Sarah Mitchell
In the Catholic Church, clerical celibacy is a discipline that requires only unmarried men to be ordained to the episcopate, priesthood, or diaconate. This rule was adopted in the Middle Ages, and for 900 years, Catholic priests have been required to remain celibate and abstain from marriage and sexual relations. However, there have been recent discussions about lifting the ban on priest marriages, with some arguing that the rule has no divine origin and that many priests find it challenging to cope with a celibate life. While there are no explicit Bible passages requiring priests to remain celibate, the Catholic Church believes that priests should conform to the chastity of Christ, who is considered married to the church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Are Catholic cardinals allowed to marry? | No, Catholic cardinals are not allowed to marry. |
| Reason | Theologically, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that priesthood is a ministry conformed to the life and work of Jesus Christ. Priests as sacramental ministers act in persona Christi ('in the mask of Christ') and thus the life of the priest conforms to the chastity of Christ himself. |
| Exceptions | In some cases, the Catholic Church has allowed married former Anglican priests to join the priesthood. |
| History | In the early Church, celibacy was not required for those ordained and was accepted, particularly by those in the monastic life. In the Middle Ages, the Church became worried that clerics' children would inherit church property and create dynasties. |
| Change | In 2014, Pope Francis said that he wanted the topic of celibacy discussed, beginning with remote areas like Amazonia that have a shortage of priests. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic cardinals cannot marry
The requirement of celibacy for Catholic clergy is not considered dogma but rather an ecclesiastical law instituted in the Middle Ages. One reason for its adoption was the concern that children of clerics would inherit church property and create dynasties. Over time, this rule became stricter, and by the 12th century, the Latin Church officially required celibacy as a prerequisite for ordination, effectively ending the practice of a married priesthood in the Catholic Church.
While some other Christian denominations have made celibacy optional, it remains a strict rule for Catholic priests and cardinals. However, there have been calls within the Catholic Church to review this rule, with some arguing that it has no "divine origin" and that many priests find it challenging to cope with a celibate life. Nonetheless, as of now, the rule stands, and Catholic cardinals are not permitted to marry.
It is worth noting that there have been exceptions and periods of flexibility regarding this rule in the Catholic Church's history. For example, in the 15th century, the Medici family was known to control Catholicism, handing out positions like Cardinal or Bishop to family members. Additionally, in 2011, the English Catholic Church accepted married former Anglican priests, and there have been discussions about allowing married priests in remote areas with a shortage of priests, such as Amazonia.
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Clerical celibacy in the Catholic Church
Clerical celibacy is a discipline within the Roman Catholic Church, by which only unmarried men are ordained to the episcopate, to the priesthood in the Latin Church, and similarly to the diaconate. The Latin Church, which principally follows this discipline, is one of the 24 rites of the Catholic Church with some particular exceptions and autonomous particular churches. In other autonomous particular churches, the discipline applies only to the episcopate.
Theologically, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that priesthood is a ministry conformed to the life and work of Jesus Christ. Priests as sacramental ministers act in persona Christi ('in the mask of Christ'). Thus, the life of the priest conforms, the church believes, to the chastity of Christ himself. The sacrifice of married life is for the "sake of the Kingdom" (Luke 18:28–30, Matthew 19:27–30), and to follow the example of Jesus Christ in being "married" to the church, viewed by Catholicism and many Christian traditions as the "Bride of Christ" (following Ephesians 5:25–33 and Revelation 21:9, together with the spousal imagery at Mark 2:19–20).
The tradition in the Western or Latin-Rite Church has been for priests and bishops to take vows of celibacy, a rule that has been firmly in place since the early Middle Ages. Even today, exceptions are made. For example, there are married Latin-Rite priests who are converts from Lutheranism and Episcopalianism. As these variations and exceptions indicate, priestly celibacy is not an unchangeable dogma but a disciplinary rule. The fact that St. Peter was married is no more contrary to the Catholic faith than the fact that the pastor of the nearest Maronite Catholic church is married.
The requirement of celibacy is not dogma; it is an ecclesiastical law that was adopted in the Middle Ages because Rome was worried that clerics' children would inherit church property and create dynasties. For several hundred years after the imposition of celibacy on secular (non-monastic/religious) clergy, the sale of church offices continued (known as the sin of Simony). The first male issue of non-married concubines of celibate clergy became set to continue the dynasty (a form of nepotism).
In February 2019, the Vatican acknowledged that the policy has not always been adhered to and that rules had been secretly established to handle clergy who violated their vows of celibacy. Some clergy have been allowed to retain their clerical status after violating their vows of celibacy, and even after secretly marrying women. Prefect for the Congregation for Clergy Cardinal Beniamino Stella also acknowledged that child support and transfer have been two common ways for such clergy to maintain their clerical status.
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Marriage ban for priests
The Catholic Church has upheld a strict rule of celibacy for its clergy for over 900 years. This means that priests are expected to abstain from marriage and sexual relations. Theologically, the Church teaches that priests act in persona Christi ('in the mask of Christ') and thus their lives should conform to the chastity of Christ himself. This belief is based on Jesus' words in Matthew 19:12: "Some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven."
However, this rule of clerical celibacy has not always been in place. In the early Church, it was quite common for clergy to be married, and celibacy was not a prerequisite for ordination. Bishops, priests, and deacons of the Early Church were often married, and celibacy was particularly encouraged for those in the monastic life. It was not until the Second Lateran Council in 1139 that the promise to remain celibate became a requirement for ordination within the Latin Church, effectively ending the practice of a married priesthood.
