their many fallen angels that where once with God in heaven, if your comparing Children of God with angels then would that comparison be for all angels?
-I’m confused with the heaven on earth statement as well does celibacy mean heaven on earth in your eyes, can married Catholics have heaven on earth as well? To me there should be no limit on the relationship between God and man, whether being celibate or married I believe both have the same available space in the heart.
-Was it that priests were allowed to be married throughout the history of the Catholic Church up until the reformation, then it Changed?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a strong catholic and love all priests like yourself there are some things I like to ask though, many people don’t get the chance to learn from men as yourself. If you don’t like to talk or go on however I understand.
Thanks,
Joe
When you say “Children of God” who do you mean by this?
ReplyDelete-Aren’t their many fallen angels that where once with God in heaven, if your comparing Children of God with angels then would that comparison be for all angels?
-I’m confused with the heaven on earth statement as well does celibacy mean heaven on earth in your eyes, can married Catholics have heaven on earth as well? To me there should be no limit on the relationship between God and man, whether being celibate or married I believe both have the same available space in the heart.
-Was it that priests were allowed to be married throughout the history of the Catholic Church up until the reformation, then it Changed?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a strong catholic and love all priests like yourself there are some things I like to ask though, many people don’t get the chance to learn from men as yourself. If you don’t like to talk or go on however I understand.
Thanks,
Joe
[When you say “Children of God” who do you mean by this?]
ReplyDeleteI am referring to those who have received Salvation in heaven.
I am wondering why you failed to get the meaning. That statement is a paraphrased on a famous quote of Jesus from LUKE 20:34-35:
"And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry and are given in marriage. But THEY which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, NEITHER MARRY, NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the ANGELS; and are THE CHILDREN OF GOD, being the children of the resurrection."
As you can see, I was simply referring to this Biblical text that in heaven the children of God will be like Angels and they will not get married anymore. Then I relate it to the celibate life of the Lord Jesus, the Apostles, of Mary and Joseph and the HOly Virgins. It means that from their life here on earth they are already living the Blessedness of Heaven.
[-Aren’t their many fallen angels that where once with God in heaven, if your comparing Children of God with angels then would that comparison be for all angels?]
ReplyDeleteWill you please read the Bible so that you are not getting confused?
The Fallen Angels story has nothing to do with the topic. YOu can read it in Revelation 12:9. Satan is already a devil prior to the creation of man, what the Lord Jesus was referring and of which I quoted refers to the saved souls of the believers.
{They proclaim to us the heavenly reality that in heaven the children of God are like angels... they do not marry and beget children. Celibacy is heaven on earth.}
ReplyDelete{As you can see, I was simply referring to this Biblical text that in heaven the children of God will be like Angels and they will not get married anymore. Then I relate it to the celibate life of the Lord Jesus, the Apostles, of Mary and Joseph and the HOly Virgins. It means that from their life here on earth they are already living the Blessedness of Heaven}
Are you relating the gift of ones who are resurrected with Christ in heaven to the same gift of those who live a celibate life for God on earth?
Because clearly as it also shows in Matthew 22:29-31 that when Jesus speaks to the Sadducees, they do not believe in angels, Jesus is exposing this false belief by showing angels are deathless creatures who do not propagate and therefore have no need for marriage. “In the resurrection,” the saints will have the same characteristics.
Matthew 22:29-31 “Jesus said to them in reply, “You are misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God,”
In the Bible it talks about early Christian leaders being married.
Mark 1:30 “Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever” this shows he was married or married at one point in his life.
1 Corinthians 7:8 –Does it not indicate that Paul was unmarried; either single or a widow.
1 Corinthians 9:5 “Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Kephas?” Paul contrasts his situation with the other apostles here?
During the Council of Elvira and Council of Carthage in 390, do we see rules or discipline set in place. However only do we see the tradition of clerical continence developed into practice of clerical celibacy (ordaining only unmarried men) from the eleventh century onward, which became formal part of canon law in 1917.
But this did not apply to Eastern Catholics until recently when Eastern Catholic bishops of North America would generally ordain only unmarried men. Vatican II’s call for the restoration of Eastern Catholic traditions shows more bishops ordaining married men to the presbyterate.
So with all this going on my question is why doesn’t the Catholic Church allow men called to become priests decide one of two things, make their own decision to live a celibate life as you do which is great, or live a married life?
You said yourself let God bring men to the priesthood, but it's the man's decision to follow. Why should a rule that has been debated throughout history get in the way of a man becoming a priest that is married and has a family?
Father thank you, God bless you as well.
Joe Cuttone
{They proclaim to us the heavenly reality that in heaven the children of God are like angels... they do not marry and beget children. Celibacy is heaven on earth.}
ReplyDelete{As you can see, I was simply referring to this Biblical text that in heaven the children of God will be like Angels and they will not get married anymore. Then I relate it to the celibate life of the Lord Jesus, the Apostles, of Mary and Joseph and the HOly Virgins. It means that from their life here on earth they are already living the Blessedness of Heaven}
Are you relating the gift of ones who are resurrected with Christ in heaven to the same gift of those who live a celibate life for God on earth?
