<P> In some cases widowed permanent deacons, or single permanent deacons that later discerned a calling to the priesthood, have been ordained to the priesthood . There have been some situations in which male converts previously married and ordained to the priesthood of an Anglican or Lutheran church have been ordained to the Catholic priesthood, sometimes sub conditione (conditionally), and allowed to function much as an Eastern Rite priest but in a Latin Rite setting; however, this may only happen with the approval of the priest's Bishop and a special permission by the Pope . Some former Anglican, Lutheran, or Episcopal priests who are married, but have either no children, or adult and non-dependent children away from home, can be given a dispensation by the Bishop and the Pope to serve as priests; these married priests, with or without children, may not become Latin - rite Bishops, but can be made Pastors of a Church, vicars general or episcopal vicars or deans, or monsignors (see the 1983 Code of Canon Law for the Latin - rite Churches, and episcopal conference website guidelines, and the website for the Diocese of former Anglicans who became Catholics but retained their Anglican heritage, for more information). </P> <P> There is a distinction drawn between chastity and celibacy . Celibacy is the state of not being married, so a promise of celibacy is a promise not to enter into marriage but instead to consecrate one's life to service (in other words, "married to God"). Chastity, a virtue expected of all Christians, is the state of sexual purity; for a vowed celibate, or for the single person, chastity means the abstinence from sexual activity . For the married person, chastity means the practice of sex only within marriage between a man and woman, provided that it is unitive and open to the possibility of new life (i.e. non-contraceptive). </P>

History of holy orders in the catholic church