Today, there are some exceptions to the rule of clerical celibacy within the Catholic Church. The English Catholic Church, for example, has accepted married former Anglican priests under a policy introduced in 2011. Additionally, in 2018, the Belgian Catholic Bishop Conference supported the idea of married priests to address the shortage of priests in certain areas like Amazonia.
Despite these exceptions, the majority of Catholic priests are still expected to remain celibate and unmarried. In recent years, there have been calls from within the Church to re-evaluate this rule. Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Britain's most senior Catholic figure, has suggested that the next pope should review the marriage ban for priests. He points out that many priests find it challenging to cope with celibacy and that ecclesiastical celibacy has no "divine origin." Senior Scottish Catholics, including a former archbishop, have also privately suggested allowing priests to marry to address the severe shortage of young men entering the priesthood.
In conclusion, while the Catholic Church has maintained a long-standing tradition of clerical celibacy, there is a growing discussion within the Church about the possibility of lifting the marriage ban for priests. This discussion considers both the personal difficulties that priests may face in remaining celibate and the practical challenges of priest shortages in certain areas.
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Catholic priests' difficulties with celibacy
Catholic Priests and the Difficulties of Celibacy
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that priests, as ministers, act in persona Christi ('in the mask of Christ') and that their lives conform to the chastity of Christ himself. This means that priests must sacrifice married life for the "sake of the Kingdom" and be "married" to the church, which is viewed as the "Bride of Christ".
However, celibacy is not a doctrine of the Catholic Church, but a discipline. It is not considered essential to Catholic priesthood and is not an unchangeable dogma. In fact, there are several autonomous churches in communion with Rome that do not mandate celibacy, such as the Ukrainian Rite, Syrian Rite, and Maronite Rite. The Latin Rite and the Ethiopian Rite are the only rites that require celibacy.
Historically, the requirement for celibacy was not always strictly enforced, and there have been several Catholic priests who were married. In 2019, the Vatican acknowledged that some clergy have been allowed to retain their clerical status after violating their vows of celibacy, even after secretly marrying women.
Some difficulties with the requirement for celibacy include the creation of a culture of secrecy and hypocrisy, as well as a shortage of priests in certain areas. In 2015, former priest and psychologist Richard Sipe estimated that only 50% of priests, monks, and bishops are actually celibate, and that this has contributed to a culture of secrecy that tolerates and protects pedophiles. Additionally, in 2018, Pope Francis suggested that the topic of celibacy be discussed, particularly in remote areas like Amazonia that are facing a shortage of priests.
While the requirement for celibacy among Catholic priests is not universally agreed upon, it remains a discipline of the Roman Catholic Church.
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History of marriage in the Catholic Church
In the Catholic Church, marriage, also known as holy matrimony, is considered a "covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life". This partnership is meant to be for the good of the spouses, as well as for procreation and the education of their offspring. The Catholic Church's teaching on marriage is based on the belief that God himself is the author of marriage, and that it is not merely a human institution.
Historically, marriage in the context of the Catholic Church has evolved over time. In the first millennium, the Church accepted marriage as a secular reality, and there was no official Christian ritual associated with it. Marriage was primarily viewed as an economic contract, with Jews considering it a commandment for ensuring community stability and prosperity. In the 4th century, when Christianity became the accepted religion in the Roman Empire, liturgical blessings during household weddings became possible. By the 9th century, mutual consent had to be given in the presence of witnesses, but the ceremony remained civil and familial.
Gradually, as the Church's influence expanded, the marriage ceremony transitioned from homes to the front entrances of churches and eventually inside the church assembly. The priest's role became essential, as they received the consent after a public, pre-nuptial investigation. The spouses also participated in the Eucharist on the day the bride moved to the groom's house, and a prayer of blessing was offered.
During the Middle Ages, the Church named marriage as one of the seven sacraments, adopting St. Augustine's perspective that marriage symbolised the indissoluble union between Christ and the Church. This marked a shift from the concept of marriage as a contract to a covenant. In the 16th century, the Council of Trent affirmed this understanding, emphasising the permanence of the marriage contract.
It is important to note that the Catholic Church has specific beliefs regarding marriage. They consider annulment and divorce to be distinct, with annulment declaring that a true marriage never existed, while divorce dissolves a marriage. The Church teaches that marriage is solely between one man and one woman, and it condemns sins against the dignity of marriage, such as adultery, divorce, remarriage after divorce, polygamy, incest, and child abuse.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Catholic cardinals are not allowed to marry. Theologically, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that priesthood is a ministry conformed to the life and work of Jesus Christ, and to follow the example of Jesus Christ in being "married" to the church.
Celibacy is considered to have no "divine origin" and is an ecclesiastical law that was adopted in the Middle Ages. It was believed that members of the church should marry and bear children, but this changed at some point in history.
Yes, in the early Church, it was quite common for clergy to be married, and even encouraged. However, in 1139, the Second Lateran Council officially made the promise to remain celibate a prerequisite to ordination within the Latin Church.
Yes, a widower can become a Catholic cardinal. There is an example of Bishop Jean-François de Hercé of the Diocese of Nantes, who was ordained a priest after the death of his wife and later consecrated as a bishop.
