Why doesnt the catholic church open up the priesthood to married men?
Question by Dave Davis: Why doesnt the catholic church open up the priesthood to married men?
Enough of the whole celibacy thing. That has gone on long enough and is so irrelevant. They could rebuild the church and gain more followers if they enter the 21st century and allow the priests to marry. You’d prevent pedophiles from seeking refuge in the catholic church and the over all image of the church would be modernized and updated thus drawing in younger crowds who think the church is antiquated and out of touch.
Best answer:
Answer by Corianna Nolan
If a protestant pastor is married before converting and becoming a priest, he is allowed to remain married and also become a Catholic priest.
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Tags: Catholic, Church, Doesn't, Married, open, priesthood
Filed under: Church News
Women would be better.
Tradition.
It costs more to support a priest and his family, than a celibate priest alone.
It may in the future for good reasons. There are already married clergy, but not normally priests. Your reasons are inadequate.
While I am not Catholic, I still think that the church will eventually move in that direction, for a couple of reasons. It’s less likely for a married man to be a pedophile, and they’ve already made concessions for Protestant ministers and preachers who are married to convert to Catholicism and become a priest without having to become celibate.
I’m delighted to learn you want to be a priest sweetheart! But you’ll probably have to wait for the missus to go home to Jesus before you can make your dream a reality.
Meanwhile, I’ll be sayin’ special prayers for you. You might do the same: aim them at St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests and he’ll add his prayers to yours.
Glory!
There are cases in the church where married men are allowed to be priests. I personally believe they leave it closed because it is a tradition dating back to the beginning of the church. If a priest is married or is having thoughts of women then their minds are drawn away from their work. Catholic priests not being married goes hand in hand with nuns not allowed to marry. It’s the issue of giving yourself to God, and only God. It’s basically a respect thing with God and yourself. I do hope this helps answer some questions.
If you are not Catholic, then get the H*** out of here. It isn’t your religion and you will never understand the situation if you are not a practicing Catholic. Yes, there may be a few pedophilic priests, but there is trillions of other priests out in the world that are not. It is the press and other idiots that only focus on the negative. So stop trying to control our religion with your opinion. Everyone makes mistakes.
So your reasoning to a sexual scandal is sex?
The most prone person to molest a child is a Married Man, maybe you should have researched your question?
as to the relevance of celibacy, it is a vow “willingly” taken by Priests and religious.
1Corinthians 7:32 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.
Scripture is always relevant.
Peace be with you
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because that’s not the way it works. only a person completely devoid of COMMON sense things celibacy has ANYTHING to do with pedophilia…..
The U.S. Department of health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families report “Child Maltreatment 2006″ states that sexual abuse by Catholic clergy was less than one-half of one percent of all cases.
The report states that the perpetrators relationship to the victim was:
29.1% were Other Relatives
26.2% were Parents
24.4% were Others
6.9% were Unknown or Missing People
6.1% were Unmarried Partners of Parent
4.4% were Friends or Neighbors
1.8% were Child Daycare Providers
0.5% were Other Professionals
0.3% were Foster Parents
0.3% were Residential Facility Staff
0.1% were Legal Guardians
All clergy is a subset of Other Professionals and Catholic clergy is a subset of all clergy. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/…
Responses to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Students by Staff
38.7% of the teachers resigned, left the district, or retired
17.5% were spoken to informally
15% were terminated or not re-hired
11.3% received a formal verbal or written reprimand
8.1% were suspended and then resumed teaching
7.5% were cases where the superintendent determined that the teacher hadn’t meant to sexually abuse
Of the nearly 54% of abusers who resigned, weren’t rehired, retired, or were terminated, superintendents reported that 16% were teaching in other schools and that they didn’t know what had happened to the other 84%. All but 1% of these teachers retained their teaching license.
a study of 4000 pedophiles showed…. 77% WERE MARRIED!!
Common Characteristics of Individuals with Pedophilia
Pedophiles are exclusively sexually attracted to prepubescent children. The psychiatric profession now considers Pedophilia to be a distinct sexual orientation. Individuals with this disorder are commonly associated with professions/activities that afford them ready access to children of the gender and age they prefer such as: teaching, coaching, scouting, clergy & activity centers, arcades, amusement parks and ball fields.
Although Pedophilia is not a “sexual addiction”, the behavior patterns displayed by many Pedophiles resemble the patterns associated with “addicts”, i.e., compulsive and repetitious. Most Pedophiles elaborately plan their “seductions.” They “court” the child and lavish attention and concern for their well-being upon them. Most Pedophiles are mild mannered and average-looking men. They are frequently described as “just the nicest man you ever met.”
They will typically display a fascination with children and will make frequent references to them as “pure,” “innocent,” “angels,” and “precious.” Not infrequently, the Pedophile will “share” interests that are developmentally appropriate for the age of the child he is attracted to, i.e., toy collecting, model building, sports, video games, etc. Often the Pedophile has no friends his own age and will spend a great deal of time alone when not able to access a child. Pedophiles are massive consumers of Internet child porn. They will have access to and expertise in Web surfing.
