Should the Catholic church change its strict policies?

Question

I'm Catholic and I think the church can be very strict.
Priest cannot be married and women cannot have high postions, i think the church needs to relax some rules.

I don't plan on changing my sect-i just think they can be very strict w/ the preists which is why not alot of people are joingin the preist hood right now.

Answer 1

The Catholic religion is always changing their policies although they say they always have had the truth. When I was young we couldn't eat meat on Fridays, we had to wear veils and dresses to church, we couldn't divorce or you were excommunicated from the church, you couldn't even use any birth control and don't get me going how they changed their stand on evolution. True churches don't do that. Churches that have error do that. And to think, they killed people for not going along with things they later retracted!

PS - I was raised Catholic, too. Even went to Catholic school.

Answer 2

In all honesty I think the Catholic Church should go back to the teachings of Jesus, instead of making up its own rules on things, changing Gods rules etc and being a religion unto itself.
If priests were allowed to marry they would be content and happy and there would not be so many of the problems involving priests. There is nothing in the Bible that teaches that men in positions in the church are not to marry..in fact the Bible says that it is not good to be alone.
I hold out no hope that the Catholic church will ever change as it is led by the Vatican and the Pope and not God...and ignores so many teachings of Jesus..and adds its own teachings.

Answer 3

The Catholic Church is not a popularity contest.

She (the Catholic Church) is the way to help us see Jesus’ and receive his sacraments for our salvation. Too many think that just because it's Popular that they can follow the crowd for salvation. Part of parenting is to be strict and to discipline the children while maintaining love and building of self-esteem. Without these steps, spoiled & ungrateful children are raised. So, no, I don't think the Church should bow to her children, I think the children should look for the stability she (the Church) gives and be grateful while still striving to learm more about their salvation. Sometimes, childreen are sent to save the parents --- other times the parents save the childreen --- It's all in God's hands.

BTW - It is possible for the Church to change her policy on Priest marrying ... but it's impossible for a woman to be a Priest.

Answer 4

On the contrary, the number of candidates for the priesthood has steady inceased, including lay converts to the faith. One of the reasons for this is the fact that the Catholic Church is not nearly as wishy-washy as other denominations.

The Church is not supposed to change in order to suite our personal wants. We are supposed to change to the Church's ideals because the Church's ideals are better for our Spiritual growth than our own personal ideals might be.

Answer 5

It's funny that the oldest religion, Judaism, has, in some branches, changed to suit a changing world with no harm done to its values (ex. female rabbis.) Much of the Catholic church, however, is still living in the dark ages and, although it has made some recent changes, relies heavily on the uniformed structure it was founded on 2000 years ago. It's nice that some branches of Christianity has made itself more lenient, but unfortunate the Catholic church has not yet taken this step.

Answer 6

Thats just the discrimination issues. There are some very strict rules over health issues as well.

refusal to allow condoms means AIDS spreads fatser.
forcing women to have lots of babies means they often cannot look after their large families, and so on.

Answer 7

Listen Annie,if we all get our way and the Catholic church changes everything that we want it too it would no longer be the Catholic church, yes it is hard to be Catholic today but nothing worthwhile is easy.

Answer 8

That's what the Reformation was for. If you don't like Catholicism, join another sect. There are thousands of Christians sects so I'm sure you'll find one to fit your beliefs.

Answer 9

+ Celibate Clergy +

Celibacy is a practice recommended for church leaders in 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

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 role models 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."

+ Ordination of Women +

The Catechism of the Catholic Church currently states:

The Lord Jesus chose men to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry.

The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt3.htm#1577

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 10

Yes. I agree with what you say. Just think how much the Catholic Church would grow!