Synod - 07Oct - Married vs Celibate Priests

Vatican Press Office ^ | October 7, 2005 | H. Em. Card. Nasrallah Pierre SFEIR

[x5452]

The apostles were married.
Numerous Early Church popes and bishops were married.
Eastern Catholic churches are filled with married priests.

Anyone claiming that married priests are less suited for the priesthood, or in some way poor quality or non-priests is denying the history of the Catholic church, and the practices of the church as a whole.

What is it specifically that makes an unmarried man so worrthy in the Latin rite, but a married man just as fit in the Easten rite within the same church body (The Roman Catholic Church)?

This is not an argument of scripture, religion, or doctrine, but one of history and tradition.

[SaltyJoe]

Out of obedience to the original Covenant with Abraham, Jews continue to circumcise they males. Even if there are modern methods to resist infection (and there should be no reason for one of those infections to be an STD since promiscuity is still not allowed), Jews continue the tradition of obedience. It's one of the characteristics of being Jewish.

Even if job performance should become moot (and it won't) concerning celibate priests, there's still the command of obedience that we all must follow. For Catholic Priests, one of those commands to be obedient requires celibacy. If a man can't be celibate, then he shouldn't be a priest. The vocation is not meant for everyone.

[x5452]

Your statement is false. There are numerous Catholic married priests they simply are not in Latin rite churches in western countries.

That is precisly why there is a debate about it at the Synod, there are numerous bishops there from countries which allow married priests, and they are Catholic and there are others from areas which do not allow it and wonder why.

If it was as open as shut as some would like to beleive there would not be a signifigant amount of time spent on it.

I doubt you will see serious discussion time for gay priests, because that is an open and shut issue and not worth the time discussing, however the history of married clergy in the early church, and the presence of married clergy in many parts of the modern church makes the discussion quite complex and worth discussion.

To revise your comment SOME catholic priests are commanded to be celibate, other are not, and between both many wonder why.

[magisterium]

Yet again, the watchword in these types of discussions is "Context." Paul was writing to the first generation (and early second generation) of the Church. All but the youngest of his hearers were born and raised as pagans. Most of them were likely *already* married when they came into the Church. The presbyterate had to be recruited from SOME group of people in Pauls' present moment, so, naturally, he is writing to Timothy about qualifications to be found in the then-existent pool of candidates. Besides, all Paul is saying here is that, if the man is married, he may not divorce and remarry. Nowhere does he say that marriage is a prerequisite for ordination. If that were so, he hmself would not be a candidate, as he was unmarried and never entered into marriage!

[SaltyJoe]

My pardon for throwing in all other Rites instead of pin pointing the Latin Rite as the one with celibate priests. I don't think the Pope is demanding all Catholic Priests to be celibate. But, I doubt the Pope will reverse the vows. I hope that the other Rites aren't worried.

[magisterium]

The Church does not say that the celibate priesthood of the Western Church is a matter of faith. It is a matter of discipline. Theoretically, it could be abolished or amended tomorrow. But don't bet on it. There are lots of good reasons why the West has embraced celibacy for priest, many of then based on the writings of St. Paul already quoted on this thread.

Since it is a matter of discipline, and not one of doctrine, there is no inherent contradiction within Catholicism byt virtue of the existence of a maried Eastern clergy. They simply do not choose to mandate celibacy in their priesthood. And even in the East, bishops *must* come from the ranks of the (many) priests who never married.

[x5452]

Why should a single rite within one church be unable to accept priest accepted in almost all other rites?

Why should priests from the other rites not be able to serve within latin rite churches?

[x5452]

There is a contradiction when churches suffer from not being able to find a priest and cannot accept one from a church which practices a different rite.

[gamarob1]

Getting married is a thing for "pagans"?????? You're whacked, guy. Isn't marriage the first institution of man that God created? Doesn't the book of Hebrews say that MARRIAGE IS HONORABLE AMONG ALL? ALL? (did you catch that word ALL?)

Go back to your monastic, buddhist-like religion that you call "christianity"...

[pro610]

***"Go back to your monastic,buddhist-like religion that you call "Christianity"***

How do you think Jesus would react to this statement from you???

[SaltyJoe]

The Vatican must be doing something very powerful to receive so much in the way of complaints against celibate priests. All of the Apostles opposed Jesus concerning the Holy Eucharist, but it didn't cause Him to back down or reverse this victorious Sacrament. In the end, most of His Apostles were loyal.

The courage of priests acting on faith and obedience are confounding wicked efforts that are more offensive than sowing doubt of spiritual authority. Christ undid Adam's sin (as the tradition holds that Jesus was crucified over Adam's grave). Our Blessed Mother undid Eve's sin of eating the forbidden fruit and passing it to Adam. Now, it's another opportunity for the Church to undo mankind's disobedience by our being loyal to Spiritual Authority. The Church militant will reject the temptation to doubt dogma and discipline.

It's fascinating how the Holy Eucharist has achieved in action the vision of St Don Bosco's dream (The Two Pillars).

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5223/dbosco.html

I suppose it's only a matter of time before we see the victory of the Holy Rosary, as the Catholic culture isn't the only religion that uses prayer beads. Our Blessed Mother will bring the unlikeliest of souls to Christ...perhaps within the coming months starting with this one!

[hispanichoosier]

Why should a single rite within one church be unable to accept priest accepted in almost all other rites?

Because rites developed side by side each with its own history. It would be against charity and justice for the Latin Rite, for example, to force the Latin Liturgy on the Eastern Rites. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom--and other Liturgies--is part of the Tradition of the Eastern Rites; Pope St. Pius V recognezed the Divine Liturgy as a valid and integral part of the Eastern Rites. Likewise, it would be contrary to charity and justice for the Eastern Rites to force a married clergy upon the Latin Rite, as celibacy has been the discipline for Latin Rite clergy for centuries now. One part of being "one church" is to recognize the differences within Rites and acknowledge the traditions within them.

[x5452]

Traditions.

Not scripture. Not calling from God, tradition.

That is the excuse for forcing those called to the priest hood to take a vow of celibacy whether they want to or not.

Frankly If God intended that there should be only celibate priests in the Latin rite perhaps if they dropped the requirement they would be blessed by only candidates willing to do so.

[hispanichoosier]

That is the excuse for forcing those called to the priest hood to take a vow of celibacy whether they want to or not.

You don't seem to get it. No man is "forced" into the priesthood. Either their vocation is to the religious life, or it's not. Nobody puts a gun to their heads.

[x5452]

You don't seem to get that the long standing tradition in the church is that GOD calls men into the priesthood.

For centuries in the church men were called to the priesthood and even the papacy, AFTER they had been married.

Turning away those called to the priesthood is folly.