NO. I AM SIMPLY REFERRING TO THE STATEMENT OF THE LORD THAT A LIFE WITHOUT SEXUAL RELATIONS IS HEAVENLY IN NATURE. INDEED, THE LORD JESUS LIVED A CELIBATE LIFE AND HIS MOTHER IS A VIRGIN FROM NAZARETH.
[Because clearly as it also shows in Matthew 22:29-31 that when Jesus speaks to the Sadducees, they do not believe in angels,]
THE ZADDUCEES DO NOT BELIEVE IN ANGELS BUT CHRISTIANS DO. AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BELEIVES IN ANGELS. WE HAVE VERY STRONG DEVOTION TO ANGELS.
[Jesus is exposing this false belief by showing angels are deathless creatures who do not propagate and therefore have no need for marriage. “In the resurrection,” the saints will have the same characteristics.]
JESUS IS NOT ONLY SPEAKING OF THE IMMORTALITY OF THE ANGELS, WHAT HE STATED IS THE CELIBACY OF THE ANGELS WHICH HE RELATED TO HUMAN BEINGS. SO I AM NOT VIOLATING THE BIBLICAL TEXT WHEN I RELATED IT ALSO TO THE PRACTICE OF CELIBACY ON EARTH BY SOME PEOPLE INCLUDING THE LORD JESUS.
[Matthew 22:29-31 “Jesus said to them in reply, “You are misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God,”]
IT IS VERY CLEAR BY THE MESSAGE THAT THE ACT OF NOT MARRYING OR IN PARTICULAR CONTEXT OF HAVING SEXUAL ACTIVITIES IS ANGELIC IN NATURE... A HEAVENLY THING.
[In the Bible it talks about early Christian leaders being married.]
ReplyDeleteYES. BUT IT ALSO SPEAK OF THE LORD JESUS AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD OF THE CHURCH AS MARRIED TO THE CHURCH AND NOT TO ANY WOMAN IN THE FLESH.
ALSO, THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE APOSTLES OF LEAVING HOME, PARENTS, CHILDREN AND WIFE FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM:
Luk 18:28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
Luk 18:29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or WIFE, or CHILDREN, for the kingdom of God's sake,
Luk 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
THE LORD JESUS SPEAKS OF GREATER BLESSINGS AND EVEN SALVATION FOR THOSE WHO ABANDONED HAVING WIFE AND CHILDREN FOR THE KINGDOM. AND HERE HE WAS REFERRING TO PETER AND THE APOSTLES.
[Mark 1:30 “Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever” this shows he was married or married at one point in his life.]
PETER SAID THAT HE LEFT EVERYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS. INDEED, PETER WAS MARRIED BUT HE FOCUSED MORE HIS LIFE IN HIS MINISTRY. UNLIKE THE PASTORS TODAY WHO SERVES AS HUSBAND FROM MONDAY AND SATURDAY WHILE SERVING AS PASTOR ONLY ON SUNDAY FOR FOR SOME HOURS IN A WEEK.
BESIDES, WHERE IN THE BIBLE CAN YOU READ THE MOTHER IN LAW OF JOHN? OF PAUL? OF ANDREW?, ETC.
[1 Corinthians 7:8 –Does it not indicate that Paul was unmarried; either single or a widow.]
PAUL SUGGESTED THAT IT IS BETTER TO REMAIN UNMARRIED AS HE IS. WELL, THAT IS CLEAR. UNLESS YOU CAN GIVE ME THE IDENTITY OF MRS. PAUL OF TARSUS.
[1 Corinthians 9:5 “Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Kephas?” Paul contrasts his situation with the other apostles here?]
OF COURSE ST. PAUL HAS A RIGHT TO HAVE A WIFE. ME TOO, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE A WIFE TOO. BUT, HAVING THE RIGHT IS DIFFERENT TO ACTUALLY HAVING IT.
I HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE A WIFE BUT I DON'T HAVE ONE. NOW, WHERE IN THE BIBLE IS IT STATED THAT PAUL GOT MARRIED OR HAD A WIFE? CHAPTER AND VERSE PLEASE.
[During the Council of Elvira and Council of Carthage in 390, do we see rules or discipline set in place.]
IS SETTING A RULE EVIL? IS IT UNLAWFUL?
THE GOVERNMEN AND THE CHURCH AND ANY INSTITUTIONS HAVE RIGHTS TO MAKE RULES AS LONG AS THOSE RULES ARE GOOD.
[However only do we see the tradition of clerical continence developed into practice of clerical celibacy (ordaining only unmarried men) from the eleventh century onward, which became formal part of canon law in 1917.]
CELIBACY STARTED WITH JESUS, WITH PAUL, WITH JOHN AND ANDREW AND JAMES, BARTHOLOMEW AND SIMON AND JUDE... IT DIDN'T START AT THE COUNCIL OF ELVIRA.
BARNABAS, LUKE, MARK, TIMOTHY AND TITUS ARE CELIBATE TOO. THE COUNCIL OF ELVIRA ONLY RECOGNIZED THE PREVAILING LIFESTYLE THAT WAS IN PRACTICE AMONG THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH SINCE THE TIME OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES AND THE NEXT LEADERS.
[But this did not apply to Eastern Catholics until recently when Eastern Catholic bishops of North America would generally ordain only unmarried men. Vatican II’s call for the restoration of Eastern Catholic traditions shows more bishops ordaining married men to the presbyterate.]
THE FACT THAT IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MOST OF THE MINISTERS ARE CELIBATE WHILE THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE MARRIED PROVE THAT WE ARE THE TRUE CHURCH. BECAUSE DURING THE TIME OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES, THE LORD AND MOST OF HIS APOSTLES WERE NOT MARRIED. THERE ARE SOME WHO GOT MARRIED BUT WHO ARE THEY? ONLY PETER YOU CAN NAME. AND PETER EVEN SACRIFICED THE COMFORT OF HIS WIFE IN ORDER TO PREACH THE GOSPEL FAR AWAY.
GIVE ME A NAME OF THE CHURCH LEADERS IN THE FIRST AND SECOND CENTURY WHO WERE MARRIED?
[So with all this going on my question is why doesn’t the Catholic Church allow men called to become priests decide one of two things, make their own decision to live a celibate life as you do which is great, or live a married life?]
ReplyDeleteWE DO HAVE A CHOICE. IF I WANT TO BE A MARRIED PRIEST THEN I WOULD HAVE JOINED THE EASTERN RITE CATHOLICS. BUT I CHOSE TO BE CELIBATE BY ENTERING PRIESTHOOD IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH NOT IN THE GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH. I AM ALSO FREE TO GET MARRIED IF I WANT TO BUT I PREFER TO FOLLOW THE WAY OF THE LORD NOT THE WAY OF SOME UNKNOWN CHURCH LEADERS YOU WERE REFERRING TO.
[You said yourself let God bring men to the priesthood, but it's the man's decision to follow.]
IT IS OUR DECISION. WE ARE NOT FORCED. DON'T TRY TO BE OUR SPOKESMAN YOU ARE NOT CREDIBLE. IF YOUR PASTORS WANT TO HAVE WIFE AND A MISTRESS TOO THEN LET THEM DO SO. BUT DON'T INSIST ON US THAT WE MUST GET MARRIED BECAUSE WE IMITATE JESUS AND 99 PERCENT OF THE APOSTLES, EVANGELISTS AND THE EARLY LEADERS OF THE CHURCH KNOWN TO US.
[Why should a rule that has been debated throughout history get in the way of a man becoming a priest that is married and has a family?]
BECAUSE HAVING A RULE IS GOOD. IF MAKING A RULE IS EVIL THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AND DESTROY THE OFFICIAL COPY OF THE CONSTITUTIONS.
LAWMAKING IS GOOD AND IT IS FOR THE COMMON GOOD. IT IS PROHIBITED ONLY IF THE LAW APPLIED IS EVIL. THE RULE OF CELIBACY IS GOOD BECAUSE IT HELPS OUR MINISTERS IMITATE JESUS, PAUL, ANDREW, JOHN, BARTHOLOMEW, JAMES, ETC.
[Father thank you, God bless you as well. Joe Cuttone]
WELCOME JOE. THANK YOU TOO.
[BUT DON'T INSIST ON US THAT WE MUST GET MARRIED BECAUSE WE IMITATE JESUS AND 99 PERCENT OF THE APOSTLES, EVANGELISTS AND THE EARLY LEADERS OF THE CHURCH KNOWN TO US]
ReplyDeleteFather, you changed your view from 100 percent of the apostles who you follow as celibate to now 99 percent. The 1 percent was Simon Peter the rock of our church and our first pope.
[IT IS OUR DECISION. WE ARE NOT FORCED. DON'T TRY TO BE OUR SPOKESMAN YOU ARE NOT CREDIBLE. IF YOUR PASTORS WANT TO HAVE WIFE AND A MISTRESS TOO THEN LET THEM DO SO.]
Father, I respect you for giving your life to Christ and talking with me, but it’s starting to sound as if you’re getting irritated or mad at me and I don’t wish this upon you so thanks for talking to me but I must stop now.
Also I have been Roman Catholic my entire life go to mass every week, have been the leader of a my CATHOLIC CHURCH YOUTH GROUP, defended the catholic faith at my college with all non denominational Christian students, study the word of God, and have given my life to Christ as you have but at a different level.
As a Roman Catholic member I am credible to ask this question and continue to learn about my church.
I don’t know what pastor of mine that you’re telling to have a mistress, because I attend Catholic Church not a non denominational Christian one. Are you talking about a fellow priest, Father Doug Lorig of the Phoenix Diocese? Either way you shouldn't be judging brothers in christ. Even if their are pastors having mistress's we should pray for them.
Joe
Dear Joe,
ReplyDeleteMy apology for misrepresenting you. I thought that you are an anti-Catholic evangelical. I have encountered a lot of them with some using the same name 'Joe'.
I am not angry brother but simply impassioned for the faith. That 99% is actually 100% because Peter mentioned leaving his wife for the sake of the Kingdom. Even Peter lived a celibate life with Jesus and in the post resurrection period.
God bless you.