Roman Catholic Priests

Roman Catholic Priests questions and answers

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Q: How Come The Roman Catholic Priests Cannot Marry?
Between the 3 main religions, Christianity, Judiasm, and Islam, the Roman Catholic demonination of Christianity is the only one that doesn't allow its clergy to marry as well as female priests. I suspect the motive is not at all religious and that it comes from a strict business perspective. My take on it as that if the priest is not married and has no children then he has no heirs to take over anything and all of the assets he has goes to the diocese. The issuw with female priests comes from the negative portrayal of women in church history and also for the fact that they do not want their priests having a "family life". Anyone else agree?

A: Priests and even Popes used to have concubines and even children (Lucretia de Borgia-sp? was the daughter of a Pope) Monks, nuns and Priests were known throughout history to have unwed sex and even children - often fostered out after the birth when it was a nun's child. There's an old joke about the Pope going to the Library in Heaven and crying out in anguish when he discovered that someone forgot the "R" - it was supposed to be CelebRate, not Celebate! I love that one - and believe that a Priest and spiritual representative can't truly know their "flock" unless they can empathize in some way when it comes to family life - and to be honest, I don't call chocolate for the altar-boy a spouse, just doesn't count.......and a Priest simply can't know what marriage involves never having walked that path - Pastors are another story, however, and I tend to have more respect for the Paths that do allow women to officiate and that allow their ministry to marry and have families. Their ministry tends to be more well-rounded and can relate to their "flock" better - but that's just an observance from one who used to go to every church possible in a quest for the church that was the right fit - and though none ever truly fit, I do respect the more well-rounded ministries MUCH more. Human nature and all.....

Q: Is there a scriptural basis for the practice of Roman Catholic priests being celibate? ?
Does it say in the Bible that priests should not marry and have families? Does it say that celibacy is a good thing?

A: Celibacy is Church Practice, Not Dogma Matt. 19:11-12 - Jesus says celibacy is a gift from God and whoever can bear it should bear it. Jesus praises and recommends celibacy for full-time ministers in the Church. Because celibacy is a gift from God, those who criticize the Church's practice of celibacy are criticizing God and this wonderful gift He bestows on His chosen ones. Matt. 19:29 - Jesus says that whoever gives up children for the sake of His name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. Jesus praises celibacy when it is done for the sake of His kingdom. Matt. 22:30 - Jesus explains that in heaven there are no marriages. To bring about Jesus' kingdom on earth, priests live the heavenly consecration to God by not taking a wife in marriage. This way, priests are able to focus exclusively on the spiritual family, and not have any additional pressures of the biological family (which is for the vocation of marriage). This also makes it easier for priests to be transferred to different parishes where they are most needed without having to worry about the impact of their transfer on wife and children. 1 Cor 7:1 – Paul teaches that it is well for a man not to touch a woman. This is the choice that the Catholic priests of the Roman rite freely make. 1 Cor. 7:7 - Paul also acknowledges that celibacy is a gift from God and wishes that all were celibate like he is. 1 Cor. 7:27 – Paul teaches men that they should not seek marriage. In Paul’s opinion, marriage introduces worldly temptations that can interfere with one’s relationship with God, specifically regarding those who will become full-time ministers in the Church. 1 Cor. 7:32-33, 38 - Paul recommends celibacy for full-time ministers in the Church so that they are able to focus entirely upon God and building up His kingdom. He “who refrains from marriage will do better.” 1 Tim. 3:2 - Paul instructs that bishops must be married only once. Many Protestants use this verse to prove that the Church's celibacy law is in error. But they are mistaken because this verse refers to bishops that were widowers. Paul is instructing that these widowers could not remarry. The verse also refers to those bishops who were currently married. They also could not remarry (in the Catholic Church's Eastern rite, priests are allowed to marry; celibacy is only a disciplinary rule for the clergy of the Roman rite). Therefore, this text has nothing to do with imposing a marriage requirement on becoming a bishop. 1 Tim. 4:3 - in this verse, Paul refers to deceitful doctrines that forbid marriage. Many non-Catholics also use this verse to impugn the Church's practice of celibacy. This is entirely misguided because the Catholic Church (unlike many Protestant churches) exalts marriage to a sacrament. In fact, marriage is elevated to a sacrament, but consecrated virginity is not. The Church declares marriage sacred, covenantal and lifegiving. Paul is referring to doctrines that forbid marriage and other goods when done outside the teaching of Christ and for a lessor good. Celibacy is an act of giving up one good (marriage and children) for a greater good (complete spiritual union with God). 1 Tim. 5:9-12 - Paul recommends that older widows take a pledge of celibacy. This was the beginning of women religious orders. 2 Tim. 2:3-4 - Paul instructs his bishop Timothy that no soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim his to satisfy the One who enlisted him. Paul is using an analogy to describe the role of the celibate priesthood in the Church. Rev. 14:4 - unlike our sinful world of the flesh, in heaven, those consecrated to virginity are honored. Isaiah 56:3-7 - the eunuchs who keep God's covenant will have a special place in the kingdom of heaven. Jer. 16:1-4 - Jeremiah is told by God not to take a wife or have children.

