Michael Brooks
The Catholic Church has a long and complex history when it comes to the issue of priestly marriage and celibacy. In the early Christian church, there was no rule against clergy marrying and having children. However, over time, the Western Church began to limit ordination to unmarried men, while the Eastern Churches were more relaxed, only requiring their married clergy to abstain from sexual relations for a limited period before celebrating the Eucharist. Today, in the Latin Rite (commonly associated with Catholicism), priests are generally not allowed to marry, with a few rare exceptions, usually involving converts from other faiths. In contrast, Eastern Catholic Churches may ordain married men as priests but not as bishops, and priests are not permitted to marry after ordination. The ban on marriage for Catholic priests is considered a regulation rather than dogma, and some have called for its reconsideration, particularly in areas facing a shortage of priests.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date Catholic priests stopped marrying | The Second Lateran Council in 1139 made celibacy mandatory for future priests in the Western Church |
| Exceptions | Exceptions are sometimes made for married male Lutheran, Anglican, and other Protestant clergy who convert to the Catholic Church |
| Reasoning | To lift the status of priests at a time when their authority was being challenged; to control a person's sex life, money, employment, and benefice; to prevent the diversion of parish funds to support priests' families; to foster spiritual purity and undivided service to God |
| Other | The Eastern Catholic Church still has married priests |
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What You'll Learn
The Council of Elvira in 304
The Council of Elvira, held in the early fourth century (likely between 300 and 306 CE) in what is now southern Spain, was a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church, particularly regarding the issue of clerical celibacy. The council, attended by nineteen bishops and twenty-four to twenty-six priests, mostly from the region of Hispania Baetica, was convened to address matters of order, discipline, and conduct within the Christian community.
The Council of Elvira produced eighty-one canons, all of which were disciplinary in nature, offering valuable insights into the religious and ecclesiastical life of Spanish Christians at the time. Among these canons was Canon 33, which stated that "bishops, presbyters, and deacons and all other clerics" were to "abstain completely from their wives and not to have children." This canon marked the first written mandate requiring priests to be celibate and is considered the oldest positive ecclesiastical ordinance concerning clerical celibacy.
The emergence of this canon at the Council of Elvira reflects the belief that religious figures should embody purity and chastity, a concept that predated Christianity. Ancient Druid priests, for example, were thought to have been celibate, and even Jesus, who never married, was referred to as a eunuch in the Bible. The early Christian church, however, lacked a strict rule against clergy marrying and having children. Peter, a Galilean fisherman considered by the Catholic Church as the first Pope, was married, and some Popes were the sons of Popes.
The Council of Elvira's mandate for clerical celibacy did not immediately resolve the issue. The Western Church later limited ordination to unmarried men, while the Eastern Churches were more relaxed, allowing Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic priests to marry before ordination and only requiring abstinence for a limited period before celebrating the Eucharist. Despite the mandate, violations of the celibacy policy occurred, leading to the secret establishment of rules by the Vatican to protect clergy who broke their vows.
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The Council of Nicea in 325
The council is notable for several reasons. Firstly, it was the first of many ecumenical councils that aimed to achieve consensus in the church through an assembly representing all Christendom. Secondly, it addressed the Christological issue of the divine nature of God the Son and his relationship to God the Father, resulting in the construction of the first part of the Nicene Creed. Additionally, the council mandated the uniform observance of the date of Easter, ensuring it would always fall after the Jewish Passover.
The Council of Nicea also played a role in the debate around priestly celibacy. While the council did not issue a ban on priests marrying, it is worth noting that the topic was discussed. According to sources, the council considered a proposal to require bishops, presbyters, deacons, and subdeacons to refrain from conjugal relations with their wives. However, this proposal was rejected, with Paphnutius of Thebes successfully arguing that marriage was honourable and chaste. He reminded the council that, according to ancient church tradition, those who were unmarried when they entered the sacred orders were expected to remain so, while those who were married were not required to put away their wives.
It is important to note that the definitive stand in favour of celibacy in the Catholic Church came much later, in the twelfth century, at the Second Lateran Council held in 1139. This council approved a rule forbidding priests to marry, and the tradition of celibacy was reaffirmed in 1563 by the Council of Trent.
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The Second Lateran Council in 1139
The Second Lateran Council of 1139 was a significant event in the history of the Catholic Church, particularly regarding the issue of priestly celibacy and marriage. The council was convened by Pope Innocent II during Lent in 1139 and brought together a large number of bishops, abbots, and other clergy in Rome.
