Why can't priests marry?

Answer 1

because then his loyalties would be split between church and family and most people would choose their wife and children before the church. Another reason is worldly possessions. A priest has none, he give them over to the church, whereas if a family were in the picture, they would have the rights to his land and money.

Answer 2

In one of the two major branches of the Catholic Church, the Eastern Rite, married men can become priests. In the other major branch, the Latin Rite, married men cannot ordinarily become priests, though there are some exceptions. This has nothing to do with doctrinal beliefs, or "being biblical". It is simply the rules that have been set up by the bishops of each rite. The Church has the right to make rules regarding its own priesthood, does it not? Unlike doctrinal beliefs, which can never be changed because they were entrusted to the Church directly by God, rules made by the leaders of the Church can certainly be changed by them. Such rules include the language in which the Mass is celebrated, the days on which we must fast and/or abstain from meat, the length of time we must fast before receiving Holy Communion, which days are holy days of obligation, the marital status of priests, etc. If the Church comes to believe that changing the marital status of priests will be in the best interest of the Church and the priesthood, it will change the rule.

However, the advice given in the Word of God regarding the marital status of those in fulltime service to God is good advice. The interests of a married man are divided. He wants to please his wife and care for his family, and those responsibilities will surely prevent him from serving the people of God as effectively as he could otherwise - or, he will serve the Church fulltime and his family will suffer. Which is why Protestant ministers have an unusually high rate of divorce.

Answer 3

It is a man made rule; there is nothing scriptural that prevents priests from marrying. The Catholic Church has taken a sugestion of the appostle Paul where he said that it would be better if people would remain unmarried as he was, and they base that tradition on the one verse. In the same chapter, Paul also wrote that each one who desired to get married should find one spouse. He also stated that it is "better to marry than to sin". He said that it is better to marry than to lust after other people or to commit other acts of fornication such as we have been seeing in the news.

God does not have a problem with ministers getting married, so why does the Catholic church have a problem with it?

Answer 4

Originally, they were married and had families. Round about the 4th Century, the Pope noticed that priests and bishops were leaving Church possessions to their wives and children rather than leaving them in the Church where the Pope believed they belonged. So, he decided that priests could not longer have wives. That didn't stop them, nor was it meant to stop them, from having mistresses and children with them if they wanted to. It just stopped priests and bishops from leaving their heirs things like entire dioceses. It has come to mean that priests give a greater sacrifice to serve God, but that's not what it was intended for originally.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church would have to provide housing for wives and children, or pay a living wage. Also insurance, death benefits, etc. Centuries ago even more power was attached to the political positions of Bishops, Archbishops, etc., and The Church didn't want that power passed down.
During some periods of Roman Catholic history priests WERE allowed to marry. This is a money and power issue.

Answer 6

Long ago before corruption (and even today in many traditions) holy men intuitively associated reproductive juices with spiritual power. Lose one, lose the other. But yesterday's pragmatism becomes tomorrow's dogma, until over the generations "that's just the way we do it." And smoke and mirrors are invented to quell the questions, and repeated until people pretend to understand. And now we have to go to online chat rooms to learn what any priest should be able to easily explain, but has probably never been taught.

Answer 7

That is a good question. It is not scriptural as even some of the apostles were married. Peter was for sure. Jesus healed his mother-in-law. I think it is a matter of practicality. The Apostle Paul said that if you really have to get married get married but it is better if you are single when you serve the Lord as you have less to distract you and you can devote yourself totally to the ministry. Hope that answers your question.

Answer 8

In the book of 1Timothy 4:1-3, in part it says, "Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later time some will depart from the faith,... " and in verse 3, "forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth."

Answer 9

Because the church wanted to hold their land, and if priests married and had children they would have to give the land through inheritence, its all about holding property!

Answer 10

Long ago they could, but when they died their wives were claiming the rectory and surrounding land for themselves. Squatter's rights I guess. So they decided to only accept unmarried men for priests and then had them commit to celibacy.

All for money, imagine that.