Call him a priest but he is not Catholic

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dragonfly5555

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A friend and I were talking about religion. I do not know what his religion is called (he is a Christian) but he refers to the leader of the church that he is a member of as a "Priest" and the priest has a wife. Does anyone know what religion that might be? The only religion I know of from where I am from that has priests is the Catholic religion.

Thanks.
 
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catcherintherye

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He is probably Episcopalian. The Episcopal Church considers itself a 'bridge' between Catholicism and Protestantism. Many Episcopalian priests have wives. In fact some priests are wives. Women can be priests in the Episcopalian church.
 
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drtampa

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Married Priest

There are also many Roman Catholic priest in the U S who are married and have children, are recognized by the church and have a Catholic congregation.
 
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catcherintherye

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"There are also many Roman Catholic priest in the U S who are married and have children, are recognized by the church and have a Catholic congregation."

Around a 100 according to this:

Married Catholic Priests: Catholic Priests, Celibacy, and Marriage

- we can also find about 100 Catholic priests in America who are married and who are part of the Western Catholicism that comes to mind when most think of Roman Catholicism.
Why are they married? They got married while serving as priests in other Christian denominations, usually the Anglican or Lutheran churches. If such a priest decides that he would be better off within Roman Catholicism, he can apply to a local bishop, who then submits a special application to the pope, with decisions being made on a case-by-case basis. If accepted, he is certainly not expected to get divorced or otherwise separate from his spouse, so his wife comes right along as well. This exception to the celibacy rule was created on July 22, 1980.
Thus, a current Catholic priest who wants to get married must choose between marriage and the priesthood (even though celibacy isn't an essential feature of being a priest), while a married Lutheran priest can apply to become a Catholic priest and keep his wife - he doesn't have to choose. Naturally, this causes some hard feelings for those Catholic priests who leave the clergy in order to pursue marriage; yet others are hoping that the presence of such married priests will eventually allow priests who have left to marry to eventually return.

But these priests are not clerics, and they are not recognized as officials of the church.
 
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drtampa

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catcherintherye said:
"There are also many Roman Catholic priest in the U S who are married and have children, are recognized by the church and have a Catholic congregation."

Around a 100 according to this:

Married Catholic Priests: Catholic Priests, Celibacy, and Marriage

- we can also find about 100 Catholic priests in America who are married and who are part of the Western Catholicism that comes to mind when most think of Roman Catholicism.
Why are they married? They got married while serving as priests in other Christian denominations, usually the Anglican or Lutheran churches. If such a priest decides that he would be better off within Roman Catholicism, he can apply to a local bishop, who then submits a special application to the pope, with decisions being made on a case-by-case basis. If accepted, he is certainly not expected to get divorced or otherwise separate from his spouse, so his wife comes right along as well. This exception to the celibacy rule was created on July 22, 1980.
Thus, a current Catholic priest who wants to get married must choose between marriage and the priesthood (even though celibacy isn't an essential feature of being a priest), while a married Lutheran priest can apply to become a Catholic priest and keep his wife - he doesn't have to choose. Naturally, this causes some hard feelings for those Catholic priests who leave the clergy in order to pursue marriage; yet others are hoping that the presence of such married priests will eventually allow priests who have left to marry to eventually return.

But these priests are not clerics, and they are not recognized as officials of the church.
Click to expand...


These priest may perform every rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the U S.
Please explain your last line.
 
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catcherintherye

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Facts about Married Catholic Priests from Father Vince

Priest / Cleric - Priesthood is a vocation, a spiritual calling from God to serve. The status of Cleric is a political position of authority in the institutional church. Because we have married, we have been dismissed from the clerical state. We are no longer clerics (office-holders) in the Church’s hierarchy, but we retain the fullness of the priesthood. We are often referred to as “ex-priests.” That term is inaccurate. We are really “ex-clerics.” Ordination to the priesthood is permanent. One is ordained to be a priest, not a cleric. Holy Orders is a sacrament which confers priesthood. Priesthood is about spirituality and treating people as Jesus did in the Gospels. Being a Cleric is about having a special position in the church. Although we do not have clerical status, privilege, and support, we are still priests in good standing by virtue of Church law Canon 290, our education and ordination as priests, and twelve centuries of Roman Catholic tradition. The sacraments we provide are valid sacraments. For these reasons, we are now “married Roman Catholic priests.” Once a priest, always a priest!
 
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Chip

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catcherintherye said:
Facts about Married Catholic Priests from Father Vince

Priest / Cleric - Priesthood is a vocation, a spiritual calling from God to serve. The status of Cleric is a political position of authority in the institutional church. Because we have married, we have been dismissed from the clerical state. We are no longer clerics (office-holders) in the Church’s hierarchy, but we retain the fullness of the priesthood. We are often referred to as “ex-priests.” That term is inaccurate. We are really “ex-clerics.” Ordination to the priesthood is permanent. One is ordained to be a priest, not a cleric. Holy Orders is a sacrament which confers priesthood. Priesthood is about spirituality and treating people as Jesus did in the Gospels. Being a Cleric is about having a special position in the church. Although we do not have clerical status, privilege, and support, we are still priests in good standing by virtue of Church law Canon 290, our education and ordination as priests, and twelve centuries of Roman Catholic tradition. The sacraments we provide are valid sacraments. For these reasons, we are now “married Roman Catholic priests.” Once a priest, always a priest!
Click to expand...

As a Catholic I believe drtampa is correct is his assertation that married Catholic priests as recognized by Rome serve all the same functions celibate priests do, cleric status notwithstanding.
 
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catcherintherye

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"As a Catholic I believe drtampa is correct is his assertation that married Catholic priests as recognized by Rome serve all the same functions celibate priests do, cleric status notwithstanding."

I'm certainly not arguing that fact. I was just relaying some information I dug up. I would be the last one to claim any knowledge of the Catholic religion.
 
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