Why is the Catholic Church pro-man/woman marriage?

Question

When priests don't marry, when priests don't have sex, and the Church is as far away from Family than anything else. Seems a bit much them telling how married life should be. At least the Protestants marry.

Answer 1

It's all about money. Priests can't marry because if they did, their wives and children could inherit their estate after death. The Church wants its members to reproduce because more followers means more money in the collection plate.

Answer 2

First of all it is not the priest or the Church that marries a couple, they marry each other by taking three vows.

Second, a marriage in the Catholic Church is validated by these three vows: Perminance, Fidelity (Faithfullness) and Children.

Given that two men cannot physically produce a child together, nor can two women, it is a physical impossibilty for two men to marry each other or for two women to marry each other. A marriage can only be between a man and a woman because all three vows are necessary to validate a marriage.

Marriage is based on the idea of the family and the responsibility and commitment of a mother and father toward the raising of children - as nature and God's intention as revealed in Creation would have it.

A priest can have a late vocation: many have been married, raised a family and become priests after the death of their spouse.

Married Protestant priests who have converted to the Catholic Church and sought to remain priests, have been accepted into the Catholic Church as priests even though they are married.

Answer 3

Youve got it all wrong man. Marrige was developed to be between a man and a women only recently has it been pushed that gays and lesbiens should be allowed to marry. In the bible it says that if a man is to lie with another man as with a women it is an abomination and they are to be killed. Now this isent the case any more were gays and lesbiens are being killed because they choose to be gay it still stands that its not a unioun that is holy in the eyes of god. The true purpose of marrige is not just mindless sex as society is making it out to be but to create children and bring forth the future gentoration. The reason priests dont marry is becuase they are in union with the church. The reason they were the color black is to say that they are devoted to the church till death. And Protastants dont marry gays. The church is also not supposed to be far away from the family it is supposed to be an innstitution devoted to the people and the people constitute a family.

Answer 4

I'm Orthodox, but the answers are the same and will stick my foot out for the Roman Catholics.

Why should it change? It was around long before modern society, and it will be here long after it should the world continue. I don't pay much attention to fads, because they come and go. I suspect the RCC tries to look at it the same way.

We know from Scripture that marriage is an image of Christ and the Church. To icon forth this, it must be the unity of two separate things. Christ is different from the Church, and thus, a man/man or a woman/woman marriage cannot do this.

Second, there is the simple fact that God commands it. That's enough for any believer.

Third, homosexual relationships are statistically unstable (and yes, the Church does need to pressure the state to tighten up on divorce), and the house is the fundamental unit of society. If it starts to go sour or be distorted, it has far-ranging consequences. In light of that, what RIGHT does anyone have to change it? We have no idea what the changes we're pushing through now will result in. I question the integrity of anyone who considers it a good idea to experiment with their children's future like that.

Fourth, the Church was around before these trends came along, and it is supposed to be above secular power and worldly trends. Its leaders don't always succeed, but it isn't to change its doctrine for every immoral wind the blows its way. This includes homosexual marriage. In a hundred years, it won't be that much of an issue. Western society will have to change, or it will collapse. We can't keep dancing in our fantasy land and expect things to remain stable.

Answer 5

The argument of the church is that sex is a renewal of the marriage covenant and should be open to procreation every time. (A couple may abstain during the woman's fertile period in order to avoid or postpone pregnancy for good reason.) Procreation should occur through natural means: no artificial insemination or in vitro allowed. Therefore, since gay people can not naturally reproduce, they should not be allowed to marry. Of course, the snag with this argument is what about heterosexual couples who know that they can not naturally reproduce? Should they be inelgible for marriage, too?

Priests in the early Christian Church were allowed to marry. Celibacy was usually practiced by monastics. The vow of celibacy for priests was made standard for two reasons: so that church assets could not be passed on in the form of inheritance and because they were having problems with heterosexual priest sex scandals. The vow was supposed to reign them in.

If the Church were to make the vow of celibacy optional they would have to completely restructure how things are done. Usually a priest is supported by his parish. Most parishes could not afford to support a priest and his family (especially since a large family is expected) on top of normal parish expenses and charity efforts. Furthermore, the Church could not as easily reassign priests as needed as this could put a hardship on his family.

One advantage to a celibate priest is that his attention is not divided between the needs of the Church and the needs of his family. He can focus all of his attention on his job without feeling guilty for denying his family. And many pastors and their wives know that they and their children are held to a higher standard than the rest of their parish and a child's indiscretion can affect a pastor's livelihood.

There are some married priests in the Catholic Church. Most of these are converts who were ordained priests in the Anglican Church. They are usually not assigned to run parishes but work as hospital chaplains or directors of relief efforts. They usually do not have young children at home.

Men in the Catholic Church may be ordained deacons. Deacons perform many of the same functions as a priest except that they can not consecrate the bread and wine. Single deacons may not marry, and married deacons may not remarry if widowed.

Catholic Church sees itself as a family on a metaphorical, metaphysical, cosmic and planetary scale. Almost anywhere in the world you can walk into a Catholic church and find the same basic Mass and same core beliefs. Only the language is different.

Answer 6

1) The Catholic Church HAS married priests.

2) Less than 1/2 of 1% of the Catholic Church is in Holy Orders. The vast majority of members of the Catholic Church will marry at some point.

3) "Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?" (Matthew 19:4-5)

Answer 7

Jesus never married, but you trust Christianity's sanctity of marriage. Right?

Jesus never had sex, but you trust Christianity's take on sexual morality. Correct?

The point is, it is possible for a non-married virgin to espouse more wisdom than one whom is married with children. I'm thinking of Jesus Christ.

How fitting is it that those who wish to minister in His Church practice the celibate life as He also did?


Besides, you are ignoring the fact that men, who want to be Catholic priests, take the vow of celibacy voluntarily. It is not forced upon them.

Therefore, when they are not consumed with courting women in personal relationships, this leaves plenty of time for internalizing 2,000 years of Catholic Doctrinal development, such as the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, sexual morality, all things Catholic/Christian.

The point is, it's not difficult to see how a celibate Catholic priest can know more about the sanctity of marriage and sexual ethics than the average person.

Answer 8

Catholics are pro family and you do not know what you are talking about. I do not see any Protestant leader standing up for the unborn like the Catholic Church has. Jesus wasn't married, so are you saying he had no right to speak about marriage?

Melissa, if you are Catholic, you sure the heck shouldn't be receiving Holy Communion without first going to confession. You are receiving the Body of Christ and making a mockery of his Church. Shame on you

Answer 9

Supposedly, if you are a priest in the Catholic Church, you are married to God. It's not okay to marry a woman, but it is okay to have an affair with an altar boy. Sick, but true.

Answer 10

Marriage is a sacrament. Celibacy is not.

The Catholic Church believes that God himself is the author of marriage and has created it for one man and one woman.

The spouses of a valid marriage:
• Create a bond, which by its very nature is perpetual and exclusive.
• Are strengthened and consecrated for the duties and the dignity of their state.
• Are sealed by God himself in their consent to mutually give and receive one another.
• Form a covenant that is integrated into God's covenant with man: "Authentic married love is caught up into divine love."
• Have their own special grace that:
. • Perfects the couple's love.
. • Strengthens their unity.
. • Helps one another to attain holiness in their married life.
. • Helps in welcoming and educating their children.

With love in Christ.