Married Priests

[OnlySunshine]

I was curious--why are priests in different rites than the Roman Rite allowed to be married? I've always agreed that Roman Catholic priests should remain celibate and single to focus on their very important ministry. I just don't understand why other rites in the Catholic Church like Eastern Rite allow for married priests. What is the view on this? Thanks.

[CatherineM]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1300986555' post='2222966']
I was curious--why are priests in different rites than the Roman Rite allowed to be married? I've always agreed that Roman Catholic priests should remain celibate and single to focus on their very important ministry. I just don't understand why other rites in the Catholic Church like Eastern Rite allow for married priests. What is the view on this? Thanks.
[/quote]
Priestly celibacy is a simple discipline in the Latin Rite. It isn't dogma, and could be changed tomorrow. I agree with you that being single would seem to make their ministry more focused. Other Rites have different disciplines. When Eastern Rites were welcomed back into communion with Rome, many, many years ago, they were allowed to keep their particular disciplines. Just as the Anglicans who are presently re-joining in communion with us are going to be allowed to keep their traditions as well. Currently there are married priests in the Latin Rite. They are former Protestant ministers who have converted to Catholicism. The Church doesn't want someone to have to choose between their families and their faith, so they are allowed to keep their wives. Just like Permanent Deacons though, if something were to happen to their wives, they would not be allowed to re-marry. It works the same for the Eastern Rites. When they came back in, the Church didn't want to make them choose between their traditions of a married priesthood and faith.