Where did celibacy with Catholic priests & nuns come from?Why can't they get married?

Question

Since they can't get married themselves,what "business" do they have counselling couples who want to get married in the Catholic Church?Personally, I think it's better that if couples get married in the Catholic Church,that,when the ceremony is performed, that it's performed by someone who's already married,with,for lack of a better expression,the "been there,done that!"attitude,not by someone who isn't allowed to get married at all!

Answer 1

It was added by man.

It was NOT part of scripture and is one of the many times the catholic church has put its tradition on an equal par with scripture. This was never authorized by the Bible and has no place in Jesus' church.

Paul writes that it is good to remain celibate, BUT he adds that this is NOT A COMMAND, ONLY HIS ADVICE. There is NO GROUNDS in scripture for a church to REQUIRE anyone to be single or to be married. It SHOULD be left to what person is BEST EQUIPPED to do a particular task. God has gifted both men and women, both married and single to minister to his saints.

1 Corinthians 7:1 Now I want to deal with the things you wrote me about. Some of you say, “It is good for a man not to have sex with a woman.”

2 But since there is so much sexual sin, each man should have his own wife. And each woman should have her own husband. 3 A husband should satisfy his wife’s sexual needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband’s sexual needs. 4 The wife’s body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife. 5 You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other except when you both agree to do so. And that should be only to give yourselves time to pray for a while. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves.

--> 6 I say those things to you as my advice, not as a command.

7 I wish all of you were like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift. Another has that. 8 I speak to those who are not married. I also speak to widows. It is good for you to stay single like me.

Answer 2

+ Celibacy +

This idea of a celibate clergy came from the Jews, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.

The Jews. The Talmud argues that a person whose “soul is bound up with the Torah and is constantly occupied with it” may remain celibate (Maimonides, Laws of Marriage 15.3). For example, Yahweh ordered the prophet Jeremiah not to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4). Moreover, the Essenes was a group that was active in Jesus’ time that practiced celibacy and thought by most scholars to be the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

WWJD? What would Jesus do? Jesus did not marry.

John the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that the example of the Essenes influenced either or both Jesus and John the Baptist in their celibacy.

The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).

The concept took many twists and turns over the years and will probably take a few more before Christ returns in glory.

+ Counseling +

Just like priests, psychiatrists and psychologists are not required to be married to be marriage counselors.

A priest with more than twenty years of experience in counseling people (many of them personal friends), baptizing them, marrying them, being at their bedsides when they die, and the burying them can have a storehouse of wisdom and knowledge.

Even young priests have taken psychology and counseling classes in the seminary.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Celibacy is the normal human condition for all unmarried people.

Priests and nuns are consecrated to God, not to any other individual human being, and are therefore free to make God the number one person in their lives.

Most, if not all priests and nuns grew up in regular, normal families, with all the usual family issues.

This, plus formal education, and a little help from lay assistants, gives them the ability to teach effectively and authoritatively about marriage, as well as many other matters.

As for the marriage ceremony:

In the Catholic Church, the couple being wed voluntarily declare their intentions in front of God, his church, and the whole world.

Then God, through his church, via the priest, and through the great sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Matrimony, acts to personally bless their union, and make it holy ... not just in a physical way, but in a supernatural way that only God can accomplish.

When this is properly understood and faithfully accepted by the newlywed couple, it strengthens and enriches the marriage more than any human who has "been there, and done that" ever could.

God, of course, is the original "been there, done that" supreme being.

Answer 4

I think you are mistaken as far as the roles in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony and what takes place. Your question, although simply put, cannot be answered in the same fashion. Marriage and weddings took hundreds years of study and refinement before it came to us as we know it today. Since there is not enough room to give you the history lesson. I will do my best to answer succinctly as possible.

