Religious Vocation Better Than Marriage?

[amarkich]

[IcePrincessKRS]

Oh yeah, I should have also mentioned that in my first post I gave only my opinion without reading anything. lol I suppose as a married person its hard to see why one vocation would be "better" than the other until you do some research.

[amarkich]

I understand. That is a problem one of my married friends had with this fact, but after she read it from the Catechism, she did not have any problems. God bless.

[Rebirth flame]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' date='Jun 28 2004, 12:47 AM'] Oh yeah, I should have also mentioned that in my first post I gave only my opinion without reading anything. lol I suppose as a married person its hard to see why one vocation would be "better" than the other until you do some research. [/quote]
i second that, tho i'm not married... i just put down my first inclination without any further insite into it...

thanx, IcePrincess!!! i appreciate the links!

take care, and may the Blessings and Grace of the Most Holy Trinity rest within you all!

~rebirth

[qfnol31]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' date='Jun 27 2004, 11:03 PM'] heh heh .... the author of this thread asked that no sources be posted for the time being.

Rebirth Flame, I'll PM you. [/quote]
Haha, I'll open it up now. The reason I wanted people to wait was just to see what other people felt about it.

I believe that it was the Coucil of Trent, but I could be wrong, where it was estabolished infallibly that the Religious Vocation is actually higher objectively (and can potentially receive more rewards in Heaven) than marriage. This is hard to hear, especially for married people, or those who are preparing for marriage, etc. I know, as a person interested in marriage, that could be a hard thing to deal with.

However, I know that Augustine talks about this in many of his works (which is why it came up in a Philosophy class. )

Anyways, since it was mentioned, now we can debate, hopefully. Any non-Catholic takers on this as well? You'll probably have a different perspective.

[dUSt]

I'm married, and I absolutely agree that the priesthood is a greater vocation. It's hard to say this in a way that won't seem like it is dissing my marriage, but I often have regrets about not becoming a priest. I love my wife and children dearly, with all my heart, yet, I am left with that little nagging feeling of regret for not following the calling I had back in highschool.

I also believe that it is crucial to the future of the Church to point out this fact, as the ignorance of this may lead to a decrease of vocations to the religious life. In fact, if it would have been pointed out to me back then that the priesthood is a greater vocation that marriage--it might have been the thing that made up my mind to become a priest.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15498a.htm"]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15498a.htm[/url]

[url="http://www.catholic.com/library/Celibacy_and_the_Priesthood.asp"]http://www.catholic.com/library/Celibacy_a..._Priesthood.asp[/url]

Above are a couple links I found helpful, along with I Corinthians 7:36-38 (all of chapter 7 was good, but those passages were especially insightful.) I couldn't find the passage from Trent (or which ever council it may have been...). But the above articles and Scripture passages were a great help to me.

The closing paragraph of the article at link #2 really helped me to see a big part of WHY celibacy and the priesthood is a greater vocation (so, of course, I'm going to quote it. ). It seems to me that its not just priests and nuns that have this greater vocation but also any lay person who is called to live a life of celibacy. (Those are my new feelings on the subject. )

[quote]The Dignity of Celibacy and Marriage



Most Catholics marry, and all Catholics are taught to venerate marriage as a holy institution—a sacrament, an action of God upon our souls; one of the holiest things we encounter in this life.

In fact, it is precisely the holiness of marriage that makes celibacy precious; for only what is good and holy in itself can be given up for God as a sacrifice. Just as fasting presupposes the goodness of food, celibacy presupposes the goodness of marriage. To despise celibacy, therefore, is to undermine marriage itself—as the early Fathers pointed out.

Celibacy is also a life-affirming institution. In the Old Testament, where celibacy was almost unknown, the childless were often despised by others and themselves; only through children, it was felt, did one acquire value. By renouncing marriage, the celibate affirms the intrinsic value of each human life in itself, regardless of offspring.

Finally, celibacy is an eschatological sign to the Church, a living-out in the present of the universal celibacy of heaven: "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven" (Matt. 22:30). [/quote]

Edited June 28, 2004 by IcePrincessKRS

[1337 k4th0l1x0r]

I think they can both be very rewarding. I'm a single guy and I get 3 weeks off per year plus 10 holidays. I'm looking forward to taking a nice trip to europe sometime next year and use the rest of my time extending out trips around the holidays.

Oh wait, you said vOcation.

[Rebirth flame]

but how much more greater is celibacy than marriage? i know it's harder for someone to remain celibate, and thus graces would be procured through the process of sacrifice and such, so i guess i don't really know why i just asked that question, cuz i kinda just answered it for myself... lol

[Norseman82]

Celibacy might be a higher calling than marriage......




But not everyone can handle the higher calling!

Even Christ said that not everyone can handle celibacy. See Matthew 19:10-12.

[Carnanc]

yea I have been taught that celibacy is a higher calling only because we would not be married with God in heaven, so it is a higher state. since we are all called to holiness, marriage and religious life are excellent means to go to God. I have heard some say it is harder to persue holiness in marriage than in religious life, not that you can't, but I've read in writings by the saints that religious life is a great way of growing in holiness.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Norseman82' date='Jun 29 2004, 12:22 PM'] Celibacy might be a higher calling than marriage......




But not everyone can handle the higher calling!

Even Christ said that not everyone can handle celibacy. See Matthew 19:10-12. [/quote]
Yep, St. Paul basically says that those who can't handle celibacy should get married!

[popestpiusx]

While the reward for religious is potentially greater in Heaven, so to is the punishment more intense for infidelity to thier vocation. To whom much is given, much is required. Satan wins a great victory when he can snatch the soul of a priest.

On that note, I like being married.

[Norseman82]

Of course, I always joke that with the quality of women I've encountered in the dating scene in Chicago, I'm surprised that the seminaries aren't overflowing!!!!

[Guest JeffCR07]

Both Paul and the Catechism teach not even "pretty" explicitly, but totally explicitly on the subject, so I wont repeat what has been said before.

Another thing to consider is this: Mary had the "better" part than Martha, but that doesn't mean that Martha was unable to serve Christ in a perfectly acceptable way. Remember, a vocation isn't like picking Door #1 vs. Door #2 vs. Door #3, it is acknowledging a call from God.