It has been a long standing topic for discussion as to whether the Catholic Church should allow its priests to marry or not. There were opinions both favoring and opposing the stance of the Church. Interestingly, those arguing against the topic have been mostly terming the stance of the Catholic Church as “Conservative”. And, they have a quote from The Bible to support their argument which is from the gospel of St. Mark (Ch.1:30) where there is a mention about St. Peter having a mother-in-law, in spite of more assertive references on the importance of celibacy in the Bible itself.
The answer to the question as to whether the priests should be permitted to have normal family life with wife and children like any lay men or not is significant. For sure, family life is not a “forbidden fruit” to anyone. In fact, the priests also remain always as an integral part of a family, in the larger sense, where he is the head of it – the parish (or the institution he heads). They are into a normal life as anyone, but are there as the specially chosen men to take care of the spiritual requirements of the people, for whom they have the apostolic rights to guide them to the eternal salvation.
Then why celibacy is treated as integral for priesthood in Catholic Church? The Holy Scripture is very clear about celibacy as a divine call. In first letter to Corinthians, St. Paul says; “Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband” (7:2). Some of the people, especially the modernists, refer this as a `command’ rather than a `direction’. However, on the same subject St. Paul continues; “I say this by way of concession, not of command. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one another” (7:6-7). Here, he himself clarifies on his pervious statement of having each man having his own wife and woman her own husband.
St. Paul makes it a point to remind that celibacy is a very precious gift, and about the divided interests a married man might have. Take his words. "Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage . . . those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that .... the unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband" (1 Cor. 7:27-34). His view was that an unmarried man can concentrate more on the affairs of God than a married man. Because, a married man has more first hand responsibilities (liabilities) as he is the one supposed to take care of his family - wife and children - and fulfill their requirements. Whereas, the unmarried man can easily surrender himself to serve for the Kingdom of God as he is free from all such responsibilities.
Both vocations, matrimony and priesthood, are divine. Everyone is destined to respond to his call and whatever the call may be (whether it is to be married or to be a celibate), it needs very special devotion and heavenly blessings to be faithful to the call and be successful. Both of these vocations has its own prominence as both celibates and married men do their role in unity with the Holy Spirit, and take an active part in God’s plan for the humanity. Still, since Jesus Himself has described celibacy as supreme, we cannot ignore it. See how He describes celibacy in the gospel of St. Mathew; “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it" (Matt. 19:11_12). St. Paul also supports this concept in his first letter to Corinthiens. “He who marries does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better" (7:38).
In fact, the Catholic Church chooses the priests from those who voluntarily chose to be a celibate. In other words, those who have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 19:11-12). All (except those who are physically or mentally incapable to have a married life) are welcome to enter into a family life by virtue of accepting the holy sacrament of marriage - but priests are those who opt (`opt’ because of the God Given Freedom to Choose) to relinquish their freedom to enter the holy vacation of matrimony for another holy vacation of celibacy.
Nowhere the priests are allowed to marry, including the Orthodox and Eastern rite Churches, whereas, they consider married men as equally eligible for the priesthood. But, there too the Bishops are chosen from those who have opted to be a celibate. This itself speaks in favor of celibate priesthood.
In Catholic Church, the priests are chosen from celibates and it is not that celibacy is imposed on priests. The married men may have divided interests a married man may have (1 Cor. 7:27-34) and justifiable too as he has to choose between his responsibilities to his own family, and to the Church and the laity for whom he carry out the apostolic rights. So, the best choice is to keep either one of the interests. Thus, being free from the responsibilities of a married life, the Catholic priests can concentrate on their only responsibility that is to concentrate on the interests of the Kingdom of God. In short, a celibate priest could be much more dedicated to his call and do much more good to the Church than a married priest just because of his undivided commitment to the call he `accepted’. Having own family (wife and children) is not forbidden for anyone. In fact those receiving the holy sacrament of marriage also carry out their responsibilities as a devoted family man in the Christian spirit and contribute to the growth of Church. Both (marriage and celibacy) can be equally rewarding at the same time troublesome. It depends on how we respond to the call we received.
To conclude, the calls for allowing catholic priests for a married life are from those who wish for a mere sexual life than married life for them. They consider sex as the most important part in a married life and this is where they are wrong. Moreover, they treat the status of the holy sacrament of marriage as a mere license for sexual life by arguing against the stand of the Catholic Church and they just ignore the higher spirituality of celibacy. The church does not impose celibacy and priesthood on anyone, but is instrumental in its Apostolic Rights to welcome those come voluntarily forward to accept celibacy and priesthood as it is believed, those come forward are those who received The Call to be what they are ought to be.
