Archbishop Pietro Parolin: Priest Celibacy is Open to Discussion

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Yerusalyim said:
I’m not “anti-celibacy” I favor choice. I think our orthodox brothers have this one correct. Married men should be allowed to be ordained…but single men who are ordained also take on Celibacy.
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There is also the question as to whether or not celibacy is a calling apart from the priesthood. Current thought is that the two go hand in hand, but does God necessarily subscribe to this idea? And is celibacy a calling or is it a sacrifice that anyone can choose? If it is a calling, I would presume special graces come with it to help the individual keep his vow. If it is a sacrifice, then I am not sure how that works; many, perhaps most, men might well be better off married.

I assume God honors the Church’s decision to require celibacy for its priests. After all, Christ did say that whatever the Church binds on earth would be bound in heaven. But if it were not for the Church’s rule on celibacy, would God call men to both marriage and priesthood together? And if so, are men possibly lost to the priesthood because God, due to the Church’s rule, will only call those who were preordained to be called to celibacy?

I can only keep returning to Jesus and observing how he did not choose only single men to become priests and how he did not place any restriction on the single men he did choose to remain celibate.

I do believe that Jesus could have chosen only single men to become Apostles. I do believe that even if most men in those times were married, that he could have provided that the first twelve Apostles would be single men. I do believe that he could have required the single Apostles he did choose to remain celibate. But he didn’t do any of these things.

I don’t dispute the Church’s decision on celibacy, but I do not believe, wise as it may be, that it is necessarily a decision for all times. I don’t know what the future holds, but I would not be surprised to see change in this regard. It is not a matter of faith and morals, and it is not something that Christ Himself did when given the chance. That of course does not mean the Church is in any way wrong in its decision.
 
Country_Gal said:
Going a lifetime without sexual release is a tall order, even for a very devout soul. It does narrow down the field of potential priests. And, it’s hardly a Biblical edict, but rather a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.
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Humans are not animals who cannot control their sexual instincts, are beings endowed with reason and will. And a potential priest who is not able to renounce to marriage wouldn’t be a good priest, placing his own desires above God’s will.

That tradition has been the source of countless saints, and must not be neglected lightly.
 
fdeunha said:
Humans are not animals who cannot control their sexual instincts, are beings endowed with reason and will. And a potential priest who is not able to renounce to marriage wouldn’t be a good priest, placing his own desires above God’s will.

That tradition has been the source of countless saints, and must not be neglected lightly.
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Both marriage and priesthood are callings from God. In the Byzantine Rite Catholic Church a married individual may become a priest, and a priest may marry.

Celibacy is only required in the Roman Rite, and not even there, since a married individual may be ordained a priest, although a single man must take a vow of celibacy to become a priest. It is not simply a matter of renouncing marriage or making a sacrifice, since it would not be good to renounce marriage if it were a calling from God.

Granted, I doubt God would call a man to both states in the Roman Church, since He would honor the Church’s decision, but I must conclude he does do so in the Byzantine Rite, and that cannot diminish the priesthood in any way if it is God calling a man to both states simultaneously.

Do not forget that Jesus chose both men who were married and men who were single to be his first priests, the Apostles. Also, he did not put any constraints on their service in terms of celibacy for the single men who became his priests. This does not in any way call into question the decision of the Vatican to require celibacy for priest ordained while single. The times are different now then they were in the time of Jesus, and should it be deemed wise to allow priests to marry at some future date, the Church is free to make that change in its policy.

It should, however, make the issue of celibacy one that is open to continuous review by the Church. Does anyone know of a Vatican paper or statement that describes why it moved away from the married priesthood, even in light of Jesus’ decision not to make it an issue during his own lifetime? It would make an interesting read and might shed some light on the underlying reasons for the Church’s present position, other than the well known case for single-mindedness and sacrifice in serving God, first made by St. Paul, which apparently Jesus Himself did not choose to make.

These are only my reflections. I don’t believe I have contradicted Church teaching in any way, but if I did, I would defer to the Church.

