why cant priests get married? - Keeping the Faith (2000) Discussion

[–] mwilson0217 16 years ago

I was raised Catholic, although, I don't practice in any way shape or form. The way I was raised to believe is that Priests give up the right to marry as part of their "giving up their life to God" kind of thing. It's really ridiculous since priests from the start have seen this as one of the vows they could break. Just change the ruling already. It's antiquated.

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[–] nogardthegreat 16 years ago

Not a stupid question.

As the other reply said, they do give their lives over to service of God's people. (Pope, John Paul the Great, referred to himself as the servant of the servants).

The celibacy vows are a discipline, not a Doctrine, hence tomorrow morning the pope could do away with it. Though this is not likely as we find the whole reason for this in 1 Corinthians 7: 6-9 "Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire."

What may surprise you is there have been married priests and popes, there are even married priests today. They come over from non-Catholic Christians religions or from other rites in the Catholic Church that allow marriage. (The Roman Catholics are actually Catholics of the Latin Rite. There are many Rites in the Church).

Hope this answers your question, without me getting too long winded...

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[–] randycoates 16 years ago

Yep.

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[–] Anonymous46 16 years ago

no it does, thanks, i figured as much, but just wanted to ask... crazy how those who do actually sacrifice that part of human nature.

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[–] puravida27 16 years ago

Priests should be allowed to get married. The way it is makes no sense.

ivan

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[–] bryandanek 16 years ago

I am Catholic but I have always disagreed with two things 1) priests cannot marry and 2) women cannot become priests. I always find it ironic that priests are often called upon to counsel couples but they themselves can never experience it. I remember going to a Lutheran church for the first time and meeting the pastors family. They were so happy and a great family. Its a shame roman catholic priests cannot. Hopefully it will change.

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[–] MissLovelyEagle9 16 years ago

I am also a Roman Catholic, however I hope that the celibacy rule never changes. For one, it teaches a priest discipline. For a priest to give up his sexuality for his bride, the Church, is a beautiful display of devotion. Secondly, priests have extraordinary responsibilities that they must perform for the Church, such duties that cannot be shared with their hypothetical wives. A responsibility, such as the sacrament of Reconciliation, would require the priest to keep a vow of confidentiality from everyone, including the hypothetical wife. Marriage is a covenant in which one fully shares everything with his/her partner and becomes one with him/her. To have this level of confidentiality hanging over a marriage, it could most definitely destroy a marriage.
A priest is marrying the Church when he is ordained, so if he were to marry a woman, he wouldn't give his full attention to the wife and/or the Church. It would always have to be one or the other.
I'm sure that this Lutheran family was very happy, but they don't have the same sort of sacramental rituals that the Catholic Church has.

How long till this goes away?

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[–] seroteamavi2001 16 years ago

It was one way to set themselves apart from the Orthodox priests who could. However, Orthodox bishops cannot marry.
Some Anglican priests who were married befoe can over to the Church and were allowed to stay married.
Tehy are also some Uniate(Eastern Rite Catholics) who have been able to. This is the Rite issue that was mentioned before.

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[–] nicole_s_yuen 15 years ago

There are priest who are married, I think they should be able to marry. I know God wants everyone to have someone. I'm christian but i'm not religious. There's a different between religion and a relationship with God. Having a relationship with him is to love him, worshiping him without any rules that the people at the church has told us, what not to do. Is your choice what u believe and u can't force people to believe it's between u and what your beliefs are. I choose to go to church coz I want to not coz I have to. I love God so I go to church to be closer to him, to honor him for the things he has done for me. I encourage people to come but I don't force them coz that would make them get further away from God. My church is pentercostal but I follow Jesus not the people at the church, but I do agree with my pastor the things he says he always challenges me and Impacts me, but I know God is talking to me through him. He's married and has 3 kids. Beautiful people there so nice. My church is a friendly place I love it there. Been a christian for 5 years now.

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[–] hildy-1 15 years ago

Through the years it's been taught that Priests can't marry because they must lead the life of Jesus and devote himself to the Church. HOWEVER, many believe it has to do with money. It is very controversial and Catholics will go ballistic when you even bring it up. I have no horse in this race. I'm Jewish and I don't really care...I think when you accept a religion, you abide by the rules..that's what makes it a RELIGION. You don't join a group and then try to change the rules. It's not easy to be a Catholic, that's why the rewards are so great.

