Forbidding priests to marry

[Sarcelle]

Hey Sarcelle,

I’ve never heard that before…is that really true?

Yes, it is true.

A lot of independent fundamentalist Baptist churches require marriage for their ministers.

There is a clear preference for married people in these churches. I am not talking about pastors but about the congregation.

Single women are regarded with pity while single men are regarded with suspicion.

 

[JohnGerard]

Wow.

Thanks for sharing that. I had no idea.

 

[JohnGerard]

Yes, it is true.

 

[edwest2]

Here’s a very good answer.

w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_24061967_sacerdotalis.html

Ed

 

[Sarcelle]

Sarcelle;13330618:

Wow. I didn’t know that.

I didn’t know that either. Although, that probably varies and isn’t true everywhere.

Really? Wow. I know that that also probably varies and isn’t true everywhere. But I don’t think I’ve heard of that before.

Thanks.

You can look up Albert Mohler’s view on why pastors must be married. All you need to do is type Albert Mohler on singles. According to him, only married men should have teaching authority in the Church.

This is why a group of single men such as the Catholic bishops with teaching authority is a strange, strange sight to a Baptist.

 

[JohnGerard]

JohnGerard;13330649:

You can look up Albert Mohler’s view on why pastors must be married. All you need to do is type Albert Mohler on singles. According to him, only married men should have teaching authority in the Church.

This is why a group of single men such as the Catholic bishops with teaching authority is a strange, strange sight to a Baptist.

I did. Thanks. Interesting.

 

[JohnGerard]

Here’s a very good answer.

w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_24061967_sacerdotalis.html

Ed

Thanks for that link, Ed. Very good article.

 

[feed_me]

I disagree.

I dont, its is scripture 1 Timothy 3:1

 

[Sarcelle]

I dont, its is scripture 1 Timothy 3:1

I do not doubt that it is scripture. I am not sola scriptura so quoting scripture to me does not do diddly squat.

I disagree with your interpretation of it. There is nothing thing that says I have to agree with you. I go by what the Magisterium says not private interpretation.

The Catholic Church has no problem with bishops being unmarried so I see no reason why I should.

 

[TimothyH]

Any Catholic person (man or woman) can be married if they want to be.

Priests and nuns voluntarily CHOOSE a single life when they voluntarily accept the call to the religious life.

It is their choice. They make it. Not the Church.

This is the answer.

 

[Sarcelle]

This is the answer.

It is unthinkable and a mystery for a lot of people why someone would choose to be celibate.

Unthinkable.

 

[JohnGerard]

It is unthinkable and a mystery for a lot of people why someone would choose to be celibate.

Unthinkable.

Yeah, especially for non-Christians.

But I don’t think it should be that hard for Christians to understand it.

Lots of people will say things like “I give my life to Christ”, or something like that.

Choosing a life of celibacy (like Mother Theresa did, St. Paul did, and others) is just saying

“I give my life to Christ” in an exceptional way. It is saying “I’m gonna deny myself something that is good…for something even better. Total commitment and service to God.”

Christians should be able to see that no matter their faith tradition. But then, we live post-sexual revolution and all…

 

[Wesrock]

JohnGerard;13330649:

You can look up Albert Mohler’s view on why pastors must be married. All you need to do is type Albert Mohler on singles. According to him, only married men should have teaching authority in the Church.

This is why a group of single men such as the Catholic bishops with teaching authority is a strange, strange sight to a Baptist.

Interesting. The Catholic view on this (for the thread creator’s sake) isn’t that Paul was giving a preference for selecting married men, but was urging against selecting men who had been married more than once, and from among these, certainly make sure that they run their households well. If they can’t do that, that would obviously be evidence against them being able to successfully manage churches. Nor did Paul wish to impugn marriage, but let it be known that it is a good thing (as opposed to some heresies that taught it was evil). But he himself didn’t marry – and in fact thought it better that he remain celibate.

 

[JohnGerard]

Sarcelle;13330686:

The Catholic view on this (for the thread creator’s sake) isn’t that Paul was giving a preference for selecting married men, but was urging against selecting men who had been married more than once, and from among these, certainly make sure that they run their households well.

Well said, Wesrock.

A nice concise explanation of the Catholic interpretation.

Some Christians interpret Paul as saying…“a bishop HAS to be married”.

 

[rcwitness]

Just for clarity…

A married man CAN become a priest (in the Catholic Church), but an ordained priest cannot choose to then marry.

 

[feed_me]

Just for clarity…

A married man CAN become a priest (in the Catholic Church), but an ordained priest cannot choose to then marry.

No a married man cannot become a priest in the western rite but in the eastern rite he can and you are correct, a priest cannot choose to get married.

 

[rcwitness]

No a married man cannot become a priest in the western rite but in the eastern rite he can and you are correct, a priest cannot choose to get married.

It’s happening in my diocese, to a member of my parish, who has 12 children.

 

[JohnGerard]

No a married man cannot become a priest in the western rite but in the eastern rite he can and you are correct, a priest cannot choose to get married.

A married man can become a priest in the western rite. Some converts from the Anglican Church, who are married men, are allowed to become priests in the Roman rite. Father Dwight Longenecker is one example of this. Here’s a link to his website.

dwightlongenecker.com/about-fr-longenecker/

 

[GEddie]

No a married man cannot become a priest in the western rite but in the eastern rite he can and you are correct, a priest cannot choose to get married.

**Normally, **married men are not ordained into the Roman Catholic priesthood.

There are exceptions, however, such as married former Protestant ministers converting, and then being allowed into the priesthood. It’s not automatic.

Priests do not get married.

ICXC NIKA

 

[on_the_hill]

From what I’ve read, R. Catholic priests used to be able to marry. At one point the rule was changed. The thing that bothers me, though, is it looks as if there was probably a bureaucratic/administrative reason to make the change but the Church leaders reinterpreted scripture to justify the rule change. Almost like they engaged in revisionist history.

‘We used to think it was o.k. But now, we have been presented with divinely revealed truth that says it’s not o.k.’

Which makes me wonder–was the revealed truth wrong prior?

It’s this sort of logic game that is the most difficult part of the Catholic faith for me to accept. Regardless of whether or not the Magistgerium has made a determination, I don’t always trust that it’s correct.

It comes down to what I’ve learned about the secular court system. The party who wins the suit isn’t always the one that’s right. The party who wins the suit is the one with the better lawyers. I believe that’s the case with the Vatican as well.