In possibly the first such event in Britain since Pope Gregory VII imposed mandatory priestly celibacy in the Latin Church, a British man, Dominic Cosslett, has been ordained a Catholic priest - like his father, Ron.
Fr Dominic Cosslett begins his job as assistant priest at St George's Church in Worcester this week, The Independent reports.
But what makes his ordination so unusual is that his father, Ron Cosslett, is also a priest at a church just up the M5 in nearby Darlaston. He was previously an Anglican priest before converting to catholicism.
Fr Dominic, who is not married, was ordained at a packed ceremony last month at Christ the King in Coventry by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, who also ordained Father Ron three years ago.
Speaking at the ordination, Archbishop Nichols said: "This is a unique occasion and a great day in the life of the diocese. Both a father and his son, after his ordination, will be serving as Catholic priests."
But although their ordination might be deemed somewhat unorthodox in the modern Catholic Church, 900 years ago it would have been perfectly plausible. Although celibacy became an increasingly important issue for the Vatican during the 9th and 10th centuries, it was not until the First Council of the Lateran in 1123 that Rome officially declared clerical marriages invalid.
Fr Dominic originally trained for the Anglican priesthood at the high church Mirfield College of the Resurrection before being priested in 1997. He then underwent a shortened form of training to become a Catholic priest under guidelines agreed by the Vatican for the reception of Anglican clergy who defect to the Catholic Church.
In his ordination Mass booklet Fr Dominic wrote: "I especially want to thank my parents and family for the support and unwavering love they have shown me over the years."
SOURCE
Son joins his father in the priesthood (The Independent)