Baloney! The monks of Ireland spread the Gospel all over Western Europe during the Dark Ages. They also preserved on parchment many of the surviving works of the classical period after the paparyus originals were crumbling to dust after the Arab pirates stopped trade on the Med. And during the Middle Ages, the monks operated probably the best farms in Europe. Some hold that they were the first to established “business hours” for production of a range of goods, and by regular accounting created a capital surplus while lay land lords and bishops depended on the Jews.
When St,Bernard of Clairvaux perceived that the traditional abbeys were growing to “soft.” he started an order than went into the wildest parts of the land and developed it, working so hard that the average monk lived but seven years. The Friars—not technically monks,because they were intinerants, helped make Paris the great university it was and were the preachers who with a Paris Bible in their gowns, preached the Gospel in town squares all over Europe.
Paul set the example a long time ago. If you want to devote your whole life to a cause, don’t get married.
Peter, the guy Catholics claim as their first pope, was married.
Do as I say, not as I do, eh?
Or does Scripture only have authority when it supports RCC doctrine and decisions?
RC priests were allowed to be married for a long time before Rome changed that. And I am continually being reassured that they are still allowed to be married except when they aren’t. Whenever I say priests aren’t allowed to be married, I get chastised. I know at least one priest who was forced to leave the priesthood because he wanted to get married.
There’s a huge difference between what the RCC says and what it allows in practice.