Get Rid of the Celibacy Requirement

  • Thread starter Thread starter CampionTheChampion
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Thank you. I commend you on your accuracy.

This is the sort of Catholic teaching that makes me really scratch my head. As if God created Adam and Eve for each other with different parts and capabilities to be celibate. It makes no sense. It also greatly understates the awesome blessings of falling in love and having family. But that is my own problem with this teaching I do not expect others to share.
 
Last edited:
I didn’t like the class when I took it. I sure don’t want to look at it again.

No one’s saying marriage is not a sacrament, just that celibacy is a higher calling. It doesn’t have to be a sacrament to be a higher calling. Sainthood is higher than either, and it’s not sacramental.
 
Mboo said:
I agree that nowadays the Church does not present the thing like this anymore, but it is engaged in an overvaluation of marriage, and this is done to the detriment of the truth about the excellence of continence.
Click to expand...
That is true.
 
goout said:
You are dodging what I just said.
What you said about chastity is not correct.
Click to expand...
" From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none …" (1Cor 7:29)
Mary and Joseph lived according to this word of St. Paul. In the history of the Church, many saint have been canonized because, being married, they have at a moment, lived according to this advice of St Paul (and some are made from the beginning of their marriage)
 
it does not a problem, if you do not admit that, Jesus himself said that it was not given to everyone to understand this truth
 
Celibacy and the accompanying continence which should be practiced is to sex as fasting is to food.

Fasting from food has the benefits of claiming mastery over our appetite which can be disordered.

Continence also demands mastery of our sexual appetites in the single state and even in the married state especially if the couple uses NFP. However unlike food, we can live without sex, contrary to popular belief.

Also continence does not cause pedophilia contrary to popular belief. It seems like the suspicion for those who practice continence seems to infect the Church like it infects popular culture. By the way, the sexual abuse was committed by men who could not keep the virtue of chastity as required of all Catholics, clergy and laity.

Marriage is a Sacrament but that does not mean celibacy is sin. It is merely a state of not being married. It seems like the Protestant suspicion of the single state seems to have infected the Church as well.
 
Last edited:
JPII would have said that the excellence of chastity in marriage excluded continence? it would be better to quote the precise passages that affirm it
 
I still do not understand WHY there is such opposition to having both married and celibate clergy, as in the east. Is it because Catholics have been taught for centuries that the way we do things is “superior”? One can always learn and grow.
 
Mboo said:
I find too many contradictions in the Church today and that makes me very uncomfortable. For example, Lutheran pastors, or Anglican priests who are married and convert, can be ordained Catholic priests, but one forbids to ordain permanent deacons who are married !
Click to expand...
Yes, I agree!
It seems the current stance of the Church is “marriage for some priests (coming in from outside), celibacy for the rest.”
Not only is this “loophole” inconsistent, it punishes those who are Catholic and are following a vocation to the priesthood!
 
Sarcelle said:
By the way, celibacy is not dogma, just a discipline. I am all for ordaining married men. We can start with deacons. I am not in favor of letting already ordained men getting married.
Click to expand...
Yes, starting with married deacons would be the safest logical choice for the Church to expand their “married priest” policy beyond just converts.

This rule change would seem unfair to those priests who have already joined the priesthood, so maybe there are ways that the Church could make it up to them?

Some have suggested that only celibate priests could achieve higher offices, or perhaps some kind of new rank could be created for married priests within the existing hierarchy (between permanent deacons and celibate priests?)

Perhaps celibate priests currently serving could be granted a brief sabbatical or separation of service to seek out a spouse? This may avoid the “priests dating” concern raised by some.
 
ReadTheBible said:
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Click to expand...
This verse contains as much information about abstaining from meat as it does about “forbidding to marry”, yet most Catholics in the US still eat meat (outside of Lenten Friday’s).

All of the biblical references provided thus far indicate that celibacy was among St. Paul’s teachings, which I find ironic given that many married Protestant pastors favor Paul’s gospels.

Paul’s letters contain many teachings about dietary policy, circumcision, etc. which we do not adhere to in modern times, why should celibacy be treated any differently?

As to prophecy:
What about the period of time in which married priests were the norm? The end of the world did not come, we are all still here.

What about the Eastern Catholics who have married priests?

What about the married priests who are currently serving in the Latin Rite?

I think it’s a bit much to say that changing the celibacy rule will literally end the world.
 
Last edited:
Catholics are going to have to make a choice. To cleanse the church some things will need to be discarded. Mandatory celibacy of all priests is no longer viable. We need to pattern the priesthood after our Eastern Rite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters.
 
Last edited:
glencor63 said:
Catholics are going to have to make a choice. To cleanse the church some things will need to be discarded. Mandatory celibacy of all priests is no longer viable. We need to pattern the priesthood after our Eastern Rite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters.
Click to expand...
Please prove why mandatory celibacy is causing “uncleanliness”.
 
It limits the pool from which the Catholic Church can obtain priests. It attracts too many men that use celibacy as a cloak to hide homosexuality or pedophilia. At any given time half do not practice celibacy. A married priesthood would diversify the ranks and perhaps make it a less attractive prospect for those without a vocation. Open the priesthood to married men and also allow those with the charism of celibacy.
 
glencor63 said:
We need to pattern the priesthood after our Eastern Rite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters.
Click to expand...
In the East, and even in the West when applicable, the rule has always been:
Married men may be ordained. But ordained men may not marry.

So it would very likely be the same if adopted by the Latin rite. Married men could be ordained. But priests or deacons already ordained could not marry. And only unmarried men could become bishops.
 
My concern is that the Church elevates celibacy above marriage. Forgive my snark but do you suppose that particular teaching was created by celibate men?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top