One of the key decisions made during the council was to enforce celibacy among the clergy and prohibit priests from marrying. This built upon earlier efforts by popes and church councils to promote celibacy and address concerns about priestly morality. The rule forbidding priests to marry was approved, and it was decreed that those in holy orders who had taken wives or concubines should be separated from their partners and deprived of their ecclesiastical positions.
The council also addressed issues related to church property and the misuse of goods belonging to deceased bishops and clerics. They decreed that these goods were to remain at the disposal of the church and that anyone seizing them would be excommunicated. Additionally, the council reiterated the authority of the church over the assignment of tithes and church possessions, warning lay people in possession of churches and tithes to return them to the church or face excommunication.
The Second Lateran Council's decision to enforce celibacy among the clergy had far-reaching implications for the Catholic Church. It solidified the idea that priests should be separate from the "sinful world" and elevated the status of priests at a time when their authority was being challenged. While the decision was controversial and had supporters and detractors, it ultimately shaped the Catholic Church's stance on priestly celibacy for centuries to come.
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Exceptions to the rule
In the Eastern Catholic Churches, married men may be ordained as priests, with the exception of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. In the Latin Church, one may be a married priest if they are a converted minister from another faith. This, however, is not common. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, married men may be ordained as deacons or priests, but they may not remarry if their wife dies, and celibacy is required for bishops. In the Oriental Orthodox churches, the same rules apply for bishops and priests, but some churches, such as the Armenian Apostolic Church, permit ordained deacons to marry.
In the early Christian church, there was no rule against clergy marrying and having children. Some Popes were the sons of Popes. The first written mandate requiring priests to be chaste came in AD 304, when Canon 33 of the Council of Elvira stated that all "bishops, presbyters, and deacons and all other clerics" were to "abstain completely from their wives and not have children." However, in 325, the Council of Nicea rejected a ban on priests marrying requested by Spanish clerics. The practice of priestly celibacy began to spread in the Western Church in the early Middle Ages.
In 1939, Pope Pius XII began allowing exceptions for married Protestant ministers, including Lutheran or Anglican clergy, who convert to Catholicism and wish to become priests, provided their wives consent. In 1983, married Anglican/Episcopal pastors were ordained as Catholic priests in the U.S., Canada, and England. In 1951, a married Lutheran pastor was ordained as a Catholic priest in Germany.
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The Eastern Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is not a monolithic entity, but rather a collection of 24 individual churches, each with its own discipline, liturgical usage, and theological and spiritual heritage. This diversity is reflected in the Eastern Catholic Churches' approach to married priests, which differs from that of the Latin Church.
In the Eastern Catholic Churches, married men may be ordained as deacons or priests, but they cannot marry after ordination. This means that a married man can become a priest, but a priest cannot get married. Additionally, if a married priest becomes a widower, he will embrace a life of celibacy. This practice is rooted in the understanding that the priest is first and foremost a minister of the Holy Mysteries and is considered a legitimate discipline within the Catholic Church.
The tradition of ordaining married men in the Eastern Catholic Churches dates back to early Christian practice, where married men who became priests were often older "elders." While the Western Church later restricted ordination to unmarried men, the Eastern Churches relaxed the rule, allowing married clergy to abstain from sexual relations only for a limited period before celebrating the Eucharist.
The distinction between the Eastern and Western Churches' approaches to married priests is not just a matter of historical tradition but also stems from a difference in the understanding of the priest's role. In the Eastern Catholic Churches, the priest is viewed as a part of the world, alongside his parishioners, while in the Latin Church, the role of the priest is often fused with that of a monk, who is expected to live a life of celibacy.
Despite the differences, both the Eastern and Western disciplines are respected within the Catholic Church. The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, promulgated by St. John Paul II, honors the tradition of married clerics in the Eastern Churches, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the legitimacy of ordaining married men as priests in these churches.
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Frequently asked questions
The practice of priestly celibacy began to spread in the Western Church in the early Middle Ages. In 1074, Pope Gregory VII excommunicated all married Roman Catholic priests, reinforcing the longstanding requirement of celibacy for the clergy.
The belief that religious figures should be celibate is ancient and predates Christianity. The Catholic Church teaches that the priesthood is a ministry conformed to the life and work of Jesus Christ, who lived a chaste life and never married. Celibacy is also considered a sign of a priest's commitment to God and service.
Yes, there are some exceptions to the rule of unmarried clergy. The Eastern Catholic Churches, which include the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, ordain married men as priests but select bishops from monks who have already committed to lifelong celibacy. Exceptions are also sometimes made for married male Lutheran, Anglican, and other Protestant clergy who convert to the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church distinguishes between dogma and regulations. The male-only priesthood is Catholic dogma and therefore irreversible by papal decree. However, the ban on marriage is considered a regulation, meaning the pope could change it if desired.
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