Q: Should we forgive Roman Catholic priests that abuse children and allow them to continue working?
In other jobs with access to children such as teaching, a person found out to be abusing children would be blacklisted for life from working with children in any capacity.

A: 1) Should we forgive Roman Catholic priests that abuse children Yes. 2) and allow them to continue working? Well, it seems obvious to me that a) their supposed crimes should be reported to the police b) if they are convicted, they should be sentenced b1) once they are released, they might be permitted to continue working - but not in an environment which might allow them access to children. In other words, they should be (severely) restricted to working with adults only or "put out to pasture" in a monastery. c) if they are *not* convicted, they should be allowed to continue working - with, perhaps, more-than-usual oversight. As I understand it (I may be wrong), those Roman Catholic priests convicted of child molestation are defrocked. They are not allowed to continue working. Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com

Q: Do Roman Catholic Priests and others who have to be celibate also have to refrain from masturbation?


A: Oh I hope not.. Poor guys..

Q: Are exorcisms performed by roman catholic priests exclusively? What about c of e/others?
Was watching apparitions on tv last night and was curious, seems to be the same for the exorcist and emily rose etc.

A: The Catholic church carries out exorcisms whenever the case is proved to be one of genuine demonic posession and will appoint a Priest with experience in the field, to carry it out. I too watched a program recently were a Christian Pastor went about doing what seemed to be actual exorcisms but it seemed more like one of those TV reality staged shows, he used only a Bible and a Cross which he touched to the heads of the supposed possessed and apparently healed them. Yet as anyone would know if they have studied exorcisms it takes a lot more than a few commands to drive out demons, sometimes an exorcism can last for weeks or months, the leading exorcist in Italy is called Fr. Gabriele Armorth, do a search on him for more info. God bless.

Q: Why is it that many Roman Catholic priests have problems with little boys? I mean other denominations?
have had people fall in various ways but the priests seem very consistent with little boys. Why is that?.

A: I think what you’re seeing is media bias. It’s very easy to track the statistics of the Church because everything is organized and centralized in one spot, so the information is more readily available. The same cannot be said of Protestants. Because of their disunity, it is nearly impossible to get an accurate accounting of the pedophilia offenses, however, I do know that despite the huge scandal the Church has endured, only 2% of our priests have committed those crimes. I have heard that the number is much higher among Protestants, even though they won’t get near the media attention the Catholics will get.

Q: Are Roman Catholic priests allowed to adopt children?
I'm reading "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown and one of the characters was adopted by a priest as a child. I'm aware that the book is a work of fiction.

A: Not really. Most priests have too many duties and too little salary to properly raise a family. With love in Christ.

Q: Will Roman Catholic Priests Ever Marry?
Of all of the Christian churches, the Roman Catholics are the only one that doesn't have its clergy marry; or female priests. Do you ever see it changing as time goes on? Or is this the way it will always stay?

A: Yes, I do see a change, but not necessarily in my life time. I believe the first change will be the ordination of women and then, long after, a choice for priests to marry or remain celibate.

Q: How do Roman Catholic priests feel about...?
How do Roman Catholic priests feel about a woman who is marrying someone with a different religion. Or is even ok in the first place?

