Why should a Catholic Priest be banned from marrying or receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony?
>Why should a Catholic Priest be banned from marrying or receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony?
>Do you think that the Catholic Priests could marry a woman? Why?
Out of 23 rites of the Church, only the Roman or Latin rite requires celibacy, and in the Roman rite, there are some priests who are married, such as Protestant or Anglican converted ministers. Celibacy is a discipline, not a doctrine, and a priest cannot break the solemn vows he freely took.
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.
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May 10 2010 04:44 pm | Catholic
Farsight on 10 May 2010 at 10:07 pm #
They shouldn’t be and they aren’t. They choose the life for themselves.
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Chudehudy on 10 May 2010 at 10:42 pm #
To protect the church property.
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Old History
pyjamatop on 10 May 2010 at 11:12 pm #
I think they should be allowed to marry.This would mean less abuse of the church going youngsters (as seen recently in papers) and would give the priest more understanding of the need for contraception etc.
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MichaelJ on 10 May 2010 at 11:34 pm #
No they would rather play with alter boys and if married they’d lose there only excuse for doing so.
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MythBuster on 10 May 2010 at 11:54 pm #
Forbidding them to marry is unscriptural as another responder has shown
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reflexologist on 11 May 2010 at 12:23 am #
Out of 23 rites of the Church, only the Roman or Latin rite requires celibacy, and in the Roman rite, there are some priests who are married, such as Protestant or Anglican converted ministers. Celibacy is a discipline, not a doctrine, and a priest cannot break the solemn vows he freely took.
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.
References :
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/
The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! on 11 May 2010 at 12:34 am #
They aren’t banned from marrying until they enter the priesthood. They are, however, free at any time to leave the priesthood and marry. There are many reasons for the restriction, one of which may or may not be what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7, which is that an unmarried man is more concerned with spiritual things than physical things, and if he remains unmarried, he can concentrate fully on God. Paul actually encouraged celibacy, except if a person couldn’t bear it.
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Misty on 11 May 2010 at 1:04 am #
No one is banned from marrying in the Catholic Church, however men who choose to be priests, accept the discipline of celibacy. Much like a couple who marries accepts the discipline of monogamy.
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."
Priests are those who have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. As Jesus says whoever can accept it ought to accept it.
Celibacy is not a negative but a positive. It actually affirms the goodness and rightness of marriage. In order for a sacrifice to be acceptable, a person must sacrifice something good. Marriage is very good, so giving it up for the kingdom of God, is truly a good sacrifice.
A celibate priest said the following:
Celibacy is a gift to the world, not a rule imposed by the Church on a few seemingly-abnormal men. Celibacy initiates men into a life of spiritual fatherhood in a strikingly positive way for others. The fact that some priests fail at it does not make the gift of celibacy anything less than a true blessing; in fact, its failures force us to reflect more deeply on its quiet successes. It’s hypocritical to think that we should throw away the gift of celibacy (i.e., make it “optional”) based upon a miniscule percentage of failures of its practitioners. We don’t say the same thing about the much higher percentage of failures in marriage.
Celibacy is the personal renunciation of the legitimate goods of marriage and family as a fruitful sacrifice for the kingdom of God. The astonishment of this generation that a perfectly normal, red-blooded male could make that particular sacrifice is exactly the point of celibacy. The world needs to know that there are some men walking around who are not bound either by the expectations of society or by the terms of our fleshly human nature. They are bound by only one concern; that of a kingdom that is not of this world, and they are willing to sacrifice everything for it. The presence in society of men who make this sacrifice is profoundly challenging to a culture that wants to reduce everything in life to the pleasure principle. Such a total renunciation is truly counter cultural: it’s like choosing to live with a permanent wound in the heart that never heals but out of which flow “rivers of living water” (Jn 7:38) that heal countless others. Celibacy is not easy for anyone to live, in fact, it is a constant death to self; but it is enormously life-giving to others, and the Church has not lost sight of that for two thousand years.
Married men make vows and so do priests. A vow is a promise before God of fidelity to a particular person or state in life. From a spiritual point of view a vow in marriage has the same significance as a vow of celibate chastity: it is permanently binding on the individual and requires total fidelity. We all know that vows are broken by weak and fallible men, but we also know and have seen that vows can be repaired, sins repented of, amends made and forgiveness granted to those who have offended others. Who of us does not depend in some way on the Mercy of God and those we have hurt when we have fallen? The return to fidelity breaks our pride and chastens our passions. What we must never do is make excuses or justify our compromises with pop cultural moral relativism.
In this time of great secular challenge to our faith, let us pray for the celibate men and women who have served us so well in this life and especially for those who are still trying to return to fidelity.
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Gavin Cato on 11 May 2010 at 1:19 am #
Because the NT says explicitly that the celibate life is the better choice for those who want to dedicate themselves to serving the Lord.
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Kuve on 11 May 2010 at 1:53 am #
The original ban on Clerical marriage was based on the premise that commitment to a wife and family distracted one from their commitment to God and that St. Paul’s injunction to avoid sex for that reason took precedence over the Old Testament injunction to be fruitful and multiply.
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Giggly Giraffe on 11 May 2010 at 2:30 am #
Celibacy (life long) is not limited to Roman Catholics. The Tibetan Monks, and several other cultures venerate this practice. Even Athletes in the western culture are asked to practice a short term celibacy period.
Question is why should you be so offended if a person (man or woman) feels the need to offer their sexuality to a greater purpose? Are you this mad at the Tibetan monks?
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Catholic by Choice on 11 May 2010 at 3:01 am #
Celibacy is a discipline of the Church and Historically married Priest caused much more corruption than all those ranting against the 1-2% of Priest guilty of pedophilia. Which by the way is much more a problem in Protestant Churches and with married people period. You can listen to the idiots who claim a unmarried Priest is more likely to commit pedophilia or you can spend some time checking out the truth of who 99% of paedophilia’s are by doing a little research. A survey was taken by i believe the pew group who asked Catholic Priest how they felt about there work and it was almost 100% but not quite who answered they were very satisfied and happy in there chosen calling. Which no other group of people could even come close to that large of a percentage of both happiness and satisfaction even with married couples to boot.
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answer4you on 11 May 2010 at 3:20 am #
1) Because this is not how GOD established it… Scripture shows us that GOD even tells his Apostles to leave everything behind and come follow HIM. This is why the Priests take upon the vow of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience…
2) Catholic priests SHOULD NOT be married… again, because this is HOW GOD ESTABLISHED this vocation…
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Lives7 on 11 May 2010 at 3:53 am #
You can not serve two Masters…
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Catholic and Lovin it
imacatholic2 on 11 May 2010 at 4:20 am #
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."
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.
+ 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."
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.
+ Matthew 22:30 – Jesus explains, "At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven."
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.
+ In 1 Corinthians 7:1, Paul writes, "It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman."
This is the choice that the Catholic priests of the Roman rite freely make.
+ Then in 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul says, "Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am."
Paul acknowledges that celibacy is a gift from God and wishes that all were celibate like he is.
+ In 1 Corinthians 7:27, Paul writes, "Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife."
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.
+ 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
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.
With love in Christ.
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cmhelp1 on 11 May 2010 at 4:28 am #
They shouldn’t be.
Be Blessed:-)
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