Why does the Church require its ministers to be unmarried, and called "priests"?

[Vincent]

Chris Jacobsen:

A Catholic priest has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This is a sacrament which neither a Protestant minister nor a Catholic deacon receive.

Well…

“‘The divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry is exercised in different degrees by those who even from ancient times have been called bishops, priests, and deacons.’ Catholic doctrine, expressed in the liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate. The diaconate is intended to help and serve them. For this reason the term *sacerdos *in current usage denotes bishops and priests but not deacons. Yet Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called ‘ordination,’ that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders.”

(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1554).

Maybe it’s more accurate to say that Catholic priests (and bishops) are ordered to the ministerial participation of the priesthood of Christ, in which neither Protestant ministers nor Catholic deacons participate.

 

[Patrick]

Chris Jacobsen:

A Protestant minister is not equivalent to a Catholic priest. A Protestant minister is equivalent to a Catholic deacon.

Protestant ministers and Catholic deacons both have have similar authority in their respective churches. They both can preach sermons in church, administer the sacrament of baptism, and preside over marriages.

A Catholic priest has much more authority than a Protestant minister and a Catholic deacon. A Catholic priest has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This is a sacrament which neither a Protestant minister nor a Catholic deacon receive.

A priest can do everything a minister and a deacon can do, plus a whole lot more. A priest can offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. A priest can give absolution in the Sacrament of Penance. A priest can administer the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. In special circumstances he can administer the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Chris. I think your analogy is fair but your facts don’t quite stand up. Deacons do receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders - they are clearly ordained. With respect to your comment about priests doing everything a deacon does but a whole lot more, remember that a priest is first called to be a deacon and remains a deacon for his entire life, even after becoming a priest. Many of the things that a priest does, he does in his role of deacon. Other things, (the ones you listed) he does in his role of priest. A deacon isn’t “half a priest”. He has a separate and distinct ministry and purpose. One could even go so far as to say that deacons do “a whole lot more” than priests because of the wide scope of their ministry of service. However, their total impact is less because there is currently far fewer of them and they usually work a limited number of hours. But priests have had a 1500 year headstart. Give the deacons a chance to catch up!

Patrick

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Chris Jacobsen:

A Protestant minister is not equivalent to a Catholic priest. A Protestant minister is equivalent to a Catholic deacon.

Protestant ministers and Catholic deacons both have have similar authority in their respective churches. They both can preach sermons in church, administer the sacrament of baptism, and preside over marriages.

A Catholic priest has much more authority than a Protestant minister and a Catholic deacon. A Catholic priest has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This is a sacrament which neither a Protestant minister nor a Catholic deacon receive.

A priest can do everything a minister and a deacon can do, plus a whole lot more. A priest can offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. A priest can give absolution in the Sacrament of Penance. A priest can administer the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. In special circumstances he can administer the Sacrament of Confirmation.

I would be careful with “A Protestant minister is equivalent to a Catholic deacon.” A Protestant minister is the equivalent of a Catholic Lay Minister or maybe an instituted Lector or Acolyte. But not a Deacon a Deacon is an Ordained cleric a Protestant minister is not.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

The Office of New Testament Priest :
cin.org/users/james/files/ntpriest.htm

 

[mercygate]

Carl:

Brother Rich

However if you look carefully at the historical documents those who were married were to no longer have sexual relations with their wives after they were Ordained.

Do you have a source to cite for this?

Thanks,
Carl

The subject has been treated exhaustively in Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy by Christian Cochini, S.J.

 

[Carl]

STRIDER

It is obvious, however, from the letter to the corinthians, that Paul would much prefer single men to be priests.

Granted, but Paul was not the entire Church, nor was he a Council of the Church, nor was he a Pope. He was expressing a personal opnion on discipline that had no binding on anyone but those who voluntarily submitted to his wish.

I find it peculiar that Paul’s view In Corinthians did not ignite a firestorm of controversy among the apostles, especially Peter, who was married, and, I think, not in the position of bowing to Paul unless he happened to agree with him.

 

[Carl]

By the way, what is the policy of the Church regarding celibacy for married Anglican priests who convert and are ordained Catholic priests? Are they required to be continent with their wives after they are ordained?

 

[mercygate]

Carl:

By the way, what is the policy of the Church regarding celibacy for married Anglican priests who convert and are ordained Catholic priests? Are they required to be continent with their wives after they are ordained?

No.

 

[mercygate]

Did I miss a reference in this thread to Mt. 19:12:

For there areeunuchs who have been so from birth, and there areeunuchs who have been madeeunuchs by men, and there areeunuchs who have made themselveseunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."

 

[Erich]

Patrick:

…But priests have had a 1500 year headstart. Give the deacons a chance to catch up…

… particularly since it’s the deacons that should be the ones with the “head start” (see Acts 6:1-6)

 

[Carl]

mercygate

I didn’t think so. Thanks for the answer.

Carl