Why can't Catholic priests get married?

Question

Where does it say in the bible, a man can't have a life if they're a priest?

I agree with zhe_devil.

Answer 1

zhe_devil766 hit it on target...

Anyway, if you read the early scriptures, the first couple of priests had wives and children. Years and years later, however, they decided to forced the idea of marrying "christ" upon themselves. I do not believe that is healthy, because God created us as sexual beings that need a partner in life, and being married to "christ" cannot fulfil those needs.

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

The church didn't like that married priests left their property and money to their wives and children instead of the church, so they banned marriage for priests.

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http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/religious/celibacy.html

When one looks at the history of celibacy in the Catholic Church, it soon becomes apparent that this state of life became mandatory due to financial considerations, not because priests were supposed to emulate Christ by remaining single. When one focuses more specifically upon the medieval period, we can clearly see that church property was donated by kings and princes in exchange for faithful service. A controversy arose when married priests in turn left this property to their heirs. To make a long story short, celibacy soon followed as a requirement for ordination, so as to prevent such property transactions between heirs. (There was nothing theological in the celibacy directive.) As a side note to this history, it is interesting to note that the imposition of celibacy in 1139 was not the end of married priests. We now know that secret marriages took place after 1139, whereby married priests continued to serve. Unfortunately, the Council of Trent and the infamous Inquisition sought out such marriages, whereupon Trent served as a catalyst for several centuries of mandatory celibacy. (A sad commentary indeed!)

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http://atheism.about.com/od/romancatholicism/a/celibacy_2.htm

A further and very important factor in the push to require celibacy for clergy was the problematic relationship the Roman Catholic Church had with real estate and inherited land. Priests and bishops were not just religious leaders: they also had political power over the people. When they controlled land, which was at the time the basis for any political power, that land could either go to the church or to the man's heirs when he died.

Naturally the church wanted to keep it and retain political power itself; the best way to do that was to ensure that there weren't any rival claimants on the land, and keeping the clergy celibate and unmarried was the easiest way to accomplish this goal. Making celibacy a religious obligation was also the best way to make sure that the clergy obeyed.

Thus, the history of clerical celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church is one of contingency and political expediency - there was nothing necessary about it, and that's why it cannot be regarded as a an essential feature of the priesthood today. That is also why there are so many married Roman Catholic priests in the world.

Answer 4

That's a man made rule in the church and is not of God. Read 1 Tim 4:3, especially the last part of that scripture, ".....Forbidding to marry...". The apostle Paul was writing about religious teaching which were inspired by and influence other than God. No man in the church regardless of his position can tell another man not to marry. Because the union of two Christians is ordained and appointed of God, not man. Even the apostle Paul who did not ever have a wife, still said he had the right to take a believeing wife.

Answer 5

At ordination, priests become our spiritual fathers. It would be a form of incest for them to marry their children. There ARE married priests. Both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches ordain married men, but ordained men do not marry.

The user who wrote that Greek Orthodox priests are allowed to marry is wrong. Again, just like in the Catholic Church, married men are ordained, but ordained men do not marry: "Orthodox clergy include married and celibate priests. Married men may become priests, but marriage is not permitted after ordination, and only unmarried priests may move up past the rank of priest."
http://www.photius.com/countries/greece/society/greece_society_the_orthodox_church_~165.html

Answer 6

They use to marry. But it changed about 1000 years or so ago. Long story. As far as a man "having a life", you don't have to be married to have a life!! Was that a typo?

Answer 7

Supposedly that ban on marriage began because the church didn't want children inheriting property the church would rather keep. I don't know if that's truth or legend but it's widely believed. It obviously has nothing to do with being married or connected to God.

As a former Catholic I can recommend everyone to stay away from that church. There's some pretty twisted characters in their clergy.

Answer 8

Priests, religious brothers and religious sisters (nuns) ar 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

Because a long time ago the higher ups in the church didnt want to have to pay a priest more money so he could raise a family. It means more money for them. It all goes back to greed.

Answer 10

What do you mean "a man can't have a life" once they become a priest? This implies one's life is, well, "over" when he is ordained a priest.

Lives are meant to be consecrated to God. Many are called to live a consecrated life in Holy Matrimony. Some are called to live the consecrated life in Ordination to the Priesthood.

Both types of lives are necessary for the survival of the Church. It is wrong for a married person to think of the priesthood in lower terms compared to his own. Likewise, the priest understands that, without Holy Matrimony, he would be a sheppard without a flock.

Chastity is not a bad thing; whether it comes in the form of priestly celibacy, marital fidelity, or in a single person's abstinence.

Priestly celibacy, while it is not Church Dogma, is still Biblically based Discipline:

Matt. 19:11-12 - 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.

Matt. 19:29 - Jesus says that 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.

Matt. 22:30 - Jesus explains that 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.

1 Cor 7:1 – Paul teaches that it is well for a man not to touch a woman. This is the choice that the Catholic priests of the Roman rite freely make.

1 Cor. 7:7 - Paul also acknowledges that celibacy is a gift from God and wishes that all were celibate like he is.

1 Cor. 7:27 – 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.

1 Cor. 7:32-33, 38 - 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.”

1 Tim. 3:2 - Paul instructs that bishops must be married only once. Many Protestants use this verse to prove that the Church's celibacy law is in error. But they are mistaken because this verse refers to bishops that were widowers. Paul is instructing that these widowers could not remarry. The verse also refers to those bishops who were currently married. They also could not remarry (in the Catholic Church's Eastern rite, priests are allowed to marry; celibacy is only a disciplinary rule for the clergy of the Roman rite). Therefore, this text has nothing to do with imposing a marriage requirement on becoming a bishop.

1 Tim. 4:3 - in this verse, Paul refers to deceitful doctrines that forbid marriage. Many non-Catholics also use this verse to impugn the Church's practice of celibacy. This is entirely misguided because the Catholic Church (unlike many Protestant churches) exalts marriage to a sacrament. In fact, marriage is elevated to a sacrament, but consecrated virginity is not. The Church declares marriage sacred, covenantal and lifegiving. Paul is referring to doctrines that forbid marriage and other goods when done outside the teaching of Christ and for a lessor good. Celibacy is an act of giving up one good (marriage and children) for a greater good (complete spiritual union with God).

1 Tim. 5:9-12 - Paul recommends that older widows take a pledge of celibacy. This was the beginning of women religious orders.

2 Tim. 2:3-4 - Paul instructs his bishop Timothy that no soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim his to satisfy the One who enlisted him. Paul is using an analogy to describe the role of the celibate priesthood in the Church.

Rev. 14:4 - unlike our sinful world of the flesh, in heaven, those consecrated to virginity are honored.

Isaiah 56:3-7 - the eunuchs who keep God's covenant will have a special place in the kingdom of heaven.

Jer. 16:1-4 - Jeremiah is told by God not to take a wife or have children.