Wedding priest to fine non-virgins

[n2doc]

Wedding priest to fine non-virgins
Friday, December 8, 2006


A Romanian priest has decreed that women will have to pay a 'white dress fine' if they are not virgins when they walk up the aisle to get married.

Father Petrica Bratu, 37, from Valea Sarii in central Romania said he wanted to introduce the fine to uphold Christian traditions. The average salary in the eastern European country is only 100 pounds a month and the fine will be between ten and 60 pounds.

Father Bratu said: 'The fine depends on how intimate a couple have been before they get married. If they have just moved in together it will be around ten pounds but it goes up to 60 pounds if the bride is pregnant or already has a child.' Thus introducing the interesting concept of a sliding scale of virginity.

'I want to cut down on the number of couples living in sin before getting married,' he commented.

He added: 'What is the use of the white bridal dress if the bride went from one man to the next, or if she comes into church holding the hand of her child? White is a symbol of purity. I want this to stay unchanged. I do not want young people to think that there is no such thing as sacred matrimony.'

But local groom Plamen Baldescu, 27, said: 'The priest heard that sometimes I was allowed to stay over at my girlfriend's parents' house and suddenly he is demanding large amounts of money from us as my fiancee supposedly “does not deserve to wear white”. Weddings are so expensive already - this is just too much.'


http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=28560&in_page_id=2

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. What an idiot of a priest

White wedding gowns were first popularized by Queen Victoria. Prior to that, brides wore dresses of brightly colored material, and white was considered, especially by the French, to be the color to wear when in mourning.

An ignorant priest to say the least, and at most, a priest looking to steal money for his parish.

Perhaps, for the deflowered virgins getting married, it should be required that the white gown have a red stain, or red train or ribbons, to openly state, "I am a slut!" :rofl:

Wedding gown history:
http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/backissues/wedcustom.html

[Connonym]

6. Oh I bet it goes straight into the priest's own pocket

I got married in a catholic church and was shocked when my now-ex told me that he "tipped" the priest. Ex was a former altar boy and his uncle is a priest so I assume he knows what he's talking about but someone please correct me if this is full of shit. He gave the priest $200. He told me that back when there were still altar boys it was customary to also give them a tip. At funerals too. Said it was one of the reasons to become an altar boy -- getting out of school for funerals and getting money.

[QMPMom]

15. It's customary to give priests and altar boys a monetary gift

for presiding at weddings and funerals. Nothing illegal or underhanded about it.

Fines if you're not a virgin: I don't think the church authority would approve of this. The couples need to take this to a higher level and get this priest slapped down for his presumptions.

[knitter4democracy]

16. I was wondering what his bishop had to say, too.

Most pastors, priests, whatever do get a monetary gift of some kind. It's pretty usual. The organist gets paid for her time, too, as does any soloist or chanter.

I'm really suprised, though, that a bishop would allow this. Sounds like a mess.

[philosophie_en_rose]

2. This is just stupid. Get married in the next town over.

[undeterred]

3. I gotta ask: Does Oral Sex count as sex?

:shrug:

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Only to Paula Jones and Ken Starr

ewwwwwwwwww....now that's an ugly mind pic.... x(

[RetroLounge]

11. Not when an Altar Boy blows the priest

:eyes:

RL

[Haole Girl]

4. All that idiot is doing is increasing the number of....

...liars!

:rofl:

[Whoa_Nelly]

7. Or decreasing the number of weddings in his parish

either way, the man is a misogynistic idiot.

[flvegan]

8. "Sliding scale of virginity"

That sounds appropriate.

The age of consent in Romania is 15, and from what I read, the country is becoming more gay-friendly. Methinks that Father Bratu may soon suffer from EHS (Exploding Head Syndrome).

[Deja Q]

9. Then fewer will get married.

:shrug:

Money is not the cure-all restraining mechanism.

[Missy Vixen]

10. At the risk of being offensive, I wonder if the good father

is himself a virgin. Would it be appropriate to pose that question? I'm surprised the reporter in question didn't, frankly.

>White is a symbol of purity.<

Ultimately, it's nobody's business but the couple involved. Maybe he needs to find something else to extort money out of wedding couples over.

Julie

[undeterred]

12. Friends of mine were married in the Catholic Church

The priest wanted to have separate pre-marital counseling sessions with each of them. He asked the woman how many lovers she'd had, and the man how often he masturbated.

They were married in Church, but those memorable sessions made them decide not to go back to Church after the wedding.

[Vidar]

13. I'd dress the priest in a wedding gown, prior to hanging him.

[Maddy McCall]

14. In other words, he's a moral man, whose immorality can be bought for a price.

I am not saying that sex before marriage is immoral. I am saying that this guy is only ok with it if money falls into his pocket.

What an asshole.

[applegrove]

17. But the groom of course is supposed to wear black. I think this nut

just wants more money.