Do you think the Caholic Church should allow catholic priests to marry?

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.

Priests used to be allowed to marry, and Eastern Rite priests still are. Someday, the Latin Rite priests may be allowed to marry, too, but not until the laity of the Church steps up and does a lot of the work. For now, being a priest is a 24/7/365 obligation, and a priest cannot properly care for a wife and kids when he is devoting so much time to the Church. If the laity would do more to help feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, comfort the dying, educate the ignorant, etc., etc., it would be different. Also, there is a financial consideration -- the difference between supporting a priest vs. supporting a priest, his wife and his kids is considerable. Priests are sexual beings, just like the rest of us. They simply offer their sexuality to the Lord, as a sacrifice, and the Lord honors that sacrifice. Sexual activity is NOT a necessity. Many people live without it. Many people SHOULD live without it, such as those who are only attracted to adolescents or children, or those who only have a taste for brutal, violent sex. We all expect sexual deviants to control their sexual appetites. It should be far easier for a mentally healthy person to control theirs.

First, the Church does not force celibacy on priests. A priest freely chooses celibacy, a choice he makes long before he’s ordained. Priestly celibacy is a charism of the Holy Spirit, a gift, a special grace that depends on a free-will response by the receiver:

[It] is to be welcomed and continually renewed with a free and loving decision as a priceless gift from God, as an "incentive to pastoral charity" as a singular sharing in God's fatherhood and in the fruitfulness of the Church, and as a witness to the world of the eschatological kingdom. (John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis, 29)

Second, there are no objective studies that link mandatory celibacy to the priest shortage. If that were the case, then how does one explain the recent growth in priestly vocations worldwide? The late Cardinal John J. O’Connor said many of the men and women he talked to about vocations to religious life put the celibacy issue far down on their list of reasons for hesitating or turning away. A far more common reason was that no one ever seriously asked them (see "Celibacy Isn’t the Problem" by Cardinal John O’Connor).

I think in today's world, yes they should. The whole thing about celibacy was an ancient belief. There are some things in life that need to change. I was born n raised a Catholic. Things are different now than they were 300 years ago. I think this a contributing factor to why there is a shortage of priests today.

Yes, I agree, The Catholic priests should be allowed to marry

I always thought this was weird. I love how they say that it's not forced... yet the only way to become a Catholic Priest is if you take a vow of celibacy. Now, considering their alleged first pope, St Peter, was married... how do they justify telling those who follow they can't if they want to be a priest? They should be allowed to marry if they want. Being married doesn't do anything to a persons spirituality. If it diminishes their spirituality in any way, were they truly "spiritual" to begin with? I don't think so.

There is no theological reason why priests should be required to be celibate and unmarried. In fact before the eleventh century celibacy was optional. Only the Latin Rite Catholics maintain this discipline.

In Christ

Fr. Joseph

No,that would go against the bible.

It says a Man can't have two masters,he will be devout to one and not to the other. He will be more worried about his family than the church. He is "married" to the Church. Simple Answer: No.

Celibacy is a deviant lifestyle so it attracts deviants,What better way to camouflage deviant sexual desires then go into a profession where you can't have sex. I think the Catholic church would avoid allot of problems if it allows priests to marry,it wouldn't attract as many deviants.

Yes they should. Since priests cannot marry its propably why theres not that many. Should the same be allowed for nuns though?