Post
by Pumpkin_Man » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:15 am
I was born and raised Catholic, attended a Catholic grammer school and a Catholic high school, and I've known a lot of Catholic Clergy over the years. I had many teachers who were nuns, and I also had two aunts who were Adiean Dominican nuns for almost 70 years before they died, so I can say that I know quite a bit about them. I don't know everything there is to know about them, mind you, but I've had all kinds of personal experience with them.
For the most part, nuns are human beings like everyone else. All nuns take a vow of chastity before entering the convent. Many nuns, those who belong to a religious order for instance, also take vows of poverty and obediance. Diosesen nuns and priests don't take a poverty vow, but all are bound by vows fo chastity and obedience. Priests and nuns, and most other Catholic clergy are not permitted to marry, and when they become priests, nuns, brothers or the like, they give their entire lives to God and the Holy Church. That's not to say there tere aren't some exceptions. Permanant Deacons, for instance, are allowed to be married if they are ALREADY married when they are ordained as Deacons. They may not get married if they are ordained as singles, and they may not remarry if their wife dies after they are ordained as Deacons.
And yes, sadly, there is that 1 or 2 percent of Catholic clergy who betray their vows and have ilicit affairs with men or women, but out of 48 years of being a practicing Catholic, and having known many Catholic clergy men and women, I have NEVER met any who betrayed their vows or the Church. I've had some teachers who were nasty at times, I've seen a couple of priests who seemed to be more worried about the image of their parish then with serving God, but all in all, the vast majority of the priests, nuns, deacons and brothers who I have known over the years were very holy and decent people.
Now I don't want this to turn into a discussion of Religion, so this is going to be my last post about priests, nuns and the like, but I wanted to let some of you know that there are a lot of very negative stereo types flying around about Catholic Clergy, and I just wanted to point it out.
Mike
