Eastern Catholic priests can marry, actually. There are married Catholic priests out there right now, and not because they converted in from Anglicanism after they married (though those exist, too), but fully cradle Catholics who were married before their vocation. Somehow this has not exploded the church or whatever. It is inconsistent and ridiculous.
This is one of those pieces of info I try to slip in whenever possible. I’m a firm believer that celibacy is bad for the mind, body, and soul when it’s forced on people. Priests may go into it willingly, but years and years of it with no reprieve does bad things to people’s minds. If the church could make one reform that I genuinely believe would be best, it is the celibacy of clergy. Tons of reforms needed, but that one is the one I think needs to happen soonest.
The actual reason is because the church was protecting its assets from the priests. Back then, priests were very powerful members of local government and controlled a large percentage of the wealth in an area. If they could get married and had kids, their kids would inherit the wealth they accumulated instead of that wealth going to the church.
Priests cannot marry. Marriage and the Priesthood (Holy Orders) are the only sacraments that are mutually exclusive.
Eastern Catholic priests can marry, actually. There are married Catholic priests out there right now, and not because they converted in from Anglicanism after they married (though those exist, too), but fully cradle Catholics who were married before their vocation. Somehow this has not exploded the church or whatever. It is inconsistent and ridiculous.
Had never heard of that before, thanks for the info
This is one of those pieces of info I try to slip in whenever possible. I’m a firm believer that celibacy is bad for the mind, body, and soul when it’s forced on people. Priests may go into it willingly, but years and years of it with no reprieve does bad things to people’s minds. If the church could make one reform that I genuinely believe would be best, it is the celibacy of clergy. Tons of reforms needed, but that one is the one I think needs to happen soonest.
Still stupid it’s nowhere in the bible. Makes me believe the priest thing was made for repressed pedophiles.
The actual reason is because the church was protecting its assets from the priests. Back then, priests were very powerful members of local government and controlled a large percentage of the wealth in an area. If they could get married and had kids, their kids would inherit the wealth they accumulated instead of that wealth going to the church.