Celibacy? I need answers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BearFan
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BearFan

Guest
I have heard that many of the 12 Apostles were married. They were our 1st priests as of the Last Supper. Now I also heard in the early church, many priests were married. As history carried on, the Church chnages its rules to priests had to be celebant. They changed once, why wouldn’t they change again? Thus, being Celebant isn’t a Jesus teaching, correct?

Why is celibacy such a big deal in the catholic Church since it isn’t really what Jesus taught?
 
40.png
BearFan:
I have heard that many of the 12 Apostles were married. They were our 1st priests as of the Last Supper. Now I also heard in the early church, many priests were married. As history carried on, the Church chnages its rules to priests had to be celebant. They changed once, why wouldn’t they change again? Thus, being Celebant isn’t a Jesus teaching, correct?

Why is celibacy such a big deal in the catholic Church since it isn’t really what Jesus taught?
Click to expand...
Well Celibacy is only a discipline.

In the Latin Church, today, and for centuries, the priesthood is celibate.

In the Eastern Churches, mainly the Byzantine ones, the secular priesthood is not celibate. That is married men can be and are ordained to the priesthood. That has always been.

So priestly celibacy was never enforced upon the whole Church.
 
First off, the word is “celibate”, not “celebant”. And you’re wrong— Jesus did teach it: “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it” (Matt. 19:11–12). Jesus himself was celibate. St. Paul was also, and recommended it: “Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. . . those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. . . . The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:27-34).

What you might not understand that it is a discipline, not a doctrine, of the Latin Rite Church. It could be changed, however, I don’t think it will be, nor do I think it should be. I am certainly in favor, though, of the Eastern Catholic Churches (Byzantine, for example) maintaining their tradition of a married clergy if that is their wish.
 
Hey BearFan:

Check out the Theology of the Body: the section on Celibacy. It will blow your mind to pieces like it did to me.

God bless you with your search for Truth.
 
I have heard that many of the 12 Apostles were married. They were our 1st priests as of the Last Supper. Now I also heard in the early church, many priests were married. As history carried on, the Church chnages its rules to priests had to be celebant. They changed once, why wouldn’t they change again? Thus, being Celebant isn’t a Jesus teaching, correct?
Click to expand...
Hey BearFan I agree with Sherlock, I was just going to quote from the same scripture’s. So dido! 👍 Just as its already been stated the church can change its discipline for latin rite married men to be ordaind catholic priest. I also think something to really consider is that beauty of the discipline. “The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided.” (1 Corinthians 7:32-34)
You see the celibate priest can obviously give all his attention to God and Christ church 1st. Were as a married priest may have more difficulty for example if his wife or child were ill he would obviously be obligated to tend to his family first before tending to the needs of the people. Although this is perfectly acceptable to minister to your family, however I think its obvious the point I am trying to make as the scripture say’s the “unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord…” Hopefully this answers your question and helps you understand how Biblical this teaching is. May God bless you. :rolleyes:
 
Good responses! God bless!

Is it possible to love God so so much, that one would forego and earthly spouse to marry God, and only God, and to become one flesh with Him? Is it Possible??
 
also, something to think about, from the beginning in any rite you were never able to be ordained and then marry. you had to be married before you were a priest.
 
I would also add that the Church has always had this discipline on the Bishops. No married priest can be made Bishop in either Latin rite or Byzantine Rite and priests have to be married prior to their ordination in order to be married priests in the Byzantine Rite. Also, the Pope can give exceptions to the rule of celibacy, in which it has happened for Anglican married priest converts. The fact is that an unmarried priest can do more for the Church including traveling around and do a lot of missionary work, etc. Also as Jesus said in Matthew 19:11-12, marriage is not for everyone and for those people they just need to accept that fact instead of getting depressed over it. They have another calling.
 
“Only” a discipline? What do you mean “only?”

The discipline of celibacy has been adopted because this precious charism has been counseled by Christ and given to the Church by the Holy Spirit as a spiritual gift to the individuals who receive it for the building up of the Church.
“Only” a discipline. “Only” a diamond.
 
mercygate said:
“Only” a discipline? What do you mean “only?”

The discipline of celibacy has been adopted because this precious charism has been counseled by Christ and given to the Church by the Holy Spirit as a spiritual gift to the individuals who receive it for the building up of the Church.
“Only” a discipline. “Only” a diamond.
Click to expand...

I agree, I don’t think it’s right to say it’s “Only” a discipline. It is clear that this discipline is kind of at the same time a doctrine. Also, if it were “only” a discipline it could’ve been optional. It emphasizes marriage to Christ and his Church.
 
Roman_Army said:
**I would also add that the Church has always had this discipline on the Bishops. **
Click to expand...

This is not totally true.

The early Church had married bishops. The first pope, Peter was married. There is no source of information that says he was a widower or that he left his wife. We just don’t know.

That being said, it was at one of the early Ecumenical Councils that mandated bishops be celibate and it has always been so since then.
 
40.png
ByzCath:
…That being said, it was at one of the early Ecumenical Councils that mandated bishops be celibate and it has always been so since then.
Click to expand...
**That’s what I meant, I didn’t mean to go farther than when it was first mandated. But, I’m sure the celibate episcopate was prized in the earlier church. **
 
Roman_Army said:
**That’s what I meant, I didn’t mean to go farther than when it was first mandated. But, I’m sure the celibate episcopate was prized in the earlier church. **
Click to expand...

Yes, just as I am sure the celibate priesthood was before it was mandated in the West.
 
Actually, celibacy was practiced by some sects of devout Jews before Christ came on the scene so to speak. It is a discipline,and I would second whomever suggested you read Theology of the Body on this topic. The Holy Spirit worked through JP II and blessed the world with his writings on this subject.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top