Peace.
 
JamesCaruso said:
Both marriage and priesthood are callings from God. In the Byzantine Rite Catholic Church a married individual may become a priest, and a priest may marry.
.
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Are you sure about the last part. AIUI, although all the Catholic Churches except the Roman allow ordination of married men, none allow priestly marriage.

ICXC NIKA
 
Married39 said:
This is controversial, the traditionalist Catholics want the priests to be celibate (which is not realistic anymore) while the forward thinking Catholics who want the church to survive long term want celibacy as an option not a vow.

Let’s face it, way too many priests have sinned against the church and against young boys mostly. These priests have permanently ruined the reputation of the good priests. This is mostly thanks to the bishops for re-locating them from diocese to diocese instead of prosecuting them.

Alot of us had our churches closed due to the priests sex scandal pay-offs and alot of people have left the Church altogether due to the cover ups and many of us don’t attend regular mass.

If we had married priests, they could relate better to married couples that need counselling (which is alot, myself included). Not many females talk to someone about their marriage when they aren’t married themselves.

Priests get lonely like the rest of us, get horny like the rest of us and if they could be married, young people who now look at the church as goofy and assume most priests are gay, would change their tune and could relate better to life as we know it in 2013.

It sounds harsh but I think it’s the best way to get people in the priesthood. Our seminary college in our diocese had like 1 graduate last year, none this year and maybe 1 or 2 next year. We cannot be paying for a seminary college to teach to a handful of young men. It makes no economic sense.
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Why the distinction naming traditionalists? I would say rather, that it plainly contrasts the secular vs the mystical. The world blatantly shows it’s disapproval of all things spiritual and finds celibacy a strange thing indeed, in fact, down right unnatural! After all, the very crux of it is mortification of the passions and a life of self-less-ness dying to the appetites, that is absolutely counter to a hedonistic culture. Celibacy has to be hated by a society that places sex on such a grand scale.
 
I haven’t read all the posts. Here is my two cents:

Celibacy is a gift from God. Saints in the past have readily embraced celibacy in order to be closer to Our Lord. It isn’t an easy vow to keep for many, but practice makes perfect.
It also has to do with the concept of “In Persona Christi”. Christ was celibate and the priests are representing Him. If they don’t want to be celibate, then don’t become a Catholic priest, please. Why make Catholicism more like Protestantism?
Personally, I would not want to confess to a married priest because he would not be “in persona Christi”.
I wish they would stop bringing this up in the secular media. It is disturbing to me. Would they also be suggesting married women as religious? Then where is the sacrifice? Where is the exaltation of Divine Love? ‘There is no marriage in heaven.’ I notice the same MSNBC newscaster seems to be harping on this subject. Why isn’t she investigating Buddhist monks getting married? Please God, make this subject disappear after they discuss it (again) in Rome.
🤷
 
GEddie said:
Are you sure about the last part. AIUI, although all the Catholic Churches except the Roman allow ordination of married men, none allow priestly marriage.

ICXC NIKA
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No, I am not. Does anyone know? And what if a wife should die early on? Cannot the priest remarry?
 
RosalieM said:
I haven’t read all the posts. Here is my two cents:

Celibacy is a gift from God. Saints in the past have readily embraced celibacy in order to be closer to Our Lord. It isn’t an easy vow to keep for many, but practice makes perfect.
It also has to do with the concept of “In Persona Christi”. Christ was celibate and the priests are representing Him. If they don’t want to be celibate, then don’t become a Catholic priest, please. Why make Catholicism more like Protestantism?
Personally, I would not want to confess to a married priest because he would not be “in persona Christi”.
I wish they would stop bringing this up in the secular media. It is disturbing to me. Would they also be suggesting married women as religious? Then where is the sacrifice? Where is the exaltation of Divine Love? ‘There is no marriage in heaven.’ I notice the same MSNBC newscaster seems to be harping on this subject. Why isn’t she investigating Buddhist monks getting married? Please God, make this subject disappear after they discuss it (again) in Rome.
🤷
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It won’t disappear, but the sexual revolution will wear out its welcome and fade away. And then folks will see more important factors in everybody than whether they are having sex or not.

