Why aren't catholic priests allowed to get married?

Question

Is this the only religion that doesn't allow it?

Is this Canon Law from the bible?

Shouldn't the religion have this as an option rather than forcing them to stay unmarried?

Answer 1

The Bible says,
1: This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2: A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3: Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4: One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5: (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6: Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Answer 2

Technically, a priest's celibacy has been around since the time after Jesus was crucified. In 1 Corinthians 7:27-35, we are told that if we are a virgin or a widow, it is best to stay that way so that we may focus our full attention to the Lord. In fact, St. Paul is not only addressing church leaders here, but everyone.

According to K.O. Johnson's "Why Do Catholics Do That?," "For about the first four hundred years, there wasn't any law about it, but then the example of the celibate monks started to take effect and it quickly became a real rule."

Also, it should be noted that the Pope can ordain a married person a priest. This usually happens when a Protestant joins the Catholic Church and was a minister in that church.

All of the rumors about priests remaining celibate so that the Church can get their inheritance is pure fluff.

Answer 3

Who are we to dictate what the priesthood should do? The Priesthood has all it's work cut out for it just taking care of the people in the Church. The priest is married to the Church already. They stand in for Christ who is the Bridegroom of the Church. The model of the priesthood goes all the way back to the book of Esther when the King put Queen Esther into the care of his Eunuchs. Later in the New Testament it talks of men being Eunuchs because of accidents or violence done to them or from Birth or from THEIR OWN WILL FOR THE FURTHERING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. In this day, people do not understand anything that does not conform to this world's thought but, clearly Jesus said My Kingdom is not of this World so we need to stop looking at things from Worldly eyes and look at them with eyes full of Faith. The priests from the Eastern Church in line with the Pope can be married and there has been several Anglican priests who were married that have converted and they are allowed to stay married but because the ideal is unmarried priests, after the spouse dies they are to remain unmarried. A recent survey of Protestant Clergy has revealed that , for the most part, they totally are in line with the Catholic rule against marriage and they themselves wish they had that rule as they have found how hard it is to pay attention to a marriage and a Church at the same time. One or the other is short changed and they wish they would have known what they know now (sort of speak) before they got married. As far as the clergy scandel in the Church. It has also been found that other denominations are just as guilty with abuse as Catholic priests and as a matter of fact, they have found that Baptist clergy outweigh them all with the number of sexual abuses in one form or another and remember these denominations may be married!

Answer 4

It wasn't always prohibited for Catholic priests to be married. I understand that there have been married popes in the early church.

Some people say that the ban on marriage was originally established to prevent priests from having children to inherit their wealth. The priests' assets would therefore stay in the church when they die rather than be lost to their families. To be fair, I don't know if that's a true story or a rumor.

Answer 5

Nah, some other religions have monks and nuns that don't get married. Like, say, Buddhism.

I think the main thing is that if you don't get married (well, they don't have sex, either), then you're free to focus fully on God instead of the whole marriage-sex-kids -house thing.

Also, in many traditions (well, paternalistic, "Daddy doesn't want you to EVER have sex! Ever! You'll be Daddy's little girl forever!" traditions), virginism (I mean, NO SEX EVER virginism) conferred spooky magic powers to the virgins. So, you'd want their mystical virgin power working for you. Usually, it was more of a female thing...but somehow, men got pulled into the celibacy thing too.

Priests didn't always have to be celibate, either. I forget when they said they had to...but it wasn't from the get-go.

Plus, it used to be a good way to get rid of that gay son who refused to get married. But now they want to ban gay priests. Sigh. A celibate gay priest is just as useful as a celibate straight one. But them child molesters better stay OUT of the priesthood!

Answer 6

I am not an expert at other religions, but I know why Catholic priests get married. it's because Jesus wasn't married. I don't personally like that because in a way, it's like Christianity is preventing the priests from expressing thir love, and one of the three virtues is love. Deacons, however, are allowed to get married.

Answer 7

because in the old days, if priests had children, they would inherit the land of the local church and the catholic church did not want to allow that to happen. so they made the institution of marriage out to be a less than holy thing--kind of like most religions do with sex. sad, isn't it?

Answer 8

The celibacy rule was instituted around the 1500s to prevent priests from passing on church property and wealth to sons who might not want to be priests. It had nothing to do with anything Jesus said or did; it was a way for the church to hang onto its wealth and lands. It's the only Christian denomination to have this rule.

Answer 9

Celibacy is a practice recommend for church leaders in the Bible:

Matt. 19:11-12 - 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. The Bible recommends celibacy:

+ 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

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.

Biblical examples 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.

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 10

They have made a personal choice to marry the church instead of a human. It is a sacrifice that they make to God. It is not something to be mocked or taken lightly. What sacrifices to the Lord have you made to such a great extent?