Replies

You state that Peter was married. If you wish to argue that "Peter was married" then you MUST argue that he continued sexual relations. You can't: you don't know. NONE of us know with moral certainty that Peter and his wife engaged in sexual relations AFTER his appointment as the Head of the Church on earth.

NONE of us know the bed-time practices of the other Apostles.

What we DO know is that celibacy has been a written rule for Roman Rite priests (often broken, like other rules, by sinners...) since around the year 300 AD, and the WRITTEN rule may have been long preceded by the OBSERVED rule.

Parallel: the Assumption was 'observed' by the Faithful LONG before the proclamation was made in the early 1950's.

What we DO know is that celibacy has been a written rule for Roman Rite priests (often broken, like other rules, by sinners...) since around the year 300 AD, and the WRITTEN rule may have been long preceded by the OBSERVED rule.

I think what bugs me the most about non-Catholics who think that our celibacy rules for priests are archaic or non-scriptural or whatever is, why do they care? Is like when the Democrats talk about how if the Republicans just accepted a "woman's right to choose" they would win more elections. Since when do Republicans take advice from Democrats? Since when do Democrats offer advice so Republicans can win?

Should the Church ever change the 1700 year rules on celibacy, it should be done after long and thoughtful prayer and meditation, study, debate, analysis, and opening our hearts to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I, for one, strongly support celibacy among our priests, and I think that most priests (the ones who keep their vows) agree. Married priests would do nothing to solve the problem: active homosexuality in certain seminaries. Let's fix the problem.

The only thing we know about Peter's marital status is that at one time he was married. We know this because he had a mother-in-law. For all the talk it is quite possible his wife died before Jesus chose him. I had a mother-in-law 20 years after my husband died.