If God said "go forth, multiply, subdue earth" - why no marriage for priests/sisters?

[HeWillProvide]

Someone asked me this and I did not have an answer.

 

[LilyM]

Remember Our Lord Himself was not married (not unless you believe that Da Vinci Code nonsense), so clearly there’s nothing wrong with being unmarried per se - and He praises ‘those who make themselves eununchs (celibate) for the sake of the kingdom’.

So does St Paul, who states that those who are unmarried like himself should remain so if possible. So clearly there’s not only nothing wrong with being unmarried, it is a good and praiseworthy thing to serve God by living a celibate lifestyle.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Well, since Jesus (Mt 19:12) and Paul (1 Cor 7:32-35) put great value on celibacy, it is folly to absolutize the “go forth and mutiply” verse to trump Jesus and Paul!

I heard a priest say that celibacy is a “higher call” because the person lives in imitation of glorified Christians in heaven (Lk 20:34-35). But make no mistake, Jesus and Paul are both clear that those should accept this who “can.” Just because it’s a higher call does not mean those who accept it are “better.” Everyone pleases God the most when fulfilling His call for THEM, whether married life or otherwise.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Everyone pleases God the most when fulfilling His call for THEM, whether married life or otherwise.

Obviously there can be no higher call than God’s Will no matter what it may be. Wherever God may call one, He also provides the Graces necessary to fulfill that call.
If God calls one to the married state, then for that person there is no higher call. The married state for that person is the highest call of all for that person by virtue of God’s Will which is always the higher and most high, highest, call of all calls.

Blessings…Barb

 

[Jimdandy]

If one chooses to remain single, then in solitude and silence one may be given the greatest chance of becoming completely united to God, while still on this earth-mostly because one might not have the many responsibilities to others that could interfere with their spiritual life.

This is a simplified composite.

Other can and do become united with God, it is just a longer, more difficult path for them.

We need more vocations of all kinds: marriage
Religious
Holy Orders
Consecrated Laity

 

[simon_op]

Everyone must obey this.
The point is to find the way God wants you to participate in His plan.
Can the Catholic multiply without sacraments? so, without the assistance of the priest?
The priests and religious and all those who are called to be single for God, keep this command in their way, according to their vocation. They subdue the earth to God! They multiply the salvation so everyone get a chance to be saved!

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Someone asked me this and I did not have an answer.

HeWillProvide,

I take it from the way you relay the question that your questioner was implying a contradiction between God’s command “be fruitful and multiply” on the one hand and the vocation of celibacy on the other hand.

Although “be fruitful and multiply” is relayed in Scripture as an explicit command given to our first parents, it not only an explicit command but also knowable through reason as one of the dictates of natural law. In other words, God didn’t have to give us the command – it is duty which would have been knowable through reason.

If we examine the duty from a natural law perspective we see that

1. 
   *]the human race is intended to continue because we have the faculty and desire for reproduction.
   *]this is to be brought about by the cooperation of a man and woman, because we have the capacity for sexual reproduction
   ]marriage is the means by which this purpose to be accomplished
   *]This duty is directed towards the race and not towards the individual because the *primary good obtained (the raising of children, and the continuation of the race) is for the race, and not primarily an individual good.
   Whereas individual goods are obtained by the individual, common goods are obtained by sufficient numbers of individuals pursuing it. Note that “individual good” is a precise concept – it doesn’t just mean what might be good for an individual but rather what is good. So even if we facilitate another’s individual good, we can’t obtain it for him. *Thus, being clothed is an individual good – and although I can facilitate it for you (by giving you clothes) I can not obtain it for you by wearing the clothes in place of you. Likewise nutrition (eating) is an individual good, which I might facilitate, but *I *can’t eat *for you.
   
   *Collective or common goods, on the other hand, can be obtained for others. Usually, only a sufficient number of individuals have to tend towards the good for it to be obtained for the whole.
   
   In the case of procreation, we can see that it is a collective good – a good for the human race, in oder that it might continue. Because of this, the duty to procreate is not universal (applied to all people) and it is not unconditional. Thus certain individuals may choose not to procreate (e.g. priests and other celibates) and certain individuals should not procreate (e.g. children, single persons, etc.).
   
   I hope that helps. What are your thoughts?
   VC
   
   *This is also knowable through reason, but it is a side topic.

 

[Kristopher]

It can be an uncomfortable analogy, when Jesus is recognized as The Church, but I read it in some Catholic publication, that the Sacrament of Holy Orders is really a marriage–it might actually have been written by Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, in his newsletter, within the past month or two, not exactly a comforting image for ordained men; though, the point of the article, written by Fr. Pavone, was to illustrate, that being a priest is no easy task–a common misconception of those wanting a religious life, according to Fr. Pavone. He stated in so many words, that it is a tremendous amount of work, and difficulty, to guide the religious lives of a congregation, etc. It seems like a very healthy way to look upon the Sacrament of Holy Orders, one of obedience and therefore, of humility, which is a union, a marriage, in many respects: raising The Church family.