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[–] voltape 15 years ago

Basically because a priest is called to say Mass, that is, perform the rite of transubstantiation (converting the bread into Jesus' body and the wine in His blood). He needs all his energy. Sex would weaken it. As in the sports, the players have to go to concentration before each important match. Same is for other religious people. In this same film the priest says "they would not ask the Dalai Lama if he is married" (or something like). That's true: Tibetans, fakirs, etc. they all make poverty vows, life in common, abstinences. Only catholic priestes are challenged to give up their vows.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] pitchwhiteawi 14 years ago

MissLovelyEagle9's post sums it up.

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[–] mjposner-3 16 years ago

Historically priests could marry, there have even been father and son popes. However, as priestly wealth grew (sale of indulgences, etc.) the church became concerned that when a married priest died his estate would go to his wife and kids. So about 1,000 years ago, to preserve the wealth the celibacy rule went into affect. Then when a priest dies the church got all his money.

The church may deny this but facts are facts.

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[–] wayofthecass 15 years ago

mjposner-3

You are talking rubbish. A Priest's personal wealth does not become property of the Church.

"The church may deny this but facts are fact."

Yet you've presented none of them with your MTV history lesson. Relax and go back to watching 'Newlyweds.'

Also all of the nonsense on here about 'its a shame they don't have a choice.' Are you mental? Do you think they become Priests and then the Vatican officials jump out of a closet, say "Surprise" and castrate them? No. The practicing Priest has full knowledge of a celibacy vow before he joins a seminary.
If you disagree with it and aren't a Catholic then lucky you, it has absolutely no impact on your life and never will. If you are a catholic and detest it then I have two words for you "Episcopalian Church". PSYCHE!

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[–] lewisworld 15 years ago

wayofthecass, that's not MTV history. That's actual history. I learned it in both my History of the Middles Ages and religious history classes in college. Whatever religious or philosophical reasons they gave after the fact, the fundamental reason they decided priests should not marry is because of concerns about property. It wasn't so much about the priests taking church property and passing it to their sons but the bishops would save the best and most profitable positions for their family. In fact, in the early church NOT marrying was seen as an oddity. The monastics were considered an oddity, even heretic, because their celibate lives were unnatural. Celibacy of priests was part of the Reformation in the 1500s.

I don't believe that because it was a practical decision means it has no spiritual value. There is a long tradition of officiants being celibate or pure during religious rites. My personal opinion though is it is no longer practical for priests to be celibate. May churches are having trouble finding priests and men are leaving the church to get married. To continue the church in the Western world today there appear to be two choices: import priests from other parts of the globe or allow priests to marry. I think the church is currently importing priests but I'm not sure that's sustainable.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] star168 15 years ago

I heard that once upon a time priests could marry, but it got to be too expensive for the congregations to financially support their widows and children left behind when the priest died. Hence the no marriage allowed.

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[–] ktp516 16 years ago

Priests cant get married because when they are ordained they become married to the church. women cant be priests because when we speak of the church we refer to it as feminine. nun are married to God

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[–] lauraly 16 years ago

Back in the day, like prior to the 1300's, priests could be married. Then the rules changed. I believe they should hav etheir own choice like everyone else. Supposedly, being celebate brings you closer to god and your commitment to service.

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[–] fierypoeticgirl 16 years ago

I dunno. I give up...why? Lol...just kidding. Actually they are still debating that issue...but to tell you the truth, a Priest could probably explain that a lot better than anyone on here.

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[–] lauraly 15 years ago

Intil the 13th century, Roman Catholic priests could be married. Greek Orthodox priests can be married.

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[–] desifir667 15 years ago

pagans

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[–] actionmanozzie 15 years ago

I really and honestly don't understand the "celibacy" rule when it comes to catholics considering that the bible says that a pastor/teacher should be a man of "ONE" wife... >_>

Not "NONE" wife.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] lili_csi 15 years ago

priests can't get married because in the middle ages the clergy was composed of wealthy noble men and if they didn't get married, after their deaths their possesions would go to the church, not their families. the rest, about the marriage to god etc etc came as an explanation for this change of attitude.

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[–] desifir667 14 years ago

this

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[–] nixified 14 years ago

Yep. The Church is terrific at retconning and romanticising to cover up the bits it wants the world to forget.

"Come on, pelican!"

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