Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry ?

Question

I meant a heterosexual marriage !

Answer 1

Priests, religious brothers and religious sisters (nuns) as part of their vocation choose not to marry following:
+ The practice recommended in the Bible
+ The example of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul.

+++ Scripture +++

+ 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

+++ Scriptural Examples +++

Biblical role models of a celibate clergy came from John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.

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.

WWJD? What would Jesus do? Jesus did not marry.

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

I am not Catholic (being agnostic, in fact), but I do strongly believe that priests should indeed be permitted to marry. Judging from the scandalous and indefensible record of child abuse by priests, there is absolutely no proof that abstinence produces holier clergy, and, in my opinion, if priests were allowed to marry, the priesthood would tend to attract more well-rounded and psychologically stable individuals than has been the case in recent times. Conversely, I doubt that the Church will ever alter its medieval point of view and stance against marriage by either priests or nuns ( both of whom are in very short supply due to potential members' hesitation to commit to lifetimes of difficult abstinence).

Answer 3

My best friend was raped by an instructor at our Catholic school when she was 12 years old. I attended the school myself for over 9 years. The process was fostered by the structure of the Catholic faith

The structure of the Catholic Church is a hierarchy of the pope, bishops, priests, and followers, including the superiority of men over women, though this is never directly stated. Like most religions, hierarchy creates tension and institutionalizes points of view from free debate.

It's hard to question Catholic dogma, because the perspectives of the people mean nothing. That's why 60% of American Catholics believe in contraception, but the pope doesn't. Even more Catholics believe that the church should ordain women priests, instead of following a thousand year trend of misogyny. This tyranny makes it difficult to change, which is one reason it took the church 400 years to "forgive" Galileo's scientific inquiries.

The Catholic system makes it hard to question the motives of a priest or whatever guy/nun is in charge, who could use their position to abuse children. The man who raped my friend had two complaints lodged against him from other girls, but the school officials shelved them and did nothing about it.

Religions of this type forbid questioning dogma, more so than other institutions. And this rape did not occur in the 1970s, but in 1997. I am apt to believe that if there were more communication in the hierarchy, more input by the average participant, and openness to human sexuality, including the marriage of Catholic priests, then the abuse of my friend may never have taken place.

So yes, I think they should marry. I think they should change many other things, too.

But who am I to say what certain groups should do in private, so long as it is legal?

I am no longer religious. Most notably, I am against faith in any form, because I have seen its crippling effects on human inquiry, without justification, and have experienced it firsthand.

Hope this helps :-)

Answer 4

Compare:

"The overseer (other translations read leader,church official, bishop,superintendent, elder) should therefore be irreprehensible, a husband of one wife, moderate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach, 3 not a drunken brawler, not a smiter, but reasonable, not belligerent, not a lover of money, 4 a man presiding over his own household in a fine manner, having children in subjection with all seriousness; 5 (if indeed any man does not know how to preside over his own household, how will he take care of God’s congregation?) 6 not a newly converted man, for fear that he might get puffed up [with pride] and fall into the judgment passed upon the Devil. 7 Moreover, he should also have a fine testimony from people on the outside, in order that he might not fall into reproach and a snare of the Devil. (1 Timothy 3:2-4)

“However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith....by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, . . . forbidding to marry... (1 Timothy 4:1-3, 6)

Answer 5

Yes.

The eastern rite (I'm talking Roman Catholic here, not just Orthodox) already has married priests. And married Protestant pastors who convert to Catholicism are allowed to become priests even in the Latin rite. The celibate priesthood is not a dogma, only a policy--and one whose days are numbered.

Answer 6

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03481a.htm

the priesthood should not marry,in a sense they marry themselves to the church. this site will explain in detail why they shouldn't marry,you may also find something at www.scripturecatholic.com

from the bible there is nothing wrong with the church teraching regarding priestly celibacy. as for those who connect celibacy with the charges of molestation- there is no link between the 2 whatsoever, the catholic church is not the only church or group of society with the problem of child molestation,in most cases it is more rampant outside of the church and out of religious communities as a whole. the church is working vigorously to rectify and prevent the problem as it has always done.

Answer 7

maronite catholics (a lebanese community) are allowed to enter priesthood even if they are already married. but if they become priests as singles, they have to remain so.
some anglican priests that were already married joined the catholic church after their church decided to allow women to enter priesthood.
these are exceptions, but inside the church the issue is being discussed.
personally i would find it quite disturbing, but maybe with time one could get used to it.

Answer 8

It wouldn't bother me, but I also understand why they take a vow of celibacy. I did, of course, expect to a bunch of moronic answers, so glad they didn't disappoint me.

Celibacy IS in the Bible, and the verse that the one poster used to say that the Bible says they HAVE to be married is BS. The verse says that IF one is to marry, it can be only one time, as in no divorce.

At any rate, don't look for it to happen anytime soon, in the Roman rite.

Answer 9

No, priests checking out their spiritual children, looking for a marriage partner is too creepy. It is spiritual incest. We already have married priests -- men who were married before they became priests. If we want more married priests, we can ordain more married men.

Answer 10

one order of priests does and can. they are a group of greek catholics who stayed with rome during the first schism.

otherwise, no. marriage is too much of a distraction from their duties to the flock.