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Hi Merv,
Thanks for the question.
The celibate priesthood is a matter of discipline and not of faith. The
Church in centuries past did ordain married men.
The Catholic Church is not just the Roman Catholic Church as most of us
in the America and Western Europe are used to. The Catholic Church also
includes several Eastern Rites which still ordain married men on a regular
basis just like the Orthodox Church that you mentioned.
On occasion the Latin Rite or Roman Church that you are probable familiar
with also will make an exception and ordain a married man. This usually
involves an Anglican, Lutheran, or Methodist Minister wishing to join the
Church and is seeking ordination as well.
The Church has the authority to impose disciplines for the benefit of
the sheep.
This authority is easy to see when you carefully read Acts 15 (
the Jerusalem Council) The Church was not dealing with the priesthood,
but the principle is the same. In this instance the Church had to decide
what to do with non Jewish Converts to the Faith. In Acts 15, we see that
a Doctrinal decision is made; that is Gentiles need not get circumcised.
They also added that they should abstain from certain meats. This latter
provision was a simple discipline added for Pastoral reasons. This discipline
was later removed. Luckily today we both sit down to a nice juicy steak,
without worrying about eating the blood of an animal.
Well, the celibate priesthood is in place because of the demands of the
priesthood on the individual. If someday the Holy Spirit leads the Church
to change it, the Church will.
There are also some theological reasons which surround celibacy, they
are secondary but they buttress the pastoral concerns of the Church in
maintaining this discipline.
None the less it is not an article of faith. It's simply a matter of authority,
pastoral concern and discipline. This is not immutable. Exceptions are
often made, and it only applies to the Western Catholic Church.
One last note, neither the Roman Church nor the Orthodox Church have ever
allowed priests to marry once they are ordained. It has ordained men who
are already married. If a married priest's wife should die, he may not
remarry.
I hope this answers your question.
May God Bless you in you Spiritual Journey, please feel free to write
if we can be of further assistance.
John DiMascio
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