Impediments To Priesthood

[Crispy]

Are there any Church documents which list impediments to ordination? Specifically, whether impotence, or just castration, is an impediment.

Please give references!
Thanks, God bless.

[CatherineM]

Here's what Canon Law has to say on the subject:

[quote]Canon 1040 Those bound by an impediment are to be barred from the reception of orders. An impediment may be simple; or it may be perpetual, in which case it is called an irregularity. No impediment is contracted which is not contained in the following canons.

Canon 1041 The following persons are irregular for the reception of orders:

1° one who suffers from any form of insanity, or from any other psychological infirmity, because of which he is, after experts have been consulted, judged incapable of being able to fulfill the ministry;

2° one who has committed the offense of apostasy, heresy or schism;

3° one who has attempted marriage, even a civil marriage, either while himself prevented from entering marriage whether by an existing marriage bond or by a sacred order or by a public and perpetual vow of chastity, or with a woman who is validly married or is obliged by the same vow;

4° one who has committed willful homicide, or one who has actually procured an abortion, and all who have positively cooperated;

5° one who has gravely and maliciously mutilated himself or another, or who has attempted suicide;

6° one who has carried out an act of order which is reserved to those in the order of the episcopate or priesthood, while himself either not possessing that order or being barred from its exercise by some canonical penalty, declared or imposed.

Canon 1042 The following are simply impeded from receiving orders:

1° a man who has a wife, unless he is lawfully destined for the permanent diaconate;

2° one who exercises an office or administration forbidden to clerics, in accordance with canons 285 and 286, of which he must render an account; the impediment binds until such time as, having relinquished the office and administration and rendered the account, he has been freed;

3° a neophyte, unless, in the judgment of the Ordinary, he has been sufficiently tested.
[/quote]

If someone has castrated themselves, it would fall under Canon 1041 section 5. If it was because of something like testicular cancer, it's possible they could be given a dispensation. I don't have any first hand knowledge of such a case. I suspect that if they were deemed to be able to handle the physical and emotional strains of receiving orders, it wouldn't be an issue. There are documents to other issues such as homosexuality, but these canons cover physical and mental issues.