Pedophiles are notorious rationalizers. Their behaviors are ego-syntonic (there is no conflict for them between their sense of right and wrong); therefore they will explain their actions with excuses such as: the behaviors have “educational value” for the child, the child derives “sexual pleasure” from the behavior, or that the child was “sexually provocative.”
True Pedophiles are responsible for only a small percentage of child sexual molestations. Half of child sexual abusers are the parents of the victims; other relatives commit an additional 18% of the offenses.
Because priests are supposed to devote their entire lives to god. and thats kind of hard to do when your married with kids
A lot of guys are only young and barely out of school when they join seminary, as it is an alternative to college. As such, you wouldn’t expect a guy that age to be married anyway. Instead, it should be that a priest should be allowed to marry and remain a priest rather than forcing him to suppress the desire for a healthy relationship because of his religion.
There is a part of the Bible, which says bishops must be married only once esposa.It seems that the Catholic Church does not conform strictly to what the Bible defines as true
Celibacy is not Biblical, although Apostle Paul was celibate, he did not encouraged everyone to be celibate like him. Accordingly, it is a gift and by staying that way, the man of God can have more time for the ministry. but imposing it is a totally different picture because it will cause many trouble. It would make the man of God vulnerable to temptation. He then advised that the man of God become the husband of but one wife… The priests in the Old Testament were married, in fact their children inherits priesthood. They all came from the tribe of Levi, specifically the progenies of Aaron. Why then the Catholic priests are forced into celibacy? I really don’t know why but one thing im sure of: IT DOESN’T HAVE ANY BIBLICAL ORIGIN- IT SURELY HAS ON THE PAGAN ROME TRADITIONS. Economic reason is another- once the priest marry, possibility of having children is high. If that happens, the children will require budget for food, education, clothing. and even inheritance which will definitely drain the finances of the church!
The problem with your reasoning is in thinking that by having married priests, you will cut down on the pedophiles in the priesthood. All you would truly do is alter the percentage, for opening up to married priests would increase the number of priests, not necessarily cut out the pedophiles.
Further, it is not up to the church to “modernize”. Who do we think we are to demand of God to accept us on OUR terms? No, we are to come to God on HIS terms, which, truly, are not all that difficult.
Last, do not think I write this opposing priests being married; I do not. Truthfully, I think many good men avoided the priesthood for the desire of having a family, and to me, that is a shame. What better way is there to keep the church strong than to raise your family in it, including the daily functions of one? This is why Orthodox priests can be married before they are ordained, but not after.
The celibacy is right and a good thing for those who dedicate their lives to God and His people.
A family needs to be tended and cared for and a dedicated man, no matter what is job, is more focused on actual doing good things rather than worrying about wife and children at home.
That is why there are so many divorces among ministers unless their wife is willing to sacrifice their husband to 24/7 works for the parish she will never have him home at all.
If you would check your facts many priests are married in the Eastern rite of the church and many married Anglicans have joined the Church recently, but a man makes a choice of marrying or not marrying whether he is a priest or not.
Those men who sacrifice their lives and focus on doing good in the world rarely spend long hours/days at hospitals, prisons, helping the poor and in dangerous situation all that doesn’t need a family to worry about too!
For some reason people think a man has to have a wife or he can’t be a good person. I know many single guys that are great people and they are so focused on working or volunteer work, they have no time to stay home let alone have kids. That is their choice and more power to those who do!
As I recall one of the reasons for married priest was the abuse by some married priest in the late 10th and 11th century? Some priest were married and some were not. It was in 1123 than priest were not allowed to marry at all.
This is one of those things that may have made sense then but I would agree is longer necessary. I think married priest would benefit the church now.
Note that this is a changeable rule – not dogma.
Along with married priest we need to convince them to have women priests too
Because fewer pedophiles are celibate than are non-celibate. The present policy makes the Catholic Church safer than most places you could mention.
hahahahahahahaha
No, but seriously, I think you need to look at the “flourishing” modernizing churches of the south. I go down there sometimes and I notice the old abandoned baptist churches, the ones that are open look old and torn down. In that same town, I notice the new Catholic church, well attended every week.
Enough of the celibacy thing? Matt 19:12, some reject marriage for the good of the Kingdom of God. Don’t you see, the Catholic clergy is the most dedicated of all? They have no families to care for, they start orphanages, soup kitchens, and most of all assisting their parishioners.
They could gain so many followers??? You do realize that the Catholic Church has a billion people, the next largest Protestant denomination is 144 million, the Anglican Church. We have no worry about disappearing. Catholicism is so successful because it IS so counter-cultural, not in spite of it! We reject everything this society holds so dear and close, abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity, greed, anger etc etc etc.
Hahahahaha, you are so ignorant, you even make an assumption that celibacy is an excuse for pedophiles? Priests account for about a percent of a percent of convicted child molestation. Ironically, it is fathers that are the largest group of molesters, the married men who regularly have heterosexual relations. Yet you have the nerve to accuse the priesthood of harboring pedophiles.
