Add this to Sex & RC Church, as below — exchange with astute reader that goes this way, reacting to my perhaps overstated dissing of current permanent deacons as priest candidates.
Astute reader:
At least most are not gay and most of them have families and jobs so that they have their feet firmly attached to the ground in that respect. Granted, they would be less trained in theology, but they are already providing the Sacrament of the Sick, Baptisms, Marriages, and preaching as well as visiting the sick.
The damage that they might do as priests, they are already in a position to do and now they are totally under the thumb of the local pastor who may be twisted. As fellow priests and future pastors, they might do no worse than the damage being done now — especially by pastors for whom the collection burns a hole in their pockets — always building or renovating, wringing his hands about the recession and lack of funds because he is a spend-thrift.
My response:
Yes, but they’d be 2nd-class priests, less equipped to push back. Nor wld they be immune to demon greed, married or not.
Ordaining married men is the way to go, I think. Missouri Synod expects candidates to be married, I think. Eastern Rite RCs have that requirement also, I am pretty sure — and are ruled out as bishops, by the way.
But the married have to be on even footing with unmarried; theology study tells where the skeletons are buried.
Blithe Spirit 