Читать книгу Catholicism For Dummies - Rev. Kenneth Brighenti - Страница 133

Celibacy has been normative for the Latin (Western) Church since the fourth century and mandatory since the 11th. Married clergy, however, always existed in the Byzantine (Eastern) Churches. The Latin Church has allowed some married clergy from other Christian denominations to get ordained to the Catholic priesthood if they convert to Catholicism, but typically, Catholic priests of the Latin (Western) Church are celibate.

A man may be ordained when he’s single or married if he’s Eastern Catholic, but after ordination, a single cleric can’t marry, and a married cleric can’t remarry if his wife dies, unless they have small children and he receives a dispensation from Rome. Marriage must precede ordination according to Eastern tradition, or it can never be received. This is the ancient tradition of both the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches. So even if celibacy were made optional in the Latin Church, it wouldn’t affect those who were unmarried at the time of their ordination.

Some Anglican, Episcopalian, and certain Lutheran ministers who are married and wish to convert to become Catholic priests have been allowed to enter the sacred ministry because their marriage occurred prior to their ordination as Catholic clergy. But celibacy has been so much a part of the Western Catholic Church that even scandal won’t erode its role and importance.

Deacons can baptize, witness marriages, perform funeral and burial services outside of Mass, distribute Holy Communion, preach the homily (the sermon given after the Gospel at Mass), and are obligated to pray the Divine Office (150 psalms and Scriptural readings for clergy) each day.

Permanent deacons, especially those who are married, have secular jobs to support their families. They help the local pastor by visiting the sick, teaching the faith, counseling couples and individuals, working on parish committees and councils, and giving advice to the pastor.