Updated drawing younger crowds? Whats the matter with you!? The message of the Catholic Church is not “hey, come on in, we are hip, don’t worry, we will change our message every so often so as to suit the feelings of the time!”. No, it is the unaltered 2000 year old message of Christ! Of course some, nay most, people reject it, that is to be expected, the path to Heaven is narrow!
Modernists make me laugh, trying to alter the message of Christ to “draw new crowds”, this is a church, The Church, not a Broadway show!
The Orthodox church and the Eastern rite Catholics ordain married men to the priesthood- the idea of a celibate clergy in the west emerged some time after the 6th century.
so ordaining married men to the priesthood would not be reverting to an older practice not modernizing and updating.
edit- Any Catholic who makes an argument against married priests is condemning your eastern rite and promoting inconstancy
Pope St. Pius X condemned all “modernizing,” of doctrine, of customs, of rubrics, of vestments. All is contained in the traditions of the Apostles where possible, out of a desire to remain conformed to the teachings of papal predecessors of Pope Pius XII.
The Church through its doctoral wisdom has decided what is best for the care of those to whom it was given to protect and teach. It, through its Doctors, has concluded that a semi-cloistered life of priests and of conventual members is that of holiness through purity, not through matrimony. Thus, the Canons reflect the lives of the Apostles and the teachings of St. Isodore, Ivo, Augustin, Ireneus, and other Early Fathers.
It is not a divine law, but in imitation of the Life of Christ, those called to the spiritual life desire to give their entire attention to divine matters, not to the foils of personal attachments. Thus, the Church has the power to choose to keep the Priesthood holy as possible, untainted by or shared by others, due to its demands in the administration of the Sacraments.
Few there are who contemplate all the duties of priest and full priest (bishop) which weigh heavily on both in the salvation of souls.
Traditional Catholics at traditionalmass.org/
Encyclical Pascendi of Pope St. Pius X, Condemnation of Modernism (DE FIDE) must be held under pain of excommunication.
Well, that is a very opinionated yet uniformed statement.
First of all priests dedicate their entire life to the service of God and the Church. The follow Christ’s example and are celibate. If they were married with families they would not be able to give themselves 100% in this calling.
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But statistics show that protestant faiths are having a problem with a shortage of clergy, just as the Catholic Church is. So being able to marry isn’t the answer.
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How do you figure that? Protestant faiths, as a whole, have a larger problem with child molestation than the Catholic Church. So does the public school system. So, your reasoning is flawed. Celibacy has nothing to do with pedophilia. Fathers/step-fathers are the largest group of child molesters. These men abuse children sexually all the while they have access to adult sexual relationships. So your assumption makes no sense.
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That isn’t the goal of the Church. The Church is responsible to preach the good news, to help the faithful attain heaven. Being up-to-date isn’t necessary. God’s message and love are unchanging and relevant in all times.
In Matthew 19:12 Jesus said: “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 aer those who have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. As Jesus says “whoever can accept it ought to accept it.”
There are married priests and always has been.
Only the Latin Rite does not allowed married priests except in certain situations.
And seeing all the married pedophiles in protestant churches, I don’t think it really matters. A person who wants to become a priest in the Latin Rite knows he will be taking a vow of celibacy. If he really feels he cannot live withour a wife, then he could simply change rites and get married before he becomes a deacon.
100% of Protestant pastors overlook the statement of Jesus himself in MT 19:12 “…there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
Even the apostles left their families — wives included to follow Jesus. Notice Peter’s complaint in Mt 19:27 — “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” and Jesus’ reply in the very next verse: “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or WIFE or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Again, why do Protestants overlook this?
Then, of course, there’s Paul’s directive in 1 Cor. 7:32-34 — “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. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided.”
You bet they are!!!! I’m catholic — my parents are Protestant with married pastors who must have fat salaries for lovely homes and mortgages, braces and college tuition for their many kids — and their families ARE their first priority — not their congregation. Divided hearts? Oh, yeah!!!
Already married men can become priests. This has always been the case. I know several married men who are ordained in the Catholic Church.
Now, as for the other matter, most paedophiles are married, often molesting their own children. There is no connection to celibacy and sexual deviance. There is however a connection to a pre-existing sickness to sexual deviance.
No Church that existed before the 1500′s allows priests to marry. All allow married men to become married including the Catholic Church. Only in the Roman rite are Priests not allowed to be married although exceptions are made for conversions.
Pedophiles do not seek refuge in the Catholic or any other church.The all seek positions of authority from which they can act against others. That is why they are police officers, school teachers and ministers.
These problems are even more common in the others Churches.
I understand the superior claim to authority that the Church ( Catholic) has. Martin Luther and Henry VIII never met Christ in person but St Peter did, so there´s no argument there.
Where ever their are children and people in positions of trust their will be pedophilia. Teachers, police officers, and priests and other members of clergy their has been and always will be a risk of pedophilia.
Personally I think that celibacy is an unnatural state and that God frowns on unnatural sorts of states like that, it’s simply not natural to be unmarried for a lifetime like that. God told Adam and Eve and his descendants to multiple and replenish the Earth and celibacy is in direct contrary position to that command that God gave.