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Debate: Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry?
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*'''Marriage and family do not distract from priesthood.''' Thomas DeMatteo, a non-practicing Catholic from Dingmans Ferry, Delaware, USA: "There are pastors and ministers who are allowed to marry and it doesn't affect their job in doing God's work. I really don't see a problem with priests being able to wed."[http://media.www.tchnews.com/media/storage/paper840/news/2007/03/26/Opinion/Should.Priests.Be.Permitted.To.Marry-2790011.shtml] | *'''Marriage and family do not distract from priesthood.''' Thomas DeMatteo, a non-practicing Catholic from Dingmans Ferry, Delaware, USA: "There are pastors and ministers who are allowed to marry and it doesn't affect their job in doing God's work. I really don't see a problem with priests being able to wed."[http://media.www.tchnews.com/media/storage/paper840/news/2007/03/26/Opinion/Should.Priests.Be.Permitted.To.Marry-2790011.shtml] | ||
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- | *'''Some apostles were married; priests should be allowed to marry too.''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31091-2004Nov6.html Joseph Snyder, Alexandria. "Should Roman Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Marry?". Washington Post, Letter to the Editor. November 7, 2004] "some of the 12 apostles were married. So what is the problem?" | ||
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- | *'''Many priests can marry, Roman Catholics should too.''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31091-2004Nov6.html Joseph Snyder. "Should Roman Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Marry?". Washington Post, Letter to the Editor. November 7, 2004]: "Eastern Orthodox Catholic priests are allowed to marry. Also, certain married Protestant priests may convert as priests to the Roman Catholic faith. Obviously, the precedent for married Catholic priests is already established. So the question is not 'if' Roman Catholic priests should be married but 'when.'" | ||
*'''[[Argument: Married priests could better consult married churchgoers| Married priests could better consult married churchgoers]]''' Priests are counselors in many ways, counseling individuals on their lives and how they can better reach God. Because marriage is such an important part of living a moral life, it would be valuable for priests to be married so that they can better understand their married churchgoers and provide better counseling as a result. | *'''[[Argument: Married priests could better consult married churchgoers| Married priests could better consult married churchgoers]]''' Priests are counselors in many ways, counseling individuals on their lives and how they can better reach God. Because marriage is such an important part of living a moral life, it would be valuable for priests to be married so that they can better understand their married churchgoers and provide better counseling as a result. | ||
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*'''Celibacy forces priests to live a life of loneliness.''' [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article577213.ece Ann Bain. "Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry?". Times Online, Comment. October 11, 2005]: "Of course priests should be allowed to marry. There is nothing sadder than seeing an old priest live out his days with no family of his own; the zeal and fervour of youth has gone and ahead, loneliness." | *'''Celibacy forces priests to live a life of loneliness.''' [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article577213.ece Ann Bain. "Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry?". Times Online, Comment. October 11, 2005]: "Of course priests should be allowed to marry. There is nothing sadder than seeing an old priest live out his days with no family of his own; the zeal and fervour of youth has gone and ahead, loneliness." | ||
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- | *'''[[Argument: Catholic Church did not adopt celibacy until second millennium| Catholic Church did not adopt celibacy until second millennium]]''' [http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/15/cozzens.celibacy.discussion/ Rev. Donald Cozzens. "Commentary: Celibacy should be rethought". CNN. May 15, 2009]: "More and more Catholics today are coming to understand that celibacy as a universal law for priests had its origins in the 12th century and that during the church's first millennium, priests and bishops -- and at least thirty-nine popes -- were married." | ||
*'''Celibacy is no "gift from God", but only Church mandate.''' [http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/15/cozzens.celibacy.discussion/ Rev. Donald Cozzens. "Commentary: Celibacy should be rethought". CNN. May 15, 2009]: "How can a gift be legislated? The church answers that if a man is called to the priesthood, God will grant him the gift of celibacy. Many priests today wonder how church leaders know this. Reading the mind of God in this matter -- in any matter of church discipline -- is risky business. [...] More and more Catholics today are coming to understand that celibacy as a universal law for priests had its origins in the 12th century and that during the church's first millennium, priests and bishops -- and at least thirty-nine popes -- were married." Therefore, in the first years of the Church, it was not seen as a gift from God. It can only be seen, therefore, as something that the Church imposed on itself as a discipline and mandate. And, the Church can undo such a mandate. | *'''Celibacy is no "gift from God", but only Church mandate.''' [http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/15/cozzens.celibacy.discussion/ Rev. Donald Cozzens. "Commentary: Celibacy should be rethought". CNN. May 15, 2009]: "How can a gift be legislated? The church answers that if a man is called to the priesthood, God will grant him the gift of celibacy. Many priests today wonder how church leaders know this. Reading the mind of God in this matter -- in any matter of church discipline -- is risky business. [...] More and more Catholics today are coming to understand that celibacy as a universal law for priests had its origins in the 12th century and that during the church's first millennium, priests and bishops -- and at least thirty-nine popes -- were married." Therefore, in the first years of the Church, it was not seen as a gift from God. It can only be seen, therefore, as something that the Church imposed on itself as a discipline and mandate. And, the Church can undo such a mandate. | ||