A: The following is the teaching of the Church about your question. Mixed marriages and disparity of cult 1633 In many countries the situation of a mixed marriage (marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic) often arises. It requires particular attention on the part of couples and their pastors. A case of marriage with disparity of cult (between a Catholic and a non-baptized person) requires even greater circumspection. 1634 Difference of confession between the spouses does not constitute an insurmountable obstacle for marriage, when they succeed in placing in common what they have received from their respective communities, and learn from each other the way in which each lives in fidelity to Christ. But the difficulties of mixed marriages must not be underestimated. They arise from the fact that the separation of Christians has not yet been overcome. The spouses risk experiencing the tragedy of Christian disunity even in the heart of their own home. Disparity of cult can further aggravate these difficulties. Differences about faith and the very notion of marriage, but also different religious mentalities, can become sources of tension in marriage, especially as regards the education of children. The temptation to religious indifference can then arise. 1635 According to the law in force in the Latin Church, a mixed marriage needs for liceity the express permission of ecclesiastical authority.137 In case of disparity of cult an express dispensation from this impediment is required for the validity of the marriage.138 This permission or dispensation presupposes that both parties know and do not exclude the essential ends and properties of marriage; and furthermore that the Catholic party confirms the obligations, which have been made known to the non-Catholic party, of preserving his or her own faith and ensuring the baptism and education of the children in the Catholic Church.139 1636 Through ecumenical dialogue Christian communities in many regions have been able to put into effect a common pastoral practice for mixed marriages. Its task is to help such couples live out their particular situation in the light of faith, overcome the tensions between the couple's obligations to each other and towards their ecclesial communities, and encourage the flowering of what is common to them in faith and respect for what separates them.1637 In marriages with disparity of cult the Catholic spouse has a particular task: "For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband."140 It is a great joy for the Christian spouse and for the Church if this "consecration" should lead to the free conversion of the other spouse to the Christian faith.141 Sincere married love, the humble and patient practice of the family virtues, and perseverance in prayer can prepare the non-believing spouse to accept the grace of conversion. Peace and every blessing!

Q: Why don't Roman Catholic priests get married?
im a catholic myself and i don't even know!! i think its a little odd cuz my friend's dad is a Presbyteriann pasture and he isobviouslyy married! it seems like every religion's priest or pasture or whatever is allowed to get married except Catholic ones...

A: For the same reason doctors can’t be romantically/sexually involved with their patients. It would be a form of incest. Priests are spiritual fathers, and it would not be appropriate for them to date and marry one of their children. Furthermore, the power imbalance makes meaningful consent impossible. This is less of an issue for Protestants, because the authority of their clergy is usually limited to a specific congregation, but a priest is a spiritual father and an authority figure to all Catholics. “Sexual exploitation is a betrayal of trust in a pastoral relationship by the development or the attempted development of a sexual or romantic relationship. SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OCCURS WHEN ANY ORDAINED PRIEST, minister, pastor, rabbi, professional pastoral counselor, chaplain, or lay staff member in a defined ministry role (for example, Stephen minister, lay Eucharistic minister, minister of music, youth minister), PARTICIPATES IN SEXUAL BEHAVIOR WITH ANY PERSON SERVED IN THAT WORKER’S MINISTRY. Because of the UNEQUAL POWER INHERENT IN ALL PASTORAL RELATIONSHIPS, this holds true EVEN WHEN THE PERSON SERVED INITIATES OR APPARENTLY CONSENTS to the sexual behavior. Exploitative behavior can range from sexualized verbal comments, overt and covert seductive speech, gestures, and requests for sexual favors, to erotic kissing or touching, to sexual intercourse. In sexual exploitation, both the person who is the recipient of the sexual behavior and the office of ministry itself are being exploited for the sexual gratification of the religious leader who engages in the sexualized behavior.” (Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling, page 346, emphasis mine) Catholic (contrary to popular belief, the Catholic Church DOES have married priests) and Orthodox Churches both ordain married men (men who married BEFORE becoming spiritual fathers and authority figures), but ordained men may not marry. EDIT: Seven thumbs down? I guess those people are cool with sexual exploitation. Sickos.

Q: Should the Roman Catholic church tell the about the pervert priests in their ranks?
We know that there is about 500 child molesters - Roman Catholic priests in the church. Time to come clean?

A: We already have.

Q: How much is the salary of roman catholic priests in the diocese of sacramento,united states of america?
just curious...

A: Ask your diocesan officials.

Q: Would You Be Alright If A New Church Rule Was Passed Allowing Roman Catholic Priests To Get Married?
The Roman Catholic church is one of the only religious sects where the Priests cannot get married and still does not allow females in high positions. The Jewish, Muslim, and other Catholic sects such as Protestants, and Episcopals to name some allow their priests to get married and raise families. Do you think the Roman Catholic church would ever change this? If the time does come would you be happy about it?

A: I believe the Catholic Church *will* change this, very possibly in my lifetime. There are already married priests in the Catholic Church. This is simply not the ordinary practice for various historical and practical reasons; but many would argue that the disadvantages of celibacy are outweighing the benefits. Women "in high positions" is quite another matter. There are specific, theological reasons why women are not ordained, and only the most dire emergencies would ever affect this practice. I have heard that in very rare instances of extreme persecution it has been done when it was the only way to maintain an ordained priesthood, but I don't have specific facts about this.

