2006-11-04 16:10:37 · 6 answers · asked by lightcake29 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The celibate clergy did not come into full bloom until about 1000 A.D. There were many married priests, bishops, and popes before this time.
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.
With love in Christ.
2006-11-06 16:38:45 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Latin Rite priests are not married. There have been a few exceptions of married converts from other faiths who got special permission to become a priest such as a convert from the Lutheran faith. The Eastern Catholic rites do have some married priests. But neither has ever had the Church allow a priest get married AFTER having taken the vow of celibacy as a priest.
But in truth, all priests are married to the Church, and all nuns are married to Jesus. That's why they can't get married after making a vow to God to be faithful to Him and to His Church.
It says in the bible that it is better to be celibate in order to not be divided over serving God and His people. A married person is concerned with his wife and family. A celibate person can devote themselves completely to serving God and His people.
2006-11-05 00:15:27 · answer #2 · answered by Life 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, catholic priest are not supposed to be married.
Why?
1. Because Jesus Christ while he is on earth did not get married.
Priest as supposed to represent Christ. So, if Christ is not married, then priest is not married. If Christ is a male, then priest should be male.
2. Jesus Christ confirmed that in this world there are a few reasons why people remain "not married". Below are the few reasons that I can remember:
a. because they are slaves
b. because they choose to remain single.
c. because they want to work for God.
So, in short... whatever Christ is, so does the Priest tries to be.
2006-11-05 09:32:38 · answer #3 · answered by frankenstein3000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In some parts of the Catholic Church, married men are allowed to be ordained and in those parts that do not permit it, exceptions do occur such as when a married Episcopalian or Lutheran priest converts to Catholicism.
2006-11-07 06:45:16 · answer #4 · answered by OPM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Catholic preists take a vow of celibacy. But if they are already marred, they can still choose to become a prest under certain conditions.
2006-11-05 00:12:39 · answer #5 · answered by Shane 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no
2006-11-05 03:16:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