Posted on 11/16/2006 8:00:53 AM PST by SmithL
The only reason I can see for the church not allowing married priests is MONEY AND the possibility of divorce. To have a help-mate is a great asset for a priest.
I generally make it a point to avoid judgmental comments when I post stories about other people's religions. Religions, even ones I disagree with, have the right to make their own rules. I found it amazing (and somewhat amusing) that The Associated Press tried to influence the selection of the Pope.
Nevertheless, it's no big secret around here that I am a huge fan of Dr. Luther.
"Let them [other men] laugh. God and the angels are smiling in heaven."
"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage."
you don't have to be a Catholic priest if you don't want to
On the other hand, there's 1 Cor 7.
Those are not the reasons.
Most people do not know that although there were married priests up until the eleventh century, these men were not allowed to have sexual intercourse after ordination. There are papal and conciliar decrees dating from the beginning of the fourth century, which show that all clerics, whether or not they were married, were required to observe perfect continence after they were ordained and they were NEVER permitted to marry or remarry after ordination.
Celibacy marks the priest as someone consecrated to the service of Christ and His Church. It reflects the ontological change that has occurred in the priest as a result of his ordination. It configures the priest to Christ, the great High Priest, who never married and who called those who could do so to renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom. It also has an eschatological dimension, pointing to the coming of the Kingdom when marriage will no longer exist.
On the other, other hand, there's 1 Timothy 3.
It's only sex they can't have they can still go to the bathroom.
POPE YEAR OF PAPACY NOTES
Innocent III 1484 - 1492 Several children
Alexander VI 1492 - 1503 2 grandchildren were Cardinals
Julius 1503 - 1513 Three daughters
Paul III 1534 - 1549 One daughter, three sons
Pius IV 1559 - 1565 Three sons
Gregory XIII 1572 - 1585 One son
Sources:
Kelly, J. N. D. The Oxford Dictionary of Popes. Oxford Press. 1986.
H.C. Lea. History of Sacerdotal Celibacy in the Christian Church. 1957.
E. Schillebeeckx. The Church with a Human Face. Crossroad, 1985.
U. Ranke-Heinemann. Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. Doubleday, 1990.
A. L. Barstow. Married Priests and the Reforming Papacy. The Edward Mellen Press, 1982.
Lies - All lies Click Here
Yes. We had imperfect popes, starting with St. Peter.
There is something absurd, distressing, and amusing about that.
What is the point of your post? Is it that the Church's rule on celibacy is not valid because a few popes violated it? If that were the case, then the Church's prohibition against fornication would also be invalid.
Your list proves nothing. It doesn't prove that the papacy is an illegitimate institution nor does it prove that celibacy is a bad discipline. It only shows that you have an anti-Catholic bias that you just can't hide.
They were not followed faithfully, then or now.
What I posted was actuality. What you posted was theory.
Rules are useless unless they are followed.
Your resort to the old canard of accusing me of anti-catholic bias really indicates you have no valid answer thus you are compelled to ad hominem attacks.
With regard to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the promise of celibacy and vow of chastity are synonymous.
Not all of your Priests are married and your Bishops are selected exclusively from the ranks of celibate Priests.
21 of the 22 Churches sui juris in five of the six Rites which comprise the Catholic Church, ordain, as a norm, married men. The Latin Rite does not.
"Not all of your Priests are married and your Bishops are selected exclusively from the ranks of celibate Priests."
I know that, AAC. Did you think I didn't? The overwhelming numbe of our priests are married. The celibates are all monastics, though not all monastics, indeed only a small percentage of them, are priests. Virtually all bishops were at one point monastics, but on occassion we do have a bishop who is a widower.
"Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?" 1 Corinthians 9:5
Not your corrupted revision of those words.
You are aware aren't you that the "discipline" of unmarried clergy is not scriptural?
You aren't too aware of what Scripture actually says, are you?
"For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother's womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it." Matthew 19:12
"Then Peter answering, said to him: Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have? And Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you, who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting. And many that are first, shall be last: and the last shall be first." Matthew 19:27-30
"Then Peter said: Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee. Who said to them: Amen, I say to you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, Who shall not receive much more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. " Luke 18:28-30
"For this Melchisedech was king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him: To whom also Abraham divided the tithes of all: who first indeed by interpretation, is king of justice: and then also king of Salem, that is, king of peace: Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but likened unto the Son of God, continueth a priest for ever." Hebrews 7:1-3
One would think that you self proclaimed Scripture experts would actually find out what Scripture states before sticking your feet in your mouths.
By the way, Christ, the High Priest Himself, wasn't married either.
"For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, in offering himself. For the law maketh men priests, who have infirmity: but the word of the oath, which was since the law, the Son who is perfected for evermore." Hebrews 7:26-28
No doubt.
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