[1] Celibacy was always a way of life on earth, but few are called to it. For example, the Essene community, which St. John the Baptist could have been a part of, were celibate. Archaeologists know this because in the community there were no products found that indicated family life (e.g.) toys for example to indicate children existed. None were found there.
However, celibacy was always found in Christ Himself. He was unmarried and preached of the Kingdom of God. This was His sole mission. In Scriptures (the Gospel of Mark 12: 18-25) this particular story is one about that Kingdom of God, where man and woman "neither marry nor are given in marriage." In other words, in Heaven marriage is unecessary because all are already in union with God. There is no need to have a ceremony in Heaven that brings all together because they already are.
Now Jesus Himself is the physical sign and example of that union within the Kingdom of God. His unmarried state on earth declared this before the people. He lived with and only for the Father to demonstrate this. It is a sign that people can understand. Therefore, if He were to be married then His example of the Kingdom by remaining physically unmarried would be confusing. To make sure the message and sign were clear, He remained unmarried.
The marriage is a sign of the hope for the Kingdom. It is a positive example to the world of an unseen union we hope for, but celibacy is the physical sign of what marriage hopes for.
Therefore, all priests, nuns, sisters, and those who remain in a single state and are called to stay in an unmarried state, are celibate for the sake of the kingdom and remain celebate to be physical signs and examples of the kingdom hoped for.

[2] You stated that you wished that in the Catholic Church people who have "been there and done that" would perform the ceremony. The Church has that in mind and practices that in every wedding ceremony. You see, the sacrament of Holy Matrimony is not the priest's; it is the couple's sacrament. The Bride and Groom bestow the sanctifying grace of the sacrament to one another, not the priest. The priest only presides at the ceremony. The priest represents the whole Church and is the representative of Christ. And so, the couple come before the Church and Christ (within the person of the priest) to proclaim their marriage to one another. There is also the Bride and Groom's parents who have "been there and done that".

[3] Now why must a priest preside at the ceremony and not the Bride or Grooms parent's? Because the parents represent the domestic church (the family). That is their proper role. The priest represents the wider Church as Christ, that is his proper role. The couple are committing their lives to the wider and not the domestic church only. Therefore, a priest who represents the Church and Christ must preside.

[4] The priest, although unmarried does have knowledge of marriage and what it takes to make a marriage survive. Also, as a side note, the married couple has knowledge that helps a priest survive their celibacy. They work hand in hand.
Now what is it that a priest knows about marriage that gives them the right to counsel a couple in marriage? Did not the priest have parents? I have seen and asked my parents how they have survived over 43 years of marriage together and take this wisdom to the couples that I counsel. It would be unwise of me to always invite my parents to counsel each couple that comes to me for they cannot always be there like I can. And so, I take the advice of my parents (who have been there and done that) to the couple. Also, as a celbate (I think I forgot to tell you I am a priest) I am more objective and see things better when the couple cannot because they are steeped in their troubles. I am just an added voice of clarity. They (the couple) work out their problems themselves so they can be like those who have "been there and done that".
Now I stated that the married couple has knowledge that the priest needs to survive his celibacy. What is that knowledge? How to have a relationship with others. The priest learns from the example of the married couple that his celibacy is fruitful when it is relational. Conversely, the priest teaches the couple by his celibacy that the couple's marriage is fruitful when the relationship is faithful and singular like his.
And so, you see all that you wish would be in the Catholic Church has been there for centuries. May the Lord bless and keep you. May He let the light of His face shine upon you.
God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john

Answer 5

Before the middle ages it was allowable for Catholic priests to have multiple wives and mistresses (concubines). But with concerns for protecting Church property from inheritance Pope Pelagius I made new priests agree offspring could not inherit Church property. Pope Gregory then declared all sons of priests illegitimate (only sons since daughters could not inherit anyway in society). In 1022 Pope Benedict VIII banned marriages and mistresses for priests and in 1139 Pope Innocent II voided all marriages of priests and all new priests had to divorce their wives. This had nothing to do with morality, multiple women for males had long been the norm since before biblical times, but it was about MONEY! All these were done to possess and protect money and church property. Making polygamy a sin and marriage unacceptable for a priest was a slow and purposeful process. In biblical times many wives, concubines and breeders was common and never spoken against other than by Paul to the Elders of Timothy and Titus. In the Tanakh, Jewish priests suggest 4 wives was probably about the right number. The whole celibacy nonsense was also the result of middle age gnostic influences that taught that the body was vulgar and corrupted and not spiritual and to be more spiritual you had to avoid natural sexuality. Someone who wants to be celibate is IMO showing a deeper emotional issue that needs to be dealt with.