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:[http://www.pearlsofnonsense.com/2009/05/12/should-catholic-priests-be-allowed-to-marry-i-dont-think-so.html "Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry? I don’t think so." Pearls of Nonsense. May 12th, 2009]: "I’m no theologian, but it seems there are two main ways we Catholic faithful share in the Church’s mission as adults: through marriage and family life, or through religious and clerical life. Since both vocations require a lifelong, full-time commitment, it seems unreasonable to expect anyone to do both at the same time. For example, if a priest were also a husband and father, and he had to choose between the needs of the Church and the needs of his wife and children, who would come first? Or, similarly, if a nun were also a wife and mother? There’s no obviously correct answer, so the preferable thing to do is avoid the question." | :[http://www.pearlsofnonsense.com/2009/05/12/should-catholic-priests-be-allowed-to-marry-i-dont-think-so.html "Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry? I don’t think so." Pearls of Nonsense. May 12th, 2009]: "I’m no theologian, but it seems there are two main ways we Catholic faithful share in the Church’s mission as adults: through marriage and family life, or through religious and clerical life. Since both vocations require a lifelong, full-time commitment, it seems unreasonable to expect anyone to do both at the same time. For example, if a priest were also a husband and father, and he had to choose between the needs of the Church and the needs of his wife and children, who would come first? Or, similarly, if a nun were also a wife and mother? There’s no obviously correct answer, so the preferable thing to do is avoid the question." | ||
- | *'''The Church should maintain its tradition of celibacy.''' [http://www.helium.com/debates/69718-priests-should-be-permitted-to-marry/side_by_side R.N. Lentejas Jr. "Debate: Priests should be permitted to marry". Helium]: "I believe that priests in the Latin Church should live a celibate life to maintain the rich tradition of the Church. It has been a universal notion from time immemorial until today and until the future that priests are celibates for the sake of the Kingdom of God. This is a universal understanding from across the globe unique to Catholic priests alone, because there are priests in other Christian churches who are actually married. There exists among them (Catholic priests) a universal concept of brotherhood, surpassing the many barriers of race, culture, ethnic origin, economic standing, and many others." | ||
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====Pro==== | ====Pro==== | ||
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+ | *'''[[Argument: Catholic Church did not adopt celibacy until second millennium| Catholic Church did not adopt celibacy until second millennium]]''' [http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/15/cozzens.celibacy.discussion/ Rev. Donald Cozzens. "Commentary: Celibacy should be rethought". CNN. May 15, 2009]: "More and more Catholics today are coming to understand that celibacy as a universal law for priests had its origins in the 12th century and that during the church's first millennium, priests and bishops -- and at least thirty-nine popes -- were married." | ||
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+ | *'''Some apostles were married; priests should be allowed to marry too.''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31091-2004Nov6.html Joseph Snyder, Alexandria. "Should Roman Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Marry?". Washington Post, Letter to the Editor. November 7, 2004] "some of the 12 apostles were married. So what is the problem?" | ||
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+ | *'''Many priests can marry, Roman Catholics should too.''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31091-2004Nov6.html Joseph Snyder. "Should Roman Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Marry?". Washington Post, Letter to the Editor. November 7, 2004]: "Eastern Orthodox Catholic priests are allowed to marry. Also, certain married Protestant priests may convert as priests to the Roman Catholic faith. Obviously, the precedent for married Catholic priests is already established. So the question is not 'if' Roman Catholic priests should be married but 'when.'" | ||
*'''Married men don't have to divorce upon entering priesthood.''' [http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2009/05/12/catholic-church-should-end-celibacy-rule-let-rev-cutie-and-other-priests-marry.html John Aloysius Farrell. "Catholic Church Should End Celibacy Rule, Let Rev. Cutie and Other Priests Marry". US News and World Report. May 12, 2009]: "if you come to the priesthood already married, the church doesn't make you divorce. There are practicing Catholic married priests, and the world has not come to a flaming end." | *'''Married men don't have to divorce upon entering priesthood.''' [http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2009/05/12/catholic-church-should-end-celibacy-rule-let-rev-cutie-and-other-priests-marry.html John Aloysius Farrell. "Catholic Church Should End Celibacy Rule, Let Rev. Cutie and Other Priests Marry". US News and World Report. May 12, 2009]: "if you come to the priesthood already married, the church doesn't make you divorce. There are practicing Catholic married priests, and the world has not come to a flaming end." | ||
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====Con==== | ====Con==== | ||
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+ | *'''The Church should maintain its tradition of celibacy.''' [http://www.helium.com/debates/69718-priests-should-be-permitted-to-marry/side_by_side R.N. Lentejas Jr. "Debate: Priests should be permitted to marry". Helium]: "I believe that priests in the Latin Church should live a celibate life to maintain the rich tradition of the Church. It has been a universal notion from time immemorial until today and until the future that priests are celibates for the sake of the Kingdom of God. This is a universal understanding from across the globe unique to Catholic priests alone, because there are priests in other Christian churches who are actually married. There exists among them (Catholic priests) a universal concept of brotherhood, surpassing the many barriers of race, culture, ethnic origin, economic standing, and many others." | ||
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Revision as of 00:25, 27 May 2009
Church: Does celibacy hurt/help priests perform duties to the Church? | |
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Con
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Tradition: Is it wrong to maintain the tradition of Catholic priest celibacy? | |
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Con
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Sexual abuse: Will allowing priests to marry lower sexual abuse in Church? | |
Pro
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Con
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Finances: Would allowing priests to marry help/hurt Church finances? | |
Pro
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Con
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Vocations: Would allowing priests to marry increase vocations? | |
Pro
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Con
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Pro/con sources | |
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Con |
External links |
Categories: Priests | Christianity | Religion | Catholicism | Marriage | Sex | Morality