What can a Roman Catholic priest have to offer in advice over marital issues when he, himself, is not married?

Question

1. Sexual incidents occuring in the form of pedophelia
2. The misconstruement that clergy cannot marry just because Jesus, himself, chose no bride
a. Man is not Jesus and is not the Son of God, therefore is not as strong as Jesus to refrain from all sin the way He did. Yet Catholic priests do attempt abstination of sex which leads to horrific outcomes
a. Pedophelia, as I have already mentioned, for one. I also know that when I was Roman Catholic and went to parochial school priests and nuns were known to get together for sexual encounters. In one case a priest and a nun gave up being a priest and nun so that they could get married. From this, another sin breeds: hipocracy.

Answer 1

+ Counseling +

A priest with 20 or 30 years of marriage counseling experience can do a wonderful job in helping couples. He has probably heard just about everything and seen what works and what does not.

Even new priests have taken psychology and counseling courses in the seminary.

A few sick or evil priests do not take all of the holiness and wisdom out of all of the over 400,000 priests in the world today. http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/index.htm

+ Priestly Celibacy +

Celibacy is not dogma. It is a practice recommend by the Bible:

+ In Matthew 19:12, Jesus says, "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. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."

Jesus says celibacy is a gift from God and whoever can bear it should bear it. Jesus praises and recommends celibacy for full time ministers in the Church. Because celibacy is a gift from God, those who criticize the Church's practice of celibacy are criticizing God and this wonderful gift He bestows on His chosen ones.

+ In Matthew 19:29, Jesus says, "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."

Whoever gives up children for the sake of His name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. Jesus praises celibacy when it is done for the sake of His kingdom.

+ Matthew 22:30 - Jesus explains, "At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven."

In heaven there are no marriages. To bring about Jesus' kingdom on earth, priests live the heavenly consecration to God by not taking a wife in marriage. This way, priests are able to focus exclusively on the spiritual family, and not have any additional pressures of the biological family (which is for the vocation of marriage). This also makes it easier for priests to be transferred to different parishes where they are most needed without having to worry about the impact of their transfer on wife and children.

+ In 1 Corinthians 7:1, Paul writes, "It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman."

This is the choice that the Catholic priests of the Roman rite freely make.

+ Then in 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul says, "Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am."

Paul acknowledges that celibacy is a gift from God and wishes that all were celibate like he is.

+ In 1 Corinthians 7:27, Paul writes, "Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife."

Paul teaches men that they should not seek marriage. In Paul’s opinion, marriage introduces worldly temptations that can interfere with one’s relationship with God, specifically regarding those who will become full time ministers in the Church.

+ In 1 Corinthians 7:32-33, Paul teaches, "I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife." And in verse 38, "So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better."

Paul recommends celibacy for full time ministers in the Church so that they are able to focus entirely upon God and building up His kingdom. He “who refrains from marriage will do better.”

See also
1 Timothy 5:9-12
2 Timothy 2:3-4
Revevation 14:4
Isaiah 56:3-7
Jeremiah 16:1-4

Celibacy is also modeled for us by 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.

A priest is "married" to the Church. Some people think that a priest who takes his duties seriously cannot take proper care of a wife and family. "A man cannot serve two masters."

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

1. Sexual incident occurring in the form of pedophilia.

Catholic Response: pedophilia is not a Catholic Church problem. It's world wide issue. You have teachers sleeping with minors. You have Protestant pastors who commit sexual immorality. I know two well know Protestant ministers who resigned their post because of the scandal.

a. Rev. Ted Haggard is one.
b. Paul Barnes.

2. The misconstruement that the clergy cannot marry just because Jesus himself, chose not to have a bride.

Catholic Response: Priest must imitate Jesus Christ and being celibate strengths his commitment to God's people. St. Paul in fact remain single, and recommend it for anyone who want to remain single for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. You must take into account that in the Eastern Rite Catholic Church, married men are allowed to become priests. It is only in the Latin rite, that priest celibacy is exercise.

a. Man is not Jesus and is Not the Son of God. Therefore is not as strong as Jesus refrain from all sins the way he did. Yet, Catholic do attempt abstaining of sex which leads to horrific outcomes.

Catholic Response: A good Catholic priest with God's help and grace can help the faithful through prayer and fasting. Though the priest is a sinner, God can use the priest to serve His own purpose.

a. Pedophilia, as I have mentioned for one. I also know that when I was Catholic and went to parochial school; priest and nun where known to be together for sexual encounters. In one case, a priest and nun gave up being priest and nun so they could get married. From this, another sins; hipocracy.

Catholic Response:

Pedophilia is not just a Catholic Church issue. It is a major social issue that crosses no boundaries. It should be discourage and people doing it are risking great scandal upon themselves.

