Get Rid of the Celibacy Requirement

[Bruised_Reed]

thus enriching the Church further.

No, it prevents any prodigal children of priests from squandering the widow’s mite. You might see riches; I see what my grandparents, great-grandparents and their friends and neighbors built from nothing on a prairie. You have no right to take that away from the faithful that followed and neither does a married priest’s kid.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Yes, it’s time to end this rule. It’s not biblical, nor was it part of the Church’s doctrine in its early history!

Very early in the history of the Catholic Church, priests were allowed to marry and have children. I suspect somewhere along the line the Church realized it would be better if priests weren’t allowed to marry. That way they could devote themselves full time to spreading the Gospel and interpreting it to their flocks. It also meant more wealth could flow into the Church and could be centrally controlled. The Church made a law that banned the children of priests from inheriting property, thus enriching the Church further. Then there was a call for an outright ban on marriage for priests. This was rejected during the First Counsel of Nicaea, brought about by the Roman Emperor Constantine, but over time the Church got its way and priests were ordered to be celibate.

Jesus was celibate, but He was the Son of God. For the rest of us sinners, it’s a bit more difficult to pull the plug on sexuality. The Bible itself states, “If they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” 1 Corinthians 7:9 In this manner the act of sex is also ideally aligned with love and caring for another as part of God’s plan. That’s how it’s supposed to work, but roughly 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, thus only proving, for the most part, the fallen nature of man.

The point is this: It’s not natural for human beings to suppress the sex drive. Very few can do it. By not allowing Catholic priests to marry, the Church discourages family men who have a control on their libidos. Instead, too many are warped by sexual frustration and begin molesting children. For far too long the Church has ignored or hidden a problem of epidemic proportions under their pulpits. Priest who weren’t arrested and jailed were merely shuffled off to different parishes, where they continued their vile ways of abuse.

All in all, I feel it is time the Church takes a long hard look in the mirror at itself and come to the realization its celibacy policy is not working, it may be controversial even to think about changing this longstanding policy, but it can (and should) change in my opinion. Enough is enough! This scandal has severely damaged the Church, this is all Catholic faithful can talk about these days. And no doubt many people feel betrayed by those they placed their trust into. If you can’t trust a priest, who can you trust?

As the following text on the Vatican website shows, celibacy for priests has a “Biblical Foundation” - http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...nts/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_bfoun_en.html

There have been abuse scandals within religious denominations who have no celibacy requirement. If you want to blame celibacy for the abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, where is definitive evidence that celibacy is a factor for the abuse scandal?

 

[glencor63]

Read Richard Sipe. May he rest in peace.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Instead, too many are warped by sexual frustration and begin molesting children.

That is not how it works. Do married men who can’t have sex with their wife go on to molest their children? Are you suggesting that men and boys have zero self-control? Are you an adolescent boy? If so I can see why you might think that one’s sexual urges are beyond one’s control. Also, the Church expects that boys will be chaste and if adolescent boys can manage adult men can, too. Practicing self control before marriage will be good for the marriage, for the times the couple needs to be continent or if temptation comes around as a sweet young thing.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

They started by following the apostles around. They were getting the teachings from the apostles or those who knew them.

 

[cathapolo]

Well, aware that it is ‘discipline’ how this is of apostolic origin and has been clear part of the practice of the Church from the beginning. See Matthew’s Gospel (19:12), St. Luke’s Gospel
(20:35), also taken up by St. Paul in his First Epistle to the Corinthians (7:8-9, 25-27, and especially 32-33), and confirmed by St. John in the Apocalypse (14:4). It is clear that once the Apostles received the call, they did not lead a married life.

    The tradition of priestly celibacy was solemnly proclaimed by the  Council of Nicaea, the First Ecumenical Council, in 325.  Canon No. 3,  unanimously approved by the Fathers, admitted of no exceptions whatsoever.  The Council considered that the prohibition imposed thereby on

all bishops, priests, and deacons against having a wife absolute. All subsequent councils that have addressed the subject have renewed this interdiction.

    Not only would it be a violation of Sacred Tradition to blot out a custom decreed for 2,000 years to be absolutely obligatory, but also one must recognize that priestly celibacy is to be seen not merely as of ecclesiastical institution, but part of what is more broadly known in

Catholic moral theology as “divine positive law,” initiated by Christ and His Apostles. That is, it is not merely disciplinary in nature.

    The Council of Elvira in 304 stated that all bishops, priests, and deacons, and all other clerics should abstain completely from marrying. The Council of Carthage in 390 stated that celibacy is of

Apostolic origin.

Pope Gregory XVI, in his Encyclical Mirari Vos which was written in 1832 asks us to “rally to combat the abominable conspiracy against clerical celibacy. This conspiracy spreads daily and is promoted by profligate philosophers, some even from the clerical order. They have forgotten their person and office, and have been carried away by the enticements of pleasure. They have even dared to make repeated public demands to the princes for the abolition of that most holy discipline. But it is disgusting to dwell on these evil attempts at length. Rather, We ask that you strive with all your might to justify and to defend the law of clerical celibacy as prescribed by the sacred canons, against which the arrows of the lascivious are directed from every side."

All the more should we redouble our efforts to defend what is sacred and holy and uphold this beautiful reality in our Church, rather than to give in to the enemies of our faith in their desire to undermine all that is sacred and Holy.

 

[pnewton]

All in all, I feel it is time the Church takes a long hard look in the mirror at itself and come to the realization its celibacy policy is not working,

Really? Name one country that has been around for 2000 years. What is the largest religion in the world? Christianity. What is the largest Church in the world? The Catholic Church.

