Anthony Girandola
Encyclopedia
Anthony James Girandola was a Roman Catholic priest
who publicly announced in the 1960s that he had been married while a priest for several years, and that he intended to remain both married and a priest. He later went on to found two separate Catholic groups in the United States.
The Roman Catholic Church
, whose laws on clerical celibacy
do not permit priests to be married, would not offer him a position in which he could perform priestly functions. Girandola began to organize his own, independent, church, in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
He became a celebrity after his announcement, and was in demand as both a speaker and as a guest on radio and television talk shows. At about this time he wrote a well-known book, The Most Defiant Priest. Finding that the demands on his time as a result of his notoriety severely limited the time he had available for pastoral work, he ordained John J. Humphreys to the priesthood to help alleviate his duties. Humphreys later left Girandola's church, eventually forming the Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church
.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who publicly announced in the 1960s that he had been married while a priest for several years, and that he intended to remain both married and a priest. He later went on to found two separate Catholic groups in the United States.
The Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, whose laws on clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy is the discipline by which some or all members of the clergy in certain religions are required to be unmarried. Since these religions consider deliberate sexual thoughts, feelings, and behavior outside of marriage to be sinful, clerical celibacy also requires abstension from these...
do not permit priests to be married, would not offer him a position in which he could perform priestly functions. Girandola began to organize his own, independent, church, in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
He became a celebrity after his announcement, and was in demand as both a speaker and as a guest on radio and television talk shows. At about this time he wrote a well-known book, The Most Defiant Priest. Finding that the demands on his time as a result of his notoriety severely limited the time he had available for pastoral work, he ordained John J. Humphreys to the priesthood to help alleviate his duties. Humphreys later left Girandola's church, eventually forming the Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church
Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church
The Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church is a small Christian denomination founded in the 1960s.It was formed in reaction to some of the changes instituted by the Roman Catholic Church as a result of the Second Vatican Council....
.