Every so often in the media we hear about a married Catholic priest or a priest who wants to be a married priest. The issue is, of course, closely linked to the Catholic Church teaching concerning priestly celibacy. Here’s what the Church teaches.
First, it is quite true that Catholic priests in the early Church were married. Over time, however, the Church – guided by the Holy Spirit – determined that celibacy was both an asset to the Church, as well as to the priesthood.
Catholic Priests, like Fr. McGivney, freely take a vow of celibacy (photo by svadilfari).
Catholic Answers had this to say on the subject of a married catholic priest and celibacy: “priestly celibacy is not an unchangeable dogma but a disciplinary rule,” and Catholic priests freely take up this vow when they are ordained.
The Church has discerned over the years that celibacy is actually a gift from God to his Church.
Celibacy is a sign both to the Catholic people, and to non-Christians that God is real. So real that young men freely give up something really good (sexual relations with a wife and the possibility of children) for something even better - complete and utter union with Jesus Christ and the mystical body of Christ (the Church).
There is a reason Catholics call their priests “Father”, for a priest literally takes the Catholic Church as his “bride.” And because of this spiritual marriage, the Catholic people are his spiritual children. It is a very beautiful union.
For Evangelicals and Bible Christians who ask “where is celibacy in the Bible?” we can point to this passage in which Jesus Christ 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.” (Matt 19: 8-9).
The Church teaches, from the passage above, that Jesus calls on some men to embrace celibacy as a call to the Catholic priesthood and certain women for the religious life.
It is a serious priest scandal when a catholic priest leaves the priesthood to get married, just as it is a scandal when Catholics get a divorce. Both marriage and the priesthood are covenant agreements with God, and when we walk away from them, we diminish their importance in the eyes of the faithful and the world.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this in regards to priests and celibacy:
1599 “In the Latin Church the sacrament of Holy Orders for the presbyterate is normally conferred only on candidates who are ready to embrace celibacy freely and who publicly manifest their intention of staying celibate for the love of God’s kingdom and the service of men.”
The Catholic Catechism then expounds upon the radical Christian witness that celibacy provides to the world:
1579 “All the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate ‘for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.’ Called to consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to ‘the affairs of the Lord,’ they give themselves entirely to God and to men. Celibacy is a sign of this new life to the service of which the Church’s minister is consecrated; accepted with a joyous heart celibacy radiantly proclaims the Reign of God.”
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In the Eastern Rite parishes of the Roman Catholic Church, the priests marry. Also, in the Anglican Rite parishes of the Roman Catholic Church, there are married priests who’ve converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism.
The church freely allows this and supports it and doesn’t teach that these folks are diminished in any way by their marriages. This seems in direct contradiction to the idea that marriage will somehow diminish the priesthood.
Thanks James. You are quite right about Eastern-rite priests and Anglican priests who become Catholic priests. Catholic Answers says it best:
“As these variations and exceptions indicate, priestly celibacy is not an unchangeable dogma but a disciplinary rule. The fact that Peter was married is no more contrary to the Catholic faith than the fact that the pastor of the nearest Maronite Catholic church is married.”
The Church chooses Priests from amongst Celibates.
Its wrong to say that a person sacrifices anything…
The Married priests movement is about Priests, Married men who discern a calling for both a married and priestly state of life. ( I am a part of it …But not the spokesperson..So if any misrepresentation…I am sorry
Which is not wrong in any sense
The Bible, Church History, Theology etc. are all compatible ….
Then whats the fuss about…