Those that think ending celibacy will solve more problems than it makes do not understand human sexuality, as taught best by St. John Paul the Great, the nature of marriage, or women.

From the First Century.

I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. I Corinthians 7:33-36

 

[AlNg]

The Council considered that the prohibition imposed thereby on all bishops, priests, and deacons against having a wife absolute.

Then why does the Roman Church reject this and allow married deacons?

 

[SnowRose]

But the Orthodox, Anglicans and Lutherans have had married clergy for at least 500 years,

Oh, I’m aware of the Orthodox’ continuous practice of married clergy. CAF just gets miffed when I extend the Anglicans and Lutherans all 2000 years to our joint apostolic roots, so I went with the polite ”at least”

 

[pnewton]

Then why does the Roman Church reject this and allow married deacons?

I can speak for here. The deacons here are part time and draw no salary. That is why mostly they are retired, or have a job and income that allow them to serve as deacon.

 

[cathapolo]

This crisis is a question of homosexual network that has been allowed to work within Catholic circles. That is the reality. The greater number of abuse cases a with boys/men.

You don’t need to state the obvious. And beyond that, it is clear what the Catholic position has always been on the whole question of Sodomitical relations.

http://www.catholicapologetics.info/morality/sodomy/homality.htm

 

[Dhc8_Type]

As the son of a pastor and a principal I found it worse that my mom was my principal then my dad was the pastor.

 

[StandUp4Truth]

1,000 times YES!

I seriously considered joining the priesthood until I met an amazing Catholic girl and chose marriage instead. I’m sure many others are like me and would be willing to become a priest as a married man. Some would even do it for free if they could maintain their current employment.
We already have many married Catholic priests (like former Anglican priests who transferred in), so the genie is out of the bottle.
It’s a shame that we have to rely on missionary priests from other countries and our churches are still closing, many to pay the legal fees and settlements for abusers.
Elderly Catholics who have lived faithful lives are being told to drive 30+ miles for Sunday Mass, the shepherds are literally abandoning their flock and it’s a shame!
Celibacy is not dogma, and I think many Catholics would sooner have a married priest than none at all.
Also, I would think that married priests with children are going to be much more likely to run the wolves who prey on the defenseless out of the flock - with force if necessary!

 

[aspiringthomist]

Make celibacy optional for the priesthood to prevent another sexual abuse crisis. Not because celibacy produces sexual abusers, but because it shrinks the pool of men the Church can draw priests from.

While celibacy does shrink the pool of men the Church can draw, it allows for men who have made the a very big sacrifice (family life) to serve Jesus. The priest is married to his the Church because his life is dedicated to serving it.This is better than a higher quantity of of priests that aren’t fully committed to their Parish but have other commitments such as family.

 

[Vico]

cathapolo:

The Council considered that the prohibition imposed thereby on all bishops, priests, and deacons against having a wife absolute.

Then why does the Roman Church reject this and allow married deacons?

Currently, those receiving Holy Orders can be married but not after receiving Holy Orders.

The church law has changed over time. Catholic Encylopedia:

In the history of clerical celibacy conciliar legislation marks the second period during which the law took definite shape both in the East and in the West. The earliest enactment on the subject is that of the Spanish Council of Elvira (between 295 and 302) in canon xxxiii. It imposes celibacy upon the three higher orders of the clergy, bishops, priests, and deacons. If they continue to live with their wives and beget children after their ordination they are to be deposed.

Thurston, H. (1908). Celibacy of the Clergy. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03481a.htm

 

[Sarcelle]

That’s what the popular culture thinks. Being single apparently turns people in pedophiles.

If that is true, we can cure pedophilia by making the offenders get married.

Marriage is no automatic guarantee of virtuousity.

 

[Sarcelle]

There are so many things wrong with this post that I don’t know where to begin.

Single chaste men who have fallen off the bandwagon so to speak, will go after adults, men or women, not after children.

Married men can be also guilty of the sexual abuse of children. There are married pedophiles after all.

Also there are a lot of involuntary celibates who are not priests. Do we lock them all up since it makes them more prone to abuse children?

 

[goout]

It’s not that celibacy doesn’t “work”, it’s the combination of all those factors that have come together to form this current culture. A culture is more like a stew than a steak. It has many ingredients, and those ingredients work together to form the flavor of the culture.
When a culture has become ripe for corruption, the Christian goes about changing that culture, not accommodating it.

Celibacy for the kingdom of God is a high calling and is valued by the Church.
But that doesn’t make celibacy an absolute that excludes the married state.

 

[goout]

goout:

edwest211:

A common misconception. Adding marriage to the mix will not automatically increase the number of men entering the seminary.

How do you figure? This is a very simple proposition.
Today let’s say we have 100 men in seminary. Next year if married men are allowed, we have x number more.

100+X > more than 100
Do the math.

Prove why more=better.

“I wasn’t going to be a priest until I was told I could marry, too” isn’t an attitude I want to see in seminaries.

How do I prove the obvious?
More good holy priests is a self evident good.

 

[goout]

goout:

Time seems to multiply for engaged, healthy, passionate, well adjusted people.

I think it is not so much a matter of busyness as a matter of a divided heart:

1 Corinthians 7:33 -34
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.

, the number of them will multiply greatly. Do the math.

There is no guarantee to that. Marital problems could decrease the amount of priests staying in the priesthood.

I’m not sure what the cultural context was in St Paul’s time that he was addressing. But it wasn’t this current culture that is ripe for abuse. This is today. St Paul’s writings are alive for us today.
Married people do not have divided hearts per se, in fact the properly ordered integration of sexuality in a priestly vocation would be an improvement over the disordered culture that has come to light.