Indeed, at two 15th-century church councils, serious proposals were made to reintroduce clerical marriage. These proposals were fought back -- how modern it all seems -- by a group of ultra-orthodox church leaders (for whom marriage was probably too late a possibility anyway) because they’d come up with a better idea. They’d started to give out the impression that celibacy was of apostolic origin -- that it had been built in at the beginning.

Answer 6

First it is easy to twist the word of God.
That's exactly what most people do when given time.
Rather than understanding the word of God (wisdom) they
want to interpret what they "think" it means.

Peter was crucified by Romans yet they in turn "make" him their first Pope.
Many earlier Popes were married and Felix v was the last (recorded anyway) in 1451AD.
Many did have children.
In fact Peter "first Pope" was also married.

But give men time and they will take scripture, twist it to fit their self righteous thoughts and ambitions.

In the Vatican document, Priestly celibacy in patristics and in the history of the Church, Roman Cholij writes, "It is clear from the New Testament (Mk 1:29-31; Mt 8:14-15; Lk 4:38-39; 1 Tim 3:2, 12; Tit 1:6) that at least the Apostle Peter had been married, and that bishops, presbyters and deacons of the Primitive Church were often family men."

"It is also clear from epigraphy, the testimony of the Fathers, synodal legislation, papal decretals and other sources that in the following centuries, a married clergy, in greater or lesser numbers was a normal feature of the life of the Church. Even married popes are known to us."

Mandatory celibacy was enforced because there was so much political and economic power attached to the papacy especially during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Church has adopted celibacy as a matter of discipline, not as a matter of doctrine.

Hardly discipline more like dogma.

Scandal ridden Church Priests involves homosexuality and child abuse (molestation)

Nuns are to remain chaste because Catholism has made Mary the mother of Jesus a perpetual Virgin.
How naive or ignorant.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed by ignorance.

Your question was about Catholics but Christianity on the whole
uses some form of "man-made" laws to keep people in line
with their denominational doctrine=dogma.

God told Adam and Eve: Be fruitful and multiply.
Then man adds their "buts and If's".

"You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Deuteronomy 4:2

"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." Deuteronomy 12:32

"Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." Proverbs 30:5-6

"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Revelation 22:18-19

Church argues that Paul says better not to marry but yet we don't know Paul true status. If indeed he was a member of the Sanhedrian then by their law he would have to have been married.
One of the 613 Mosiac laws (ordinances) that no one could live up to and then also the original ten commandments.

The death of Jesus could not clear up that mess and 2000 years later- man still loves to muddy up the living water of God.

Jeremiah 17:5 Curse be the man that puts his faith in another man.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved.

Acts 17:
17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

17:14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

Read verse 17:11 again.
The Bereans were more noble and even checked scripture to ensure that even what Paul taught was the GOSPEL truth.

Verse 17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

People even followed Paul to stir up trouble and try to prevent the Gospel from being preached.

And now in the year 2006 we have the same ignorance,
Twisting the Gospel to fit whatever one desires.

Rather than living "The Way" people are still trying to make the way.
Jesus said, "John 14:6 I AM THE WAY!

Instead of trying to make a living ruling others
we need to make a life for ourselves.

Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Christ is the living word and living authority.

Answer 7

This celibacy crap has landed the priests into molesting little children. These priests better be allowed to get married, or otherwise they wont be able to focus on the religion.

Answer 8

Don't rock the boat. Anything that keeps a percentage of Cathoholics from breeding like a rutting weasel is a good thing.

Answer 9

if they get married they can't concetrate on prayers and extra cost will be involved to bring families up and women start manipuating in chrch rules this stricly mans domination religion they don't like loose grip of it

Answer 10

I think it was a mistranslation of the word "celebrate"!

Catholics don't go by the Bible just like most professed "Christians" don't.