So you were a former Catholic who left because you had some misinformation or bad experience with the Church? One should not leave the Church for having a bad experience. You also need to take a closer look what the Church actually teaches.

When the priest and the nun gave up their religious life, it only meant that they were not meant to serve as priest or nun. Once they left the religious order, they are no longer bound by their religious duties. They were hypocrites for having sexual encounters while being priest and nun; but they can't be called hypocrites NOW since they are married together.

Summary: Pedophilia is a social problem. Priest can give advice on marital issue because they are seen by their parishioners as 'spiritual father.' I have know many good priests who give great advise on marital issues, and there those who don't give much advise.

Answer 4

I was raised Catholic, but since I played with the daughter of a Lutheran minister and military chaplain at 8 or 9 years old, I never opposed the idea of the Catholic church changing the rules about priests getting married and got in trouble for expressing that as a teen ager. In theory, a priest has to spend all his time working for the church. And no, despite what some think, he does not work just 1 hour every Sunday, there are weekday masses he must say, by the law of the church, whether anybody shows up or not; he might teach, serve as a hospital chaplain, or just visit sick parishioners, instruct engaged couples, instruct Catholic converts, and other things. If he was married and had children the time he might have to spend going to hospitals, etc might take away from his family or vice versa. Then there is support. He would probably have to get a second job like many Protestant ministers to make ends meet, since a priest, while he is usually paid a little, it is not much and usually the Rectory belongs to the parish, etc. So there is no rent, mortgage or things like that for him to worry about, at least traditionally. If he was married, he and his wife would be expected, like other Catholics not to practice artificial birth control. So that would possibly mean either a large family for the parish to support, or like I say, need for a second job. I know millions of married ministers, rabbis and others work either just for the church or other jobs, too and support their families and have time to visit the sick, counsel people, etc. and most are not wealthy heads of "Mega Churches". But I think economics is one of the big reasons it has not changed in the Catholic Church. And morality. If it is OK for a priest to be married, then maybe he would want to live with her before the marriage, a 'big no-no'. And what about divorce? Many marriages fail, divorce is forbidden in the Catholic church (And I don't think would change even if priests married), would they break the rules or be in an unhappy marriage for their lives?

Answer 5

If you want to talk to a Catholic clergyman about any marital issues you might be having, and you don't believe an unmarried priest will be able to help, seek out a married Catholic priest (yes, we have those) or a married deacon.

Marriage does not prevent child-molestation. Child-molesters are actually MORE likely to be either married or formerly married than the average American man (77% v. 73%).

Answer 6

I Was a roman catholic since birth.
I'm now 27 and I feel I do not agree with anything the catholic church has to offer.
I still do belive in jesus Chirst But I have come to understand history and how the catholic church came to be and its pretty sick. The Romans made up a religion and claimed to base it on jesus. Pick and edited the gosple to make it what ever they wanted. It is the false church of jesus stating with money look at all the money they have truth is jesus was not fond of money so why would his church have billions and control money like they do. FYI Visa is owned by the vatican.
Pedophelia thats not a jesus thing thats a roman thing. Truth is jesus was maried men of his age would be maried god made the union between a man and women part of the beauty of life surely the son of god most have taken part in the holyest of unions.
Catholic church is not his church why would they not get married to a women but instead have sex with little boys. it is fundamentaly wrong.
They have not right now the right advice for a married couple or any thing other. They are the meaning of hipocracy

Answer 7

Gee, I don't know. What can a suicide counselor offer if he hasn't committed suicide?? What good is a drug counselor who isn't hooked on drugs? How can a career counselor help if the only career she knows is career counseling? What good is a male gynecologist/obstetrician? Oh wait, I bet I know! I bet they are professionally TRAINED to do what they do! Now why didn't you think of that?

It's really pitiful if you think that abstaining from sexual relations turns people into homosexuals. And men who molest adolescent boys are homosexuals, not pedophiles. Incidentally, the largest group of real pedophiles are married men. So much for celibacy as a source of sexual perversion.
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Answer 8

your point about priests and nuns getting together for sexual encounter is BullShit and you know it. you are one of the main reasons people dislike Catholics. they listen to idiots like you.

you will reap what you sow and this question is doing nothing but sowing discontent for the Church.

Answer 9

If God didn't want man to marry then why did He tell Adam to marry? Why did the jewish priest marry? I thought I heard once that even Pope's were married till one of them got was Paul said all wrong and made it into a doctrine for the catholic church.

Answer 10

Would I ask a Catholic priest for marital advice? Certainly.

Now if you'll excuse me the plumber is ready to fix my toothache.