why won't the pope allow catholic priests to marry?

Question

don't read the cathecism, READ THE BIBLE, the BIBLE says "it is better to marry, than to burn the lust", i really think if these catholic priests have wives they won't burn in lust for little boys, and i am also worried about nuns as well
i wish catholics wouldn't put so much power in the pope, he is a great man, but honestly, a man nevertheless........he doesn't have the power to change scripture or doctrine.........
plus the whole "eating jesus christ" at communion is wrong as well..........i respect jesus by not eating him up

Answer 1

As a matter of fact, the Vatican is currently taking this issue "under advisement". It could happen in your lifetime.

Answer 2

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."

+ 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."

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

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

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

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

+ 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, and 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 3

First of all, we Catholics DO read the Bible. Most Catholics have no idea what the catecism even is. Second, priests, nuns and monks all take solomn vows of obedience, poverty and chastity. They know what they're getting into long before they ever make those vows, and they are supposed to honor those vows. The Bible also talks about wolves dressed in sheep's clothing...perhaps the few priests who have had issues (which by the way, is quite horrible given the fact that they could have left the priesthood at any time!!) are those very wolves in sheep's clothing?! Most Catholics today, don't put much power in the Pope. We view his thoughts as his thoughts, and carry on our lives however we see fit. He doesn't change any scripture (would love to know where you ever heard that one from), but he does hold the power to change doctrine. He was given that power by Jesus Christ himself. All the successors of Peter have that power. That is in the Bible. Perhaps you need to practice what you preach and read the whole Bible, not just the parts that work in your defense?

Answer 4

Pedophilia is indifferent to marriage, these are MEN preying on BOYS. You do a lot of damage by excusing this outrageous evil done to children by blaming it on marriage !!!!! ===================== Married Pedophile Priests? The problem is, of course, that married men molest kids too. In fact, a child is far more likely to be sexually abused by a married relative–a father, uncle or older brother–than a single man. Marriage, therefore is not a magic fix for pedophilia. The other problem is that the vast majority of pedophile cases in the clergy are homosexual in nature. The pedophile was attracted to young men and boys. Marriage was therefore not likely to be a solution to that problem. The fact of the matter is that there were a very few sick men who were Catholic priests. Most of them were attracted to young men. Some were attracted to pre-pubescent boys. They were very sick and perverted homosexuals–emotionally stunted, immature and twisted personalities who never should have been ordained in the first place. Psychiatrists were usually unable to heal them, and they would never have been able to have the healthy masculinity to get married it the first place, and if they had, marriage in itself, would certainly not have cured them. Saying that Catholic priests should be allowed to get married in order to solve the pedophile problem is about as thoughtful as saying that a psychopathic serial killer could have been cured by getting a hunting license.

Answer 5

Apparently you do not respect Jesus when you curse the church He established and placed into Peter's hands. We the people do not give power to the Pope, Jesus Christ does that and did that when He placed Peter in charge of His church. Being married does not stop a pedophile from being a pedophile. The majority of the priests that were accused of pedophilia were homosexuals that infiltrated the church with an agenda. They were not true men of God. Before you cast stones at the one true church of Jesus Christ (the Catholic Church) you best look into your protestant churches at ministers that have been accused of pedophilia, and at schools, police stations, fire departments,sport coaches,mom's and dad's , and other family members, your next door neighbors.

As for the Eucharist(the Lord's Supper) why would you deny yourself of His presence at His table? You are only hurting yourself when not taking the Lord's Supper as He stated to His Apostles. When you disrespect the Catholic Church you are disrespecting Jesus Christ.

Answer 6

Many years ago Catholic priests were allowed to marry. Then when they would die their asset would go to their wive and family and nothing to the church, so the church came up with this brilliant idea that Catholic priests should not marry to be completely at the service of the Church, giving as an example that Jesus never married etc. So that is why nowadays priests do not marry and take a vow of poverty. As someone else says on here, the Vatican is seriously looking into this and within the next 20 years we will see a major turn around in that matter.

But you who hate the Catholic Church so much, you should know all this already.

Answer 7

The priest thing you have right. Priests could marry until about a thousand years ago when a sexually messed up Pope decided they couldn't. Married priests could stay in the priesthood, but, no unmarried priests could get married and no more married people could become priests.

I am not sure why priests can't get married, in fact that was one reason for the Protestant Revolution in the Church and why Protestant Ministers, Preachers, Reverends, Priests, etc, can get married. Catholicism does a lot of things that are not in scripture, inquisition, crusades, murder, torture, marriage, etc, etc. These are just things that Popes made up.

That is what happens when you put faith in people, claiming they have the power to change God's Law at will. Faith should be in God and God alone.

The idea that Pope's can do things is from Matthew 19

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Catholics have decided that every Pope since Peter, who did not actually evangelize the church system that developed into the Catholic Church, inherited this ability to "bind", even though the scripture tells us no such thing.

In addition, a couple of lines later Christ calls Peter "Satan", intimating that Peter is indeed fallible so it would be pretty hard to inherit infallibility from someone so fallible that Christ calls them "Satan".

As for God not giving anyone but the "Pope" "power",

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

The communion thing you have totally screwed up. I won't go into details on that. I am sure someone else can.

