Why can't Catholic priests get married like ministers or rabbi's can ?

Answer 1

It's a choice of vocation. Some are called to the vocation of marriage and raising a family, others are called to being the "father" of many families - a parish father.

Still, there are some priest in the Catholic Church who are married. This can happen in the Eastern Rites and some converts who were "pastors" before they converted have been permitted to continue their calling in the Catholic Church as well. It is not the norm in the Latin Rite, but it is also not unheard of.

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

For several reasons:

1. so they can dedicate their lives to the Church and God. A priest is called at all hours of the day and night.
2. they move around quite a bit at the mercy of the Bishop, not fair to do this to a family.
3. because around AD 800 or so, it was noticed that Priests were leaving large sums of money and property (both of which belonged to the Church) to heirs, mistresses, kings, and debtors. To stop this, the Vatican said "No more marriage"

Answer 4

Marriage is honourable in all..." Hebrews 13:4

When God's Word lists the qualifications of Bishops, who are religious leaders, we are told that:

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife..." 1 Timothy 3:2

God has the same requirement for Deacons:

"Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well." 1 Timothy 3:12

Answer 5

There are all sorts of reasons that are based in varying degrees in history, theology, culture, and even scripture... according to the Catechism (1579), priests are "... called to conscrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to 'the affairs of the Lord...'"

So the bottom line, as I see it, is that the RCC officially teaches and believes that to be a priest, one must give his life completely to God, forsaking other intimate relationships.

Answer 6

It comes from the belief that Jesus never married, so they want to immitate the Lord.

Answer 7

"And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." Mark 7:9

"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition,..." Mark 9:13

Before anyone gets tangle up in the comment made by imacatholic2, read the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 7 so you can see just how much mama takes the Bible out of contents.

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

One that is not your wife is what it's talking about.

"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God."

Look at vs10 "And unto the married I command, yet not I," While he is admitting that for the moment he's not married. He's not saying that he won't marry. This is just another place in the Bible where mama loves to take the Bible out of contents. That said, where does it say you are not allow to be married if you are a priest? Answer: Nowhere! Not in any book of the Bible.

vs 28"But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned;"

But mama treats it as a sin. They claim Peter was the first pope, yet Peter was married. "IF" the catholic church was as concern to follow Peter as they try to make out that they are, they wouldn't make such a big stink about it. Jesus never once said there was anything wrong with Peter being married and serving God at the same time. Now do you see how mama takes the Word of God out of contents?

This once again proves why the vatican has the problems that it has for not abidding in the Word of God. And, this is just one of MANY reasons why the catholic church is not considered a Christian church.