why can't priests marry?

[achristiantoo]

Hi all,

from the catholic bible,

Matthew
Chapter 8:14,

Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.

we see that Peter was married,

Can anyone explain to me why the Catholic Church does not allow their priests to be married even though Peter was married?

Thank you in advance

 

[Nicea325]

Hi all,

from the catholic bible,

Matthew
Chapter 8:14,

we see that Peter was married,

Can anyone explain to me why the Catholic Church does not allow their priests to be married even though Peter was married?

Thank you in advance

Actually the Eastern Rites have married priests,only the Latin Rite priest remain celibate. It is a discipline for priests to remain celibate. In fact, the Catholic Church forbids no one to marry. No one is required to take a vow of celibacy; those who do, do so voluntarily. They “renounce marriage” (Matt. 19:12); no one forbids it to them. Any Catholic who doesn’t wish to take such a vow doesn’t have to, and is almost always free to marry with the Church’s blessing. The Church simply elects candidates for the priesthood (or, in the Eastern rites, for the episcopacy) from among those who voluntarily renounce marriage.

But is there scriptural precedent for this practice of restricting membership in a group to those who take a voluntary vow of celibacy? Yes. Paul, writing once again to Timothy, mentions an order of widows pledged not to remarry (1 Tim 5:9-16); in particular advising: “But refuse to enroll younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ they desire to marry, and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge” (5:11–12).

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

Hi all,

from the catholic bible,

Matthew
Chapter 8:14,

we see that Peter was married,

Can anyone explain to me why the Catholic Church does not allow their priests to be married even though Peter was married?

Thank you in advance

In the Eastern “Catholic” Church they maintain married priests. In the Western “Catholic” Church the priests voluntarily take a vow to live a chaste life, like Jesus, St. Paul that followed them in the monastic religious life from the first centuries to today in the Western Catholic Church.

Jesus teaches that there will be celebate priests from Matthew 19:11
He answered, “Not all can accept [this] word, 8 but only those to whom that is granted.
12
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; **some, because they have renounced marriage 9 for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.” **

Peter and others who were married, at the agreement of their wives took upon themselves the life of celebacy later after the resurrection.

God reveals in heaven that there will be virgin men from the human race who are priests.

Revelation 14:4
These are they who were not defiled with women; they are virgins 3 and these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb.

 

[RyanBlack]

Peter and others who were married, at the agreement of their wives took upon themselves the life of celebacy later after the resurrection.

Perhaps, but then again, perhaps not. There’s really no way for us to know this to be the case.

 

[achristiantoo]

No one is required to take a vow of celibacy; those who do, do so voluntarily.

thank you, I was given wrong info
so if i were a priest, there would be no problem with me falling in love and eventually being wed in the Catholic chuch anywhere, and still maintaining my current position at my parish, is that correct?

 

[LDNCatholic]

thank you, I was given wrong info
so if i were a priest, there would be no problem with me falling in love and eventually being wed in the Catholic chuch anywhere, and still maintaining my current position at my parish, is that correct?

Priests do not marry, but married men can become priests.

 

[Irish_Polock]

thank you, I was given wrong info
so if i were a priest, there would be no problem with me falling in love and eventually being wed in the Catholic chuch anywhere, and still maintaining my current position at my parish, is that correct?

If you were a parish priest whom has already chosen to take the vow of celibacy, you could not break that vow and maintain you current position - although, the associate Pastor at my local parish is married and has two children, under special dispensation.

If you were married and of an Eastern tradition, and after discerning you vocation, concluded that it was indeed your vocation to become a parish Priest, your ordination would be permitted (a married priest could not be permitted to become a bishop though). Although, after your ordination, this would not be permissible. The Orthodox follow these same rules - generally speaking.

This is a practice of the Latin rite Church - not a Dogma - that was taught by Christ and St. Paul:

Matt. 19:11-12, Matt. 19:29, 1 Cor 7:1, 1 Cor. 7:7, 1 Cor. 7:27, 1 Cor. 7:32-33, 38,

 

[achristiantoo]

Priests do not marry, but married men can become priests.

thank you

this is my understanding,

once a priest, wedlock is no longer possible if one wants to maintain his position in the catholic church…correct?

thank you

 

[LDNCatholic]

thank you

this is my understanding,

once a priest, wedlock is no longer possible if one wants to maintain his position in the catholic church…correct?

thank you

Correct.

 

[achristiantoo]

If you were a parish priest whom has already chosen to take the vow of celibacy, you could not break that vow and maintain you current position - although, the associate Pastor at my local parish is married and has two children, under special dispensation.

If you were married and of an Eastern tradition, and after discerning you vocation, concluded that it was indeed your vocation to become a parish Priest, your ordination would be permitted (a married priest could not be permitted to become a bishop though). Although, after your ordination, this would not be permissible. The Orthodox follow these same rules - generally speaking.

