East and West: A historical review of priestly celibacy and marriage.

Here’s another installment on the topic of vocation. If you’re looking for a great source for the significant Church decisions and events regarding priestly celibacy and marriage this is a the article for you.

The article starts with the early Church and walks you up to the current century providing council decisions, documents and statements by Pope’s, and clear explanation of the differences and similarities between the two lungs of the Church.

Here’s the short of it. Both East and West only select celibate priest to be bishops. Both allow married deacons and only the East allows married priests (remember only celibate priests can become bishops).

They both have this significant rule: the sacrament of marriage can not follow the sacrament of the priesthood. In neither Church can a man, whether priest or deacon, be married after being ordained. This is one reason deacons are supposed to be of mature age so they will have decided on marriage or not before becoming a deacon. Remember that in the western Church deacons can not get remarried if they are divorced or widowed.

It would seem we only have one difference while noting that the Church of the West has always respected the honor and historicity of the married state of the priest of the East.

http://www.newbyzantines.net/byzcathculture/ordination.html

What is a Vocation – According to St. Thomas Aquinas

I’ve been thinking of late about what the Church means when it speaks about vocation. It seems to me it’s meaning would play an important foundational part to our obedience to God and life of peace and joy. I’ve decided to do a bit of reading and hopefully better my understanding of the subject. Journey with me if you like and offer up your own insights along the way.

I’ll start with a post that brings another element into play which is our state of life and discussion of vocations. So what is a vocation anyway?

“St. Thomas here speaks of vocation insofar as it is that whereby God leads us to grace and to love. Corresponding to this, we can also call grace and love a vocation, or say that we are called to grace and love, insofar as God leads us to it.”

Off and on there will be more posts on this topic so keep an eye out if you’re interested.

Source: <a href="http://www.pathsoflove.com/articles/what-is-a-vocation-aquinas.html“>What is a Vocation – According to St. Thomas Aquinas.