Q: Roman Catholic Priests and Celebacy?
As a Roman Catholic, I know all the church's & religious reasons given why a priest is supposed to be celebate, i.e. to be married to God & the faith etc. but I find it incredible that this still remains the rule. My opinion is that is unnatural and cruel to expect a man to sacrafice companionship, love and physical relationships with another human being in order to serve God. Loving another human being surely does not restrict a man's capability to love and serve God? What kind of person then does the church appeal to? Someone who does not need a healthy loving relationship in their life? Is this why there is so much peadophilia discovered within priests? If God is all loving, why would he be so selfish as to demand that a man willing to serve him, be exclusive to Him only? Why would God not want his loyal servant to be rewarded with the joy of having a family and experiencing the love of a partner or children.Surely there is no greater thing in this life than to love and be loved.

A: you are a slow learner , arent you?

Q: Do other clergymen abuse their young parishoners on par with Roman Catholic priests in the US?
Sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests has cost the U.S. church at least $1.5 billion since 1950. --Yahoo News Article, today. Are other religious organizations more successful at keeping this out of the papers? This seems like a problem of epidemic proportions, but it is unrealistic (to me) that the behavior of other clerics is not similar. Is there something different about the Roman Catholics that can explain this?

A: OVERALL DATA The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data Systems was developed by the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Human Services in partnership with the States to collect annual statistics on child maltreatment from State child protective services agencies. For the year 2001, it was found that approximately 903,000 children were victims of child maltreatment, 10 percent of whom (or 90,000) were sexually abused. It also found that 59 percent of the perpetrators of child abuse or neglect were women and 41 percent were men.[i] In 2001, clinical child psychologist Wade F. Horn reported on the work of researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. The researchers found that nearly 20 percent of low-income women, recruited through family planning, obstetrical or gynecological clinics, had experienced child sexual abuse. Horn summarized the researchers’ findings on poor women as follows: “Family friends and acquaintances compose the largest group of perpetrators (28 percent), followed by such relatives as uncles and cousins (18 percent), stepfathers (12 percent), male siblings (10 percent), biological fathers (10 percent), boyfriends of the child’s mother (9 percent), grandfathers and stepgrandfathers (7 percent), and strangers (4 percent).” Horn was struck by the fact that 10 percent were biological fathers and only 4 percent were strangers. “Which means,” he said, “86 percent of the perpetrators were known to the family, but were someone other than the child’s father.”[ii] According to Dr. Garth A. Rattray, about the same incidence of abuse occurs among all the socio-economic classes. For example, he reports that “about 85 percent of the offenders [of child sexual abuse] are family members, babysitters, neighbors, family friends or relatives. About one in six child molesters are other children.” Unlike the first study cited, Rattray reports that most of the offenders are male.[iii] It is obvious that children are much more likely to be sexually abused by family members and friends than by anyone else. This suggests that if preventative measures are to work, they must begin in the home, and not someplace else. Specific data on PRIESTS, PROTESTANT MINISTERS, NON-CHRISTIAN CLERGY, AND TEACHERS: http://www.catholicleague.org/research/abuse_in_social_context.htm CONCLUSION The issue of child sexual molestation is deserving of serious scholarship. Too often, assumptions have been made that this problem is worse in the Catholic clergy than in other sectors of society. This report does not support this conclusion. Indeed, it shows that family members are the most likely to sexually molest a child. It also shows that the incidence of the sexual abuse of a minor is slightly higher among the Protestant clergy than among the Catholic clergy, and that it is significantly higher among public school teachers than among ministers and priests. In a survey for the Wall Street Journal-NBC News, it was found that 64 percent of the public thought that Catholic priests frequently abused children.[xxxix] This is outrageously unfair, but it is not surprising given the media fixation on this issue. While it would be unfair to blame the media for the scandal in the Catholic Church, the constant drumbeat of negative reporting surely accounts for these remarkably skewed results.[xl] Without comparative data, little can be learned. Numbers are not without meaning, but they don’t count for much unless a baseline has been established. Moreover, sexual misconduct is difficult to measure given its mostly private nature. While crime statistics are helpful, we know from social science research that most crimes go unreported. This is especially true of sexual abuse crimes. At the end of the day, estimates culled from survey research are the best we can do. By putting the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in perspective, it is hoped that this report will make for a more fair and educated public response.