This is a practice of the Latin rite Church - not a Dogma - that was taught by Christ and St. Paul:

Matt. 19:11-12, Matt. 19:29, 1 Cor 7:1, 1 Cor. 7:7, 1 Cor. 7:27, 1 Cor. 7:32-33, 38,

thank you Irish Polock for the scripture refererence

As for priests getting married,

it would appear celebacy is being taught by …as you said…“Christ and St. Paul”

However let’s look at verse …

1Cor 7:25 …

Now in regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

It is clear this is NOT a commandment from Jesus but rather an opinion given by Paul.
I agree it may be advantageous for a priest not to be married so he can focus totally on his priestly duties within the church. However I fail to see a law which prevents priests from marrying.

As for 1Cor 7:1 Men are encouraged not to be immoral and touch a woman as a prostitute
made referenced to in the previous chapter 1Cor 6:16-17

do you not know that anyone who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For “the two,” it says, “will become one flesh.”
But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

1Cor 7:2-3 goes on to say

but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband.

In 1Tim 4:3-4 Paul even tells us that God created foods …

… to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
For everything created by God is good, and ***nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, ***

back to my original question…why can’t a priest marry in the Catholic church?

I fail to see where God commands priests not to marry but only an opinion which the church clings to…

correct me if I am wrong

Thank You

 

[Tantum_ergo]

thank you Irish Polock for the scripture refererence

As for priests getting married,

it would appear celebacy is being taught by …as you said…“Christ and St. Paul”

However let’s look at verse …

1Cor 7:25 …

It is clear this is NOT a commandment from Jesus but rather an opinion given by Paul.
I agree it may be advantageous for a priest not to be married so he can focus totally on his priestly duties within the church. However I fail to see a law which prevents priests from marrying.

As for 1Cor 7:1 Men are encouraged not to be immoral and touch a woman as a prostitute
made referenced to in the previous chapter 1Cor 6:16-17

1Cor 7:2-3 goes on to say

In 1Tim 4:3-4 Paul even tells us that God created foods …

back to my original question…why can’t a priest marry in the Catholic church?

I fail to see where God commands priests not to marry but only an opinion which the church clings to…

correct me if I am wrong

Thank You

But neither food nor marriage is being rejected by people.

I’m sure that you aren’t implying that fasting is ‘rejecting food’. Why if we were really rejecting food we would never eat anything.

And if we were rejecting marriage we’d be rejecting it for all, not simply priests.

I’ll remind you that Scripture also speaks of the apostles ‘binding and loosing’.
Now, if the apostles were only going to ‘bind’ what was already bound (i.e. what was already in scripture or in practice), or were only going to loose what was already loose, why give them authority? It appears to me that Jesus was speaking here of the fact that the apostles were given the authority to make PASTORAL DECISIONS which would involve changing of binding something to ‘loosening’, and ‘loosening something’ to binding IF said things were not intrinsically bound to only one concept.

Now marriage, for example, is one time, one man, one woman. But marriage is also a free choice. Likewise the choice to be single is a free choice.

Some may choose to marry because they ‘love’; some may choose to marry to be ‘provided for’; some may choose to provide for others, some may choose not in ‘love’ per se but in obedience to parents, etc. etc. etc.

And some may choose to be single because they truly wish to be single. Others may choose if the loved one marries another, or if their intended dies, or if they suddenly become poor, etc. etc.

But marriage is always one man one woman. . .not two men, not two women. The priests/bishops/pope can never ‘loose’ marriage to become something it is not.

However, they can pastorally require that those called to marriage NOT present themselves to the priesthood. That’s perfectly reasonable. After all protestants themselves in the 19th century when sending off men to the missions often insisted on said pastors being MARRIED and NOT SINGLE. IOW, they were ‘mandated to marry’ IF they wished to serve in the missions.

What’s the difference between the prudential decision of the 19th century protestant leaders demanding a ‘married’ clergy, and the prudential decision of the Catholic Church of the 21st century demanding a celibate one?

 

[thomasf]

Priests cannot marry as a discipline. The latin rite church has determined that unmarried, celibate men are best for the priesthood. This is based on things that Jesus and St Paul have said. The church views the sacrament of holy orders as a vocation, as the sacrament of marriage is a vocation. And the belief is you are called to one or the other but not both.

The church also believes that not everyone is called to marriage. Some are called to celibacy and living single. In fact, Jesus says this Himself in Matthew 19:12

“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 heaven”

So clearly it is not necessary to marry. And clearly, as Jesus says, some have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

It is a discipline of the church to be unmarried and celibate. Priests accept this when they take the vows. No where does the church say that God commands it, and as you’ve been told many eastern rite churches and many of the other rites of the churches have married priests.

If the priests are good with it, and accept it, what is the problem? The church also requires priests to have certain degrees and schooling as a discipline. Do you have a problem with that?