The answer to the question as to whether the priests should be permitted to have normal family life with wife and children like any lay men or not is significant. For sure, family life is not a “forbidden fruit” to anyone. In fact, the priests also remain always as an integral part of a family, in the larger sense, where he is the head of it – the parish (or the institution he heads). They are into a normal life as anyone, but are there as the specially chosen men to take care of the spiritual requirements of the people, for whom they have the apostolic rights to guide them to the eternal salvation.
Then why celibacy is treated as integral for priesthood in Catholic Church? The Holy Scripture is very clear about celibacy as a divine call. In first letter to Corinthians, St. Paul says; “Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband” (7:2). Some of the people, especially the modernists, refer this as a `command’ rather than a `direction’. However, on the same subject St. Paul continues; “I say this by way of concession, not of command. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one another” (7:6-7). Here, he himself clarifies on his pervious statement of having each man having his own wife and woman her own husband.
St. Paul makes it a point to remind that celibacy is a very precious gift, and about the divided interests a married man might have. Take his words. "Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage . . . those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that .... the unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband" (1 Cor. 7:27-34). His view was that an unmarried man can concentrate more on the affairs of God than a married man. Because, a married man has more first hand responsibilities (liabilities) as he is the one supposed to take care of his family - wife and children - and fulfill their requirements. Whereas, the unmarried man can easily surrender himself to serve for the Kingdom of God as he is free from all such responsibilities.
Both vocations, matrimony and priesthood, are divine. Everyone is destined to respond to his call and whatever the call may be (whether it is to be married or to be a celibate), it needs very special devotion and heavenly blessings to be faithful to the call and be successful. Both of these vocations has its own prominence as both celibates and married men do their role in unity with the Holy Spirit, and take an active part in God’s plan for the humanity. Still, since Jesus Himself has described celibacy as supreme, we cannot ignore it. See how He describes celibacy in the gospel of St. Mathew; “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it" (Matt. 19:11_12). St. Paul also supports this concept in his first letter to Corinthiens. “He who marries does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better" (7:38).
In fact, the Catholic Church chooses the priests from those who voluntarily chose to be a celibate. In other words, those who have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 19:11-12). All (except those who are physically or mentally incapable to have a married life) are welcome to enter into a family life by virtue of accepting the holy sacrament of marriage - but priests are those who opt (`opt’ because of the God Given Freedom to Choose) to relinquish their freedom to enter the holy vacation of matrimony for another holy vacation of celibacy.
Nowhere the priests are allowed to marry, including the Orthodox and Eastern rite Churches, whereas, they consider married men as equally eligible for the priesthood. But, there too the Bishops are chosen from those who have opted to be a celibate. This itself speaks in favor of celibate priesthood.
In Catholic Church, the priests are chosen from celibates and it is not that celibacy is imposed on priests. The married men may have divided interests a married man may have (1 Cor. 7:27-34) and justifiable too as he has to choose between his responsibilities to his own family, and to the Church and the laity for whom he carry out the apostolic rights. So, the best choice is to keep either one of the interests. Thus, being free from the responsibilities of a married life, the Catholic priests can concentrate on their only responsibility that is to concentrate on the interests of the Kingdom of God. In short, a celibate priest could be much more dedicated to his call and do much more good to the Church than a married priest just because of his undivided commitment to the call he `accepted’. Having own family (wife and children) is not forbidden for anyone. In fact those receiving the holy sacrament of marriage also carry out their responsibilities as a devoted family man in the Christian spirit and contribute to the growth of Church. Both (marriage and celibacy) can be equally rewarding at the same time troublesome. It depends on how we respond to the call we received.
To conclude, the calls for allowing catholic priests for a married life are from those who wish for a mere sexual life than married life for them. They consider sex as the most important part in a married life and this is where they are wrong. Moreover, they treat the status of the holy sacrament of marriage as a mere license for sexual life by arguing against the stand of the Catholic Church and they just ignore the higher spirituality of celibacy. The church does not impose celibacy and priesthood on anyone, but is instrumental in its Apostolic Rights to welcome those come voluntarily forward to accept celibacy and priesthood as it is believed, those come forward are those who received The Call to be what they are ought to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment