The priest’s nuclear family was also seen as a risk to the stability of the church. His children represented a threat to laypersons, who feared that their endowments might be absorbed into the hands of the priest’s offspring to create a rival clerical dynasty. A celibate priest would thus ensure donations from the neighboring landed aristocracy. Furthermore, the priest’s wife was often accused, along with her children, of draining the church’s resources with her extravagance and frivolity. Pope Leo IX attempted to remedy this problem in the 11th century by decreeing that the wives and children of priests must serve in his residence at the Lateran Palace in Rome.
Given this history, I caution the clerical wife to be on guard as she enters her role as a sacerdotal attaché. Her position is an anomalous one and, as the Vatican has repeatedly insisted, one that will not receive permanent welcome in the church. That said, for the time being, it will be prudent for the Vatican to honor the dignity of the wives and children of its freshly ordained married priests. And here, I suggest, a real conversation about the continuation of priestly celibacy might begin.
Having known a few wives of Catholic priests and seen them function in the parish, I was rather confused at this article. It’s The New York Times, however, so agenda trumps accuracy; still, this little piece manages to an original blend of malice and mis-placed history that almost illicits admiration, except of course that it’s disgusting.
A good reply from an Eastern Orthodox priest’s wife.
And a thorough takedown of the article here.
Sadly, in our culture, people are uncomfortable with small group prayer. Somehow, people have gotten it into their heads that prayer is supposed to be “private.”
I love being a priest’s wife because people allow me more latitude from this cultural assumption. At different times, I have initiated prayer over the phone, in parking lots, in homes, in beauty salons, even in stores. The overwhelming response is gratitude. There is so much suffering in this world, and people are deeply appreciative when someone stands with them in their pain.
Of course, any lay person should be able to initiate prayer, but it is easier for clergy spouses to break down this false cultural assumption. Clergy spouses can benefit our culture as a whole.
Oh, yeah, I forgot the time I initiatiated prayer with a stranger sitting beside me in an airplane. Her son had just been arrested, and I overheard her cell phone conversation. I apologized for overhearing and suggested we pray for her son. She wept in gratitude. She was unchurched, and I gave her the name of a pastor in her hometown. (I wasn’t even supposed to be on that flight, but God had other plans.)
One of the absolutely worst op-ed pieces I have read in a major newspaper in a very long time. And that is no small accomplishment. It is simply wrong on so many levels that even the (as Charles52 noted) agenda driven NY Times should be embarrassed. I have lost count of the number of blog posts and articles that have utterly demolished this piece of journalistic bovine excrement.
There might be something in it if the married priests were to move straight in to existing RC parishes that have never known a married priest (i emphasise ‘might’). Petty jealousies and such like can emerge in any situation where people encounter the unfamiliar.
But isn’t the whole idea of the Ordinariate that the married priests will be ministering to congregations that were formerly Anglican but have now decided to move over to Rome? Why would a congregation like that have a problem with a priest’s wife?
I’ve known several priest’s wives in several parishes. They don’t seem to have problems in the regular Latin Rite (non-AU) parishes, or at least none that I have ever heard of. They certainly don’t become adjuncts of the husbands’ ministry, as in the proto-typical preacher’s wife leading the choir, Sunday School, or organizing events. You could look to several reasons for this, including the large size of a typical Roman Catholic parish and, of course, the lack of tradition of there being a priest’s wife. The biggest problems I’ve heard discussed were finding a confessor, since their pastor obviously wouldn’t do. 🙂
One problem came up in our largely Hispanic part of town, though, that we laugh about from time to time. Several years ago, the Hispanic Episcopal Church down the way had (still has) a sign that gave it’s name and underneath proclaimed itself to be “One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic”. Folks just in from Mexico were often confused, and our then-pastor told them you could tell the difference because in our RC parish, the priest wasn’t married. Of course, then we got a married priest… 🙂 🙂