The Bible nowhere prescribes chastity or promotes it as a holier estate. Sex within marriage is the biblical norm; some have the gift of singleness and that is a gift, too. One is not superior to the other.
“Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4
The great patriarchs of the faith from Adam to Moses to the disciples to Peter himself were married:
“Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?” 1st Corinthians 9:5
They are not considered less holy or exalted than any other believer due to their married estate. Paul, at least at some point, was not married. Yet he is not exalted as greater than the others. Mary was married!
God gave Eve to Adam because He said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18). We will hardly accuse God of making Adam less godly or holy or righteous, will we?
It is still not good for man to be alone, except for those who are specifically called to singleness.
“There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:34
So we see that we serve the Lord as married, or as single, and one estate is obviously not presented by God in His word as the superior state or what you should be striving for. Determine your calling and fulfill it without feeling “lesser” if you do not “achieve” one or the other.
” Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1st Timothy 4:2-4
While not forbidding all to marry, in the RC church they do forbid priests and nuns to do so. This is wrong. So is promoting singleness over marriage, or vice versa for that matter.
This is yet another issue that separates Roman Catholic adherents from Biblical Christians:
Rome: Priests don't marry.
Biblical Christian: Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife..(1 Tim 3:2)
Another case where tradition trumps Scripture.
Interesting that forbidding to marry is considered a sign of a cult, along with demanding abstinence from food.
I think what Catholics and Catholicism fails to distinguish is the individual choosing to fast for a season for a specific purpose, and a religion demanding said behavior from its adherents.