Answer 8

Priests, religious brothers and religious sisters (nuns) are not allowed to marry following:
+ The practices recommended by founder of christianity Paul of Tarsus, a notorious woman hater and young man lover;

+ Alleged historic examples of church property being lost through marriage.

+++ Historical Steps +++

(590-604) Gregory I introduces celibacy edict to prevent property from passing from church to possible wives, families or mistresses of clergy.

(590 CE) Approximately 6000 babies are found murdered in pond outside Gregory's Lateran palace after celibacy edict is introduced by Gregory I.

(655 CE): In an attempt to persuade priests to remain celibate, the 9th Council of Toledo ruled that all children of clerics were to be automatically enslaved. This ruling was later incorporated into the canon law of the church.

(1089 CE) That the Synod of Melfi under Pope Urban II, also known as Blessed Urban, did order the imposition of slavery on the wives of priests;

(1484-92) That Pope Innocent VIII did deliberately and actively display contempt to the institution of marriage, of all church law, and all Christians by fathering the largest number of illegitimate children of any Pope in the history of the church. That the number of illegitimate children is reputed to have been well over 100 and is why his reign as Supreme Pontiff is known as the "Golden Age of Bastards" in which the funds of the church were severely depleted when he granted those children not murdered with financial support.

For more, see:
http://one-faith-of-god.org/final_testament/end_of_darkness/evil/evil_0120.htm

+++ Scriptural Examples +++

Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and founded the Nazarenes.
See:
http://one-faith-of-god.org/new_testament/apocrypha/nazarenes/nazarenes_0010.htm

There is plenty of examples in the true gospels of Jesus concerning the sancity of marriage, especially for Jesus, his apostles and the Nazarene faith.

Paul of Tarsus on the other hand was a life long lover of young men and hater of women.

+++WWJD? What would Jesus do? +++

Jesus was married, Paul was not. Jesus respected women as equal. Paul loved young men and hated women.

The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy and love for young men(see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew, (a doctored work by Paul of Tarsus himself) for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christian converts from satanic worship in Syria, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).

The same practice can be seen in the worship of the Syrian goddess up until at least 150 CE.
See:
http://one-faith-of-god.org/new_testament/apocrypha/lucian/lucian_0010.htm

If a priest properly follows Jesus, then they should be "married" to their community and not the church.

Some people think that a priest who is devoid of the normal, loving relationship of a family is cut off from their community, leading to greater risk of evil acts-something that is a feature of Catholic history for many centuries.

With love in the real Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

Quit judging the priesthood by this worlds standards. Didn't Jesus say his Kingdom was not of this world? Many Protestant ministers agree with the Catholic Church's take on the ministerial role for it's priests and they wish they had the same restriction because they have found it nigh on impossible to keep a family and their Church happy. A man ca not serve two masters. You should grind your axe on another forum and not this one.

Answer 10

Catholic priests do not marry because, while Christ does indeed approve of marriage for the Christian clergy, He much prefers that they do not marry. He made this quite clear when He praised the Apostles for giving up ``all'' to follow Him, saying, ``And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.'' (Matt. 19:27-29). Also, Jesus explains why some do not marry, stating "some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingsom of heaven." The Apostle Paul explained why the unmarried state is preferable to the married state for the Christian clergy: ``He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided.'' (1 Cor. 7:32-33). In other words, matrimony is good-- Christ made it one of the holy sacraments of His Church--but it is not conducive to that complete dedication which is incumbent upon those who submit themselves to another of Christ's holy sacraments--that of Holy Orders. Even so, the unmarried state of the Catholic priesthood is not an inflexible law--under certain conditions a priest may be dispensed from this law.

As for being married keeping them from "lust for little boys" as you put it, most pediphiles are heterosexual married men. That has nothing to do with it.

Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19) The Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. The Pope is the senior pastor of 1.1 billion Catholics, the direct successor of Simon Peter. God gave the Pope power, not man.

As for Communion, Jesus Himself tells us to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Yes, He is clearly speaking literally. When Jesus spoke symbolically about food, as He did in Jn 4:31-34 and Mt. 16:5-12, the disciples interpreted Him literally. Jesus show them the He is only speaking figuratively. In Jn 6, when Jesus is speaking of the Eucharist and the disciples interpreted Him literally and could not believe He did not correct them. As a matter of fact He repeats Himself stating in clearest possilbe language the we must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life,

Also, in the Aramaic language that Our Lord spoke, to symbolically "eat the flesh" or "drink the blood" of someone meant to persecute and assault them, as in Ps 27:2; Isaiah 9:18-20; Isaiah 49:26; Micah 3:3; 2 Sam 23:15-17; and Rev 17:6,16. So if Jesus is speaking symbolically then He would be telling us "whoever persecutes and assaults me will have eternal life." That makes no sense.



God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 11

Catholic priests USED to be allowed to get married.

That practice stopped when the church realised it was losing too much land, money, and other assets because the children of the priests inherited these assets instead of the church.

At that point it became forbidden for priests to marry, and from then on, of course, every priest's assets after their deaths then went straight to the church.

And that's the reason, the ONLY reason, that it became forbidden in the Catholic church for priests to marry any longer.