ICXC NIKA
 
JamesCaruso said:
No, I am not. Does anyone know? And what if a wife should die early on? Cannot the priest remarry?
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AIUI, even in the Eastern Churches (and with married Roman deacons), the answer is no.

(Where are all ye Byzantines and Ruthenians who can offer an official answer?:))

ICXC NIKA
 
GEddie said:
It won’t disappear, but the sexual revolution will wear out its welcome and fade away. And then folks will see more important factors in everybody than whether they are having sex or not.

ICXC NIKA
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However, celibacy does make a huge difference in choosing the celestial to the terrestrial.🙂
 
EphelDuath said:
Frankly anybody who believes what the Church needs is a tidal wave of worldly clergy, that will be less focused on their pastoral duties, less educated, and more open to freely dissenting against the Church’s teachings is deluded. Or worse.
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You are correct.

Everyone always presumes that a married Catholic clergy will mirror married Protestant clergy, 2.1 kids and all. How in the world could a priest’s salary support a family of 6, 8, or 10?

Any simpleton would be able to see that a married Catholic priest ain’t practicing what he’s preachin’ if he doesn’t have a bunch of young 'uns.

After all, hypocritical contracepting clergy played a major part in the Protestant/Evangelical embracing of contraception and its offspring abortion. . . . .

Click my signature for for a great resource on the subject.
 
Hi Friends:

Man I thought I was all for Catholic Priests to be married, but you guys all raise good questions. Seems to me that their would have to be a check and balance system.

Could you imagine what would happen if a Priest and His wife divorced? What kind of impact that could have on a congregation?

Hmmm. I guess only time will tell.

Jill
 
Joe_5859 said:
It really bugs me when people bring up priestly celibacy as some sort of “solution” to the sex abuse crisis.

If the only thing stopping a man from molesting young boys is the fact that he has a wife to be his “sexual outlet”, he shouldn’t be a priest whether he’s married or not.
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Amen.
The misogyny in these arguments is so offensive, as is the suggestion that men have a right or have no choice but to rape or molest when their sexual desires are not gratified. Such arguments demean men and treat them as lacking free will and the ability to be responsible for their own behavior.
 
JamesCaruso said:
No, I am not. Does anyone know? And what if a wife should die early on? Cannot the priest remarry?
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No, a priest cannot remarry.

Once a man enters into Holy Orders, he cannot marry. If he is married prior, that marriage certainly remains valid, but neither the Catholic Church nor the Orthodox Churches permit a priest to marry and retain his priestly office.
 
Hi, All
Lots of good stuff here, but I would remind everyone Jesus, chose Judas, as a potential priest and we all know how the story goes. Two thousand years later sin continues to rear its ugly head. No suprises here ! Priests should emulate Jesus !:yup:

God Bless
onenow1:)
 
Brendan said:
No, a priest cannot remarry.

Once a man enters into Holy Orders, he cannot marry. If he is married prior, that marriage certainly remains valid, but neither the Catholic Church nor the Orthodox Churches permit a priest to marry and retain his priestly office.
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I don’t think so. There is an example of a priest in India or thereabouts who left the Roman Catholic priesthood and got married. He then became a priest in the Orthodox Church and was allowed to stay married, even though he got married after his ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood.
 
Brendan said:
No, a priest cannot remarry.

Once a man enters into Holy Orders, he cannot marry. If he is married prior, that marriage certainly remains valid, but neither the Catholic Church nor the Orthodox Churches permit a priest to marry and retain his priestly office.
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I suppose the reasoning for our current rules is that Christ allowed already married men to become priests, As for single men, my guess is that of those who were not already married when ordained, none of them married subsequently. That would give the Church a precedent for its current rules.
 
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