Why does the Catholic church insist that all Priests and Bishops must be celibate?

Answer 1

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

It became into the pope who made that selection, no longer the scripture. The Catholic Church believes in the authority of the church over scripture. they suspect that God supplies ongoing revelation to the pope, and that he's infallible, and so if the pope says clergymen can't marry, then it may be from God. incorrect. Nowhere in scripture does it say that. in actuality, Paul says that it is extra suitable to marry than to burn with lust. He did say he wanted that each and each you may 'be as he's'- because of the fact of this on the time, Paul became into possibly widowed from a spouse, and became into no longer tied down with the aid of a larger half. yet that never ability a clergyman won't be able to marry. in actuality, it is humorous that the Catholic church even believes that; in spite of everything, wasn't the Apostle Peter meant to be the 1st 'pope'? Peter became right into a married guy! The Catholics have rather tousled a lot of priest's lives with that dumb ruling.

Answer 3

Despite the fact that it says in the bible, that a priest should be married and have children, the Catholic church choose to ignore it. And they are still ignoring rapes and paedaphile activities by their priests. Many priests secretly marry which the church is fully aware of, yet the Pope will not change the churches rule despite these facts. Its like the contraceptive pill, women are forced into having pregnancies they don't want, maybe if they stood up against the church their say could be heard. But as it is run by men, they don't stand a chance in hell!

Answer 4

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul actually endorses celibacy for those capable of it: "To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion" (7:8-9).

It is only because of this "temptation to immorality" (7:2) that Paul gives the teaching about each man and woman having a spouse and giving each other their "conjugal rights" (7:3); he specifically clarifies, "I say this by way of concession, not of command. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another" (7:6-7, emphasis added).

Paul even goes on to make a case for preferring celibacy to marriage: "Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. . . those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. . . . The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband" (7:27-34).

The idea that the Church does not want priests to marry and have children as a way of receiving the priest's money after he dies is absurd. Priests have sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews to which they leave an inheritance.

Answer 5

Celibacy is not a doctrine of the Church but a disciplinary rule. Jesus was celibate and so was Paul. You will find their teaching on celibacy in Matthew 19,12 and 1 Corinthians 7,25 respectively.

Answer 6

First off you have to know what celibacy means. To be celibate means that you can have sex but you cant get married, to be chaiste (chastity) you can't have sex or got get married. so basically a priest can have as much sex as he/she wants but cant marry. The reason for this is because they're allready married to christ/ god/faith.

Answer 7

A monk approached his Abbot and said, "Father Abbot, we spend much time copying the ancient books in our monastery. Could it be that there may have been mistakes made in the copying from time to time. Should someone not check the ancient manuscripts?"
"I will do so" said the Abbot and set off to the basement where the originals were kept.
Hours went by and the monk, becoming concerned, went to look for him.
He found the old Abbot in tears and asked, "What concerns you so?" to which the Abbot replied, "You were right, my son, it says CELEBRATE"

Answer 8

This mad rule was introduced for purely financial reasons.

The Catholic church prevented its priests from marrying to stop the children of priests from having any claim on the wealth and property of the church.

It had absolutely nothing whatever to do with anything else.

Answer 9

i don't know, but it should at least show people how dedicated they are to their religion.

in this day and age, with all the glorification and promotion of free sex think of how difficult it must be.

Would you rather they blow themselves up to show how much they love their religion?

edit
How sad that people make fun of paedophilia.

Answer 10

man made rules I think because paul said in some letter he was giving his whole life to the church before marraige. but he said it was better to marry than burn with lust