 

[Irish_Polock]

thank you Irish Polock for the scripture refererence

As for priests getting married,

it would appear celebacy is being taught by …as you said…“Christ and St. Paul”

However let’s look at verse …

1Cor 7:25 …

It is clear this is NOT a commandment from Jesus but rather an opinion given by Paul.
I agree it may be advantageous for a priest not to be married so he can focus totally on his priestly duties within the church. However I fail to see a law which prevents priests from marrying.

As for 1Cor 7:1 Men are encouraged not to be immoral and touch a woman as a prostitute
made referenced to in the previous chapter 1Cor 6:16-17

1Cor 7:2-3 goes on to say

In 1Tim 4:3-4 Paul even tells us that God created foods …

back to my original question…why can’t a priest marry in the Catholic church?

I fail to see where God commands priests not to marry but only an opinion which the church clings to…

correct me if I am wrong

Thank You

You are correct that neither Christ, nor Paul commanded clergy or anyone to remain unmarried and celibate. Paul encouraged those whom could, to do so, and those who could not restrain themselves, to marry. And this is part of the process when one discerns their vocation. If after this discernment, a person concludes that they are incapable of remaining celibate, then the vocation of priesthood in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church might not suite them.

I “fail to see” your issue with the priesthood remaining celibate. It is a discipline, not a dogma; as others and myself have already pointed out.

 

[achristiantoo]

What’s the difference between the prudential decision of the 19th century protestant leaders demanding a ‘married’ clergy, and the prudential decision of the Catholic Church of the 21st century demanding a celibate one?

Good point…

There is no difference in the way both are goverened by the opinions and/or laws of man not by God’s command

 

[thomasf]

Good point…

There is no difference in the way both are goverened by the opinions and/or laws of man not by God’s command

And the church has never said Priests must be celibate and unmarried due to command of God.

 

[achristiantoo]

And the church has never said Priests must be celibate and unmarried due to command of God.

I agree

but my point is a priest can not get married and still maintain his position in the church

LDNCatholic agreed with me previously when i said,

this is my understanding,
once a priest, wedlock is no longer possible if one wants to maintain his position in the catholic church…correct?

LDNCatholic responded in *9

Correct.

 

[pablope]

Hi all,

we see that Peter was married,
Can anyone explain to me why the Catholic Church does not allow their priests to be married even though Peter was married?

Thank you in advance

Why Celibacy?

Jesus was celibate, and His celibacy was a sign of His commitment to his bride…the Church.

And as the Cathoic priests stands “in persona Christi” and represents Christ here on earth…celibacy then is to be “like Christ”…to give their total commitment to the service of Christ and His Church.

As St. Paul said in 1 Cor 7, the celibate worries only of the Lord’s concerns. So, celibacy is a total commitment, a lifetime commitment to the Church, just as Christ is totally committed too.

Would you have anything less?

 

[RyanBlack]

Why Celibacy?

Jesus was celibate, and His celibacy was a sign of His commitment to his bride…the Church.

And as the Cathoic priests stands “in persona Christi” and represents Christ here on earth…celibacy then is to be “like Christ”…to give their total commitment to the service of Christ and His Church.

As St. Paul said in 1 Cor 7, the celibate worries only of the Lord’s concerns. So, celibacy is a total commitment, a lifetime commitment to the Church, just as Christ is totally committed too.

Would you have anything less?

I find this statement to be a little problematic. It is not necessary to be celibate to act “in persona Christi”. Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox Churches have a tradition of married priests-they act “in persona Christi” no less than do celibate priests. The fruitfulness of their ministry is acknowledged in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, I would not question their commitment to Christ and to the Church because they are married.

 

[thomasf]

I agree

but my point is a priest can not get married and still maintain his position in the church

LDNCatholic agreed with me previously when i said,

LDNCatholic responded in *9

Yes. That’s because it’s a discipline, and requirement to be a priest. Just like a priest is required to hold certain degrees. A priest is required to be celibate and unmarried. Thus, once he becomes a priest, he cannot marry.

Again, this is in the Roman Rite. As has been said, many of the different Rites of the Catholic Church allow married priests.

The Roman Rite church views the sacraments of marriage and of holy orders as either/or. Meaning you are called to either be married, or to be ordained. This is another reason for the discipline of unmarried, celibate priests.

 

[thomasf]

I find this statement to be a little problematic. It is not necessary to be celibate to act “in persona Christi”. Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox Churches have a tradition of married priests-they act “in persona Christi” no less than do celibate priests. The fruitfulness of their ministry is acknowledged in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, I would not question their commitment to Christ and to the Church because they are married.

Jesus is said to be married to the church, and that the church is the bride of Christ. Thus if a priest acts in persona Christi, he is also married to the church. He cannot be married to the church, and to a woman as well. This is how it is seen in the Roman Rite at least.