Married deacons: it\u2019s okay. You can have sex with your wives.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Somehow, this slipped under the radar a few months back. \u00a0There\u2019s been much debate, here and elsewhere, about the canon law requiring all clergy,\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2012\/05\/married-deacons-its-okay-you-can-have-sex-with-your-wives-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Married deacons: it\u2019s okay. 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{"id":76035,"date":"2012-05-11T06:25:18","date_gmt":"2012-05-11T11:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aleteia.org\/?post_type=post&p=76035"},"modified":"2012-05-11T06:25:18","modified_gmt":"2012-05-11T11:25:18","slug":"married-deacons-its-okay-you-can-have-sex-with-your-wives-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2012\/05\/married-deacons-its-okay-you-can-have-sex-with-your-wives-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Married deacons: it\u2019s okay. You can have sex with your wives."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Somehow, this slipped under the radar a few months back. \u00a0There\u2019s been much debate<\/a><\/strong>, here and elsewhere<\/a><\/strong>, about the canon law requiring all clergy, including married deacons in the Latin rite, to observe continence and abstain from sex.<\/p>\n

In January, the USCCB issued the following letter to bishops, from Bishop Robert Carlson (Chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations) and Archbishop Timothy Broglio (Chairman of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance). \u00a0Someone just emailed it to me, and I thought it worth posting in its entirety (emphasis my own):<\/p>\n

+++<\/p>\n

In recent months, published opinions have appeared in scholarly journals and on Internet\u00a0blogs that have raised questions about the observance of diaconal continence by married\u00a0permanent deacons in the Latin Catholic Church. The opinions have suggested that the clerical\u00a0obligation to observe \u201cperfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven\u201d\u00a0(c. 277, \u00a71 CIC) remains binding upon married permanent deacons, despite the dispensation\u00a0provided to them in canon law from the obligation to observe celibacy (c. 1042, 1\u00b0 CIC).<\/p>\n

In response to repeated requests for an authoritative clarification on this matter, the\u00a0Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations and the Committee on Canonical Affairs\u00a0and Church Governance requested the assistance of the USCCB President in seeking a clarification from the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, we were informed that Cardinal-designate Francesco Coccopalmerio,\u00a0President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, with Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta,\u00a0Secretary, has forwarded to Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan the Pontifical Council\u2019s\u00a0observations on the matter (Prot. N. 13095\/2011). The observations, which were formulated in\u00a0consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, clarify that married permanent\u00a0deacons are not bound to observe perfect and perpetual continence, as long as their marriage\u00a0lasts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Should you have any questions about this response, please contact Reverend W. Shawn\u00a0McKnight, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations. In\u00a0addition, please feel free to share this response with those within your diocesan curia who will\u00a0find it helpful.<\/p>\n

+++<\/p>\n

I\u2019m reminded of an old joke.<\/p>\n

A devout Catholic asks his parish priest, \u201cFather is it permissible for my wife and I to make love before Mass on Sunday?\u201d<\/p>\n

And the priest replied: \u00a0\u201cCertainly. \u00a0Just don\u2019t block the aisles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Comments on this thread are now closed. \u00a0 I think we\u2019ve exhausted the topic, and people are now resorting to petty personal squabbling. \u00a0Enough.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"