Catholic Church
Catholic Nun And Priest Staying Married
In Germany, a married couple is making news. For a few years, the wife of this pair has been serving as a Carmelite nun. The husband has recently taken vows as a priest. In order to take vows, the pair had to individually get dispensations from the Pope.
Harm and Edeltraut Klueting take vows
When they were first married in 1977, Harm and Edeltraut Kluting were Lutherans. The Lutheran pair had 2 children. At the Lutheran church, they were clerics and served well. After their kids had grown up; the couple became Catholic. While remaining married to Harm, Edeltraut got papal dispensation in 2004. This meant she could take vows as a Carmelite nun. Harm got dispensation to be a Catholic priest also. While in the church posts, the couple will continue their marriage.
Many married Catholic priests
There is one image that comes to mind typically with the phrase “Catholic priest” comes about. It is generally a man serving in the church that is celibate. Catholic priests can be married as long as they have become Catholic after being in another Christian religion. This was what Pope Piux XII decided in 1950. With full knowledge of the church, about 5 to 10 percent of Catholic priests are married and priests, especially in Eastern Bloc countries.
What about celibacy?
As long as a pope dispensation has been given, the Catholic church allows exceptions to married couples even though the Catholic church traditionally demands nuns and priests stay celibate and unmarried. Most are questioning the Catholic church though since there have been less men and women willing to take the vows. Last year, the Catholic church started a new conversion program intended to help Anglican priests and bishops convert to the Roman Catholic religion. married priests and female priests are allowed in some sects of the Catholic religion although the Roman Catholic church doesn’t allow that.
Citations
The Star
thestar.com/printarticle/942850
“St. John of Ávila, a Doctor of the Church who stood out among religious giants”
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