Were catholic priests ever allowed to marry while in the church?

Question

If anyone can find any info reguarding this, can they please direct me to a site with the info.

I'm just curious to know whether in any point in time were they allowed to marry, and not convert into the church already married.

Answer 1

Theologically, the Church desires to imitate the life of Jesus with regard to chastity and the sacrifice of married life for the "sake of the Kingdom" (Luke 18:28-30, Matthew 19:27-30; Mark 10:20-21), and to follow the example of Jesus Christ in being "married" to the Church, viewed by Catholicism and many Christian traditions as the "Bride of Christ". Also of import are the teachings of St. Paul that chastity is the superior state of life, and his desire expressed in I Corinthians 7:7-8, "I would that all men were even as myself [celibate] — but every one has his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that. But I say to the unmarried and the widows. It is good for them if they so continue, even as I."

Practically speaking, the reasons for celibacy are given by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 7:7-8;32-35: "But I would have you to be without solicitude. 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. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of this world how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord without impediment."

Celibacy for priests is a discipline in the Roman Catholic Church, not a doctrine: in other words, a church regulation, but not an integral part of Church teaching. It is based upon the life of Christ and his celibate way of life. However the first pope, St. Peter, as well as many subsequent popes, bishops, and priests during the church's first 270 years were in fact married men, and often fathers. The practice of clerical continence along with a prohibition of marriage to men once ordained a deacon, priest or bishop by the Council of Elvira. This law was reinforced in the West at the Council of Carthage in 390. It remains law today for Latin Rite Catholics, but not for Eastern Catholics. Until recently, the Eastern Catholic bishops of North America would generally ordain only unmarried men, for fear that married priests would create scandal. Since Vatican II's call for the restoration of Eastern Catholic traditions, a number of bishops have returned to the traditional practice of ordaining married men to the presbyterate. Bishops are still celibate and normally chosen from the ranks of monks.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church, as you may or may not know, consists of the West -- that is, Roman Catholicism and the East -- which is comprised of 22 churches such as the Maronite Church, the Melkite Church, the Greek Catholics, Syrian Catholics, Chaldean (Iraqi) Catholics, etc.

In the Eastern Church, married men are allowed to become priest......in that order. Marriage first and then priesthood. If a married priest becomes a widow, he may not re-marry. In ALL Eastern churches, the Bishops MUST be celebate -- and are therefore usually from the monastic life.

Now....the West: most (if not all) of the apostles were married. However, none of The Twelve were born into Christianity.....they were all Jews from birth. The Gospels do make reference to Peter's mother-in-law (see MT 8:14). Priests in the Roman Catholic Church were allowed to marry but a LOCAL measure in Elvira, Spain (AD 306) favored celibacy among the clergy; and became universal throughout the church only many centuries later. It is a matter of church discipline and not dogma.

Let's go back to Scripture to see what is written there: Jesus himself states that some eunuchs have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of God (MT 19:12) while St. Paul has this to say: "It is good for a man NOT to marry…

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, AS I AM

I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband" (1 Cor. 7:1, 8, 32-34).

Answer 3

Yes.

Many priests, bishops, and popes were married before 1000 C.E. including, of course, Simon Peter, the first pope.

The celibate clergy did not come into full bloom until about 1000 A.D. There were many married priests, bishops, and popes before this time.

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 4

Not only did priests marry, legally or illicitly, in the Middle Ages, but the present-day Catholic Church has allowed married Episcopal and Lutheran priests to convert to Catholicism, be ordained Catholic priests, and stay married.

Answer 5

I know that the Catholic has had married priests in countries where they would not be accepted to run a church if they were single. I am pretty sure China was one of those countries. I don't know what the procedure was though.

Answer 6

I believe I learned in AP Euro that they were, at one point, either allowed to marry officially or unofficially, took wives and/or mistresses, and sired children -- which became a problem for the Church with inheritance, so they cracked down. I believe official dogma has always forbidden it, however.

Answer 7

Yes. The early priests did, indeed, marry. It's a historical fact. There are records of these priests passing on inheritances of property to their offspring.

http://www.futurechurch.org/fpm/history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_celibacy_%28Catholic_Church%29#Historical_origins
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_priesthood#Clerical_celibacy

Answer 8

Yes, in the middle ages they were allowed to marry, I think until the XI century

Answer 9

Yes, at one point in time priest were allowed to marry. Below I lift a link that will explain it all. It would be too much to write.

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

Answer 10

Before the middle ages yes they could marry but then they changed it