AUGUST 18, 2008

THE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC

Topic: This coming week's topic for THE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC is: VOCATION CRISIS? Does marriage help or hinder priesthood?

Let's talk about how the marriage relationship is affected by the addition of priesthood, and how priesthood is affected by marriage. Spouses are MOST WELCOME to join in this discussion!

This is a practical and spiritual topic, and one that affects every married priest, male or female, regardless of which came first, marriage or priesthood. We'll discuss some of the difficulties, and how to manage the beautiful balance and integration of these vocations.

Married priesthood has a two thousand year unbroken history in the Christian Church, and for those in the West, for whom this is a renewed custom, we can learn from those who have lived it for these two millennium, as well as from those who have rediscovered the blessing recently as married Old Catholic, Independent Catholic, Anglican, or Roman Catholic priests.

I invite anyone with experience as a married priest, or spouse of a priest to join us and share what works, what does not, and how to be open to God's Grace in a married priesthood--as a gift to the Church.