To my Catholic friends, if God said it was not good for man to be alone and gave him a woman?

Question

how come man can't be devoted to God and still have a helpmate? Not trying to insult, just don't understand.

Does this mean that all the other clergy in the Christian religion are not devoted to God because they have family? God called them.

I see. I thought all had to stay alone. It is just the role of Priest only that takes this vow

Answer 1

Millions of Catholic women and men are devoted to God and are married.

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 2

No, it means that Catholic Priest who chose to be a Catholic and not another Christian Minister, knew he was electing to be celebate, and yet still did.

It was his devotion to God, and his calling that he do this.

If he didn't want to remain celebate, he could have just chosen another profession and been a layperson in the Catholic Church, he would have still had great spiritual contact within the Church and could have gotten married.

Obviously, marriage was not important to him. Kind of like Buddhist Monks and Nuns.

Whether or not it was an acceptable practice to be married before, is not important. What's important is that in this day and age, it is still requested that they be celebate, and in this day and age, the Catholic Priest accepted that, and still chose to become a Priest. Who cares what the pope did 1900 years ago. It has nothing to do with the requirements now, and the fact that the Priest accepted the call.

Answer 3

Good luck getting a straight answer for this one.

They won't even accept the fact that Peter, who they "claim" was the first pope, was married. IF, and that is a big if, Peter was the first pope, and he was married, they why do current priests have to be celibate?? Matthew 8:14 gives proof that Peter was married..

"And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever."

The Bible also teaches against forbidding someone to marry.

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth" (I Timothy 4:1-3). If ever God in His Word points the finger of inspiration at a religious body and brands it an apostasy, He does in this instance. Which body? That one which forbids to marry and commands to abstain from meats. But with Catholicism, the Bible is a dead letter. No wonder!

Answer 4

No, the Catholic Church is not the only church that believes this. The Catholic Church may be the only major church that believes specifically in transubstantiation, but even the Catholic Church does not require this specific belief, for it to consider a church's Eucharist valid (the Eastern Orthodox do not believe in transubstantiation but are considered valid by Catholics). The Eastern Orthodox, Assyrian, and Polish National Catholic churches all believe that Jesus is truly present, and the Catholic Church recognizes their apostolic succession as valid. Some Anglicans believe that Jesus is truly present, but the Catholic Church does not recognize their apostolic succession. Even if their succession were generally valid, large numbers of Anglican priests have been "ordained" by female "bishops," so there are big problems for apostolic succession in Anglicanism. Lutherans believe that Jesus is truly present; but unlike Catholics, we believe that the authority to celebrate the Eucharist is contained in the words of Jesus Himself and such authority exists wherever His Word is validly taught. Apostolic succession, for Lutherans, is a human institution which may arguably be of value. It has has been retained in the Swedish church, but according to Catholics, the Council of Trent invalidated this succession (and the Swedish church also has the female ordination problem). One more note: Someone said Lutherans believe in consubstantiation. This is not true. Consubstantiation is the idea that the bread and wine are mixed together with Jesus' body and blood; and I don't know of any modern church that believes this. There is a lot of confusion about this: Some non-Lutherans accused us of believing it, and some ill-informed Lutherans heard the accusation and thought it to be true. Now you can find poorly researched Lutheran web sites and literature that use this word, but the authors would not use it if they knew what it actually meant.

Answer 5

God did give us men and women so we would not be alone. With that in mind St Paul also wrote :
1 Corinthians 7:26-28
26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.
27Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.
28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

A priest has many duties in running a parish. He has to be on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. He has to be able to go to the hospital at a moments notice. He has to be able to hear a confession at any time. Plus the daily duties of running a parish are extremely time consuming. With the priest shortage the duties of the parish priest are increasing as more and more priests are taking on more and more churches.

For example, my priest is in charge of three churches! In one weekend he has to perform four masses at three different churches.

If he was a married priest he would have to do all this plus raise a family. It would just be too much. His attention would be divided. And I personally, as a catholic, do not want my priest to have his attention divided. I want my priest to be totally focused on the needs of our parish and our church.

Answer 6

1 Corinthians 7:9 "But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion." ESV

1 Corinthians 7:36 "If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry--it is no sin." ESV

Paul disproves the idea of unmarried clergy. It must be a choice. Most men are certainly "aflame with passion," although an asexual man would not be forced to marry.

Answer 7

They can be. They just can't be priests or bishops of the Roman Rite of the Catholic church.

They can fulfill their quest to be devoted by instead being Deacons (who are ordained clergy, ministers of the word, ordinary ministers of the sacraments of baptism and marriage, and servants of the people), or by being excellent laymen out in the world.

Answer 8

It also says some give up their sexuality for the Kingdom of God. The book of Esther (who prefigures the Church) talks about how she was given into the hands of the Kings Eunuchs for care. What else does this mean but the priesthood is to be celibate.

Answer 9

I tend to think they are less devoted, yes.

Ask yourself, or them if you can and care to, what would happen if they we're in a position where they had to choose between their families and their faith? Which would they choose? I am willing to bet I know what 9 out of 10 would say, and what 9 out of 10 would then actually do.

Answer 10

Celibacy is enforced on priests and bishops.
Christians believe they should be married.
1 Timothy 3:2-5