rentapriest

Theresa626

because of the post below, I looked up this website, www.rentapriest.com and I came across this article.  Obviously it is from a somewhat biased source but I'm wondering how much of this is true. A lot of it is stuff I've never heard before but that doesn't mean it's true or untrue.  Any thoughts?

http://www.rentapriest.com/docs/What_Catholics_Should_Know.pdf

Theresa626

because of the post below, I looked up this website, www.rentapriest.com and I came across this article.  Obviously it is from a somewhat biased source but I'm wondering how much of this is true. A lot of it is stuff I've never heard before but that doesn't mean it's true or untrue.  Any thoughts?

http://www.rentapriest.com/docs/What_Catholics_Should_Know.pdf

samurai21

I remember when I interviewd my university priest for a project and this actually came up.

He told me that while they're technically still ordained, that if they are no longer regularly practicing priests, much like the priests from the site, that once the diocese would find out what they were doing that they would likely be stripped of their orders, which he told me was possible, but maybe that's the cleric thing? I'm not sure.

bel138

All the things about priests being allowed to marry and still perform their functions is true. The thing is, they must have been married BEFORE being ordained. However, the Catholic church in America is hesitant to ordain married men; it was a big argument between the Eastern and Western churches in the late 1800s/ early 1900s.

agapecarrie

Lots of mixed up stuff there...

Holy Orders gives an indelible mark on the soul that is never removed. Meaning, a priest that left the priesthood could confect the Eucharist and absolve sins, however, these sacraments would be illicit. (except absolving sins in danger of someone's death). Priests must have faculties to perform these sacraments licitly.

A priest that has left the diocese/order and "quit" being under the obedience of their superior has removed themself from communion with the church. (They may go through the proper channels to be laicized, indelible mark still remains and they are still in communion with the church, but they no longer function as priests- they could only hear a confession in danger of death).  Rent-a-priests and the like that have left the jurisdiction of their diocese/order may no longer perform marriages.

Any "marriages" performed by them are invalid and not in communion with the church. It's not just illicit, but invalid because you need correct form and matter for a valid sacrament and you do not have the correct form...a priest witness representing the church.

This particular link seems to be an agenda of wanting married priests. While theologically possible (unlike women priests), and existing in the Eastern Catholic churches in communion with Rome, the latin rite church does not follow this discipline (There are exceptions made for certain converts). Celibate priesthood is a changeable discipline the church. However, considering that most seminarians and existing priests today would tell you they prefer the celibate life to do their job
There really isn't a shortage in vocations in general, just in certain areas in the world. In Nigeria, there is a waiting list of 4000 to get into the seminaries there. Lifting the celibacy requirement of the latin rite priesthood is not necessarily the answer to a "vocation shortage". Conversion of hearts would be the better answer.

Riss91

I just do not see the point in using a rent-a-priest. Either you get married in the church by a real priest, or you don't. If you aren't getting married in the church, why bother using a priest in bad standing? Just use a JOP or legit pastor of another faith that you want to be part of. What's the use in pretending?

SaraAndrew2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_rentapriest?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:e2eed2ff-5ceb-4cc3-9657-2ea2f60285f6Post:0eeae407-b350-403e-a716-9eccf3f303f6">Re: rentapriest</a>:
[QUOTE]I just do not see the point in using a rent-a-priest. Either you get married in the church by a real priest, or you don't. If you aren't getting married in the church, why bother using a priest in bad standing? Just use a JOP or legit pastor of another faith that you want to be part of. What's the use in pretending?
Posted by Riss91[/QUOTE]

Exactly

EKobrenski

As someone who had considered it, I guess the point was that my outdoor ceremony would have some semblance of a Catholic ceremony, even though it actually wasn't.  I actually met with a married priest and was really comfortable with him and he had a more spiritual take on marriage than you average JOP.  I see your point about why it's pointless though.  In the end, we are getting married in a church bc I like the idea of having the marriage recognized by the church.