From Celibate Catholic Priest to Married Protestant Minister

Shepherding in Greener Pastures

By (author) Stephen Joseph Fichter

Publication date:

14 November 2016

Length of book:

196 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9780739185223

From Celibate Catholic Priest to Married Protestant Minister: Shepherding in Greener Pastures describes a previously unstudied population of celibate Catholic priests who left the priesthood and eventually became married Protestant ministers. Stephen Fichter alternates from narrative to descriptive as he follows the lives of three of his study participants before, during, and after their dual transition. The descriptive sections include a history of religiously motivated celibacy and a review of the four leading forerunners in the field of Catholic clergy research. This scholarly study is the first time that these transitional clerics have candidly explained their difficult journeys of discernment. Religion, love, loss, and commitment are all analyzed in the context of this unique group of men, and the profiles in this book are memorable not only for the richness of their content, but also—and maybe most importantly—for their humanity. Lessons can be drawn for all people, especially those who have ever suffered a mid-life crisis.

Part I. Becoming Shepherds
Chapter 1. "The best eight years of my life"
Chapter 2. Religiously Motivated Celibacy
Chapter 3. "God gives us a lot of choices in life"
Chapter 4. Societal and Personal Milestones
Chapter 5. "My unhappiness followed me"
Chapter 6. Paul VI and Max Weber
Part II. Crossing into New Fields
Chapter 7. "I have always felt a call to ministry"
Chapter 8. Just Changing Lanes?
Chapter 9. "I needed to fulfill myself more"
Chapter 10. Four Forerunners in the Field
Chapter 11. "I wanted to be with Dennis"
Chapter 12. Pastoral Provision and Secondary Socialization
Part III. Pastoring with Partners
Chapter 13. "I looked at him looking at me"
Chapter 14. Motivated by Head or Heart?
Chapter 15. "I'd do it all the same again"
Chapter 16. Vatican II Cohort and Period Effects
Chapter 17. "His dad was nicer before mine was"
Chapter 18. Long Term Effect of Parental Support
Conclusion: Valuable Lessons Learned

I found Fichter's From Celibate Catholic Priest to Married Protestant Minister a timely contribution to the on-going studies and debates about the nature and future of the Catholic, celibate priesthood. His research and his stories of life-changing decisions deserve the attention of his brother priests and the church's bishops.