Should the Catholic Church let Priests marry or have relationships in order to stop the abuse?

Is this approved by the Vatican?!? Is news to me. THX for the info.

Yes this has been since the early days of the Church the Eastern rite sees things a little different then the Western Rite which is the Roman. The majority of the Catholics fall under the Western or Roman rite.
Only about two million fall under the Eastern rite. They are very small number in the catholic church.
The fact is the Lutherans and Anglican Priest that convert to Catholicism and are married remain married. The eastern rite and western rite spilt at one time and when that happened the Muslims killed many of those Catholics. Maybe if the Roman Church would have defended the Eastern Rite and protected Constantinoble they would not be as powerful in the Arab world. The vatican has been forced to accept married priest in the western rite because of the conversions.

The Eastern Rite recognizes the Pope. The Bishops in America has told the Eastern Rite that their priest can't marry. I guess they did that so the western rite priest would not complain . That last part is my theory.

Sounds very political, if not hypocritical, to me.

Well remember in the early Church there was no difference between religion and the government. What religion the King was so was the country. That is why there is suppose to be separation between Church and Government in the U S A but the fundamental Christians want this country to be run by a Christian man.

I understand Constantine's purpose in authorizing the Catholic Church. Some of our earliest presidents were Deists, albeit philosophic Christians and did not want an official state religion, but then you know this well. IF the fundamentalists want a Christian according to their definition, they won't vote Romney, right?

You are correct but they really don't understand who Romney is or he would not have gotten the votes that he has gotten. People don't investigate they just take what someone says as gospel.

Actually, some Catholic priests can legally marry, if they are members of some Catholic Eastern rites, like the Uniate Church (in the Ukraine, for instance), or if they are former Lutheran or Anglican priests who have become Catholics.

Amen I had a friend whose father was a cathoilc priest from the eastern rite

I don't understand then, why the double standard just because one is eastern and the other is not?

Exactly! And again Eastern rites are part of the Catholic Church. Not to be confused with Eastern Orthodox Christian Churches.

Meant to choose None of the Above!

It's not up to the Catholic Church, the Pope or the members!

It's up to God! HE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION!

Yes, they should be allowed to marry if they want to...so should Nuns...

There is nothing in the bible that said that priests could not marry.That was added on later for God only knows what reason.Until recently the priesthood was a paradise for pedophiles for who would question a man who took an oath of abstinence,a man of God.Really what other career offers such oppurtunities to be alone with children and with the blind approval of ignorant parents.Yes,priests should be allowed to marry the prohihbition of it has put the priesthood in dire straights as fewer and fewer men enter into it

The Church should allow priests to marry. I'm not certain it would have an immediate effect in reducing abuse, but there has never really been a valid reason for priests not to marry. Nuns either, for that matter. An individual can devote his or her life to the Church and helping others and still have a meaningful personal relationship.

Sexual abuse is not determined by whether a man or woman is married....it is something else quite entirely....So, for that problem, it will not matter....

But, I do think they should be allowed to marry and have children if they choose to...other faiths do it with no problems......and I believe that if the Church wishes to continue with the premise of Priests and Nuns, they will have to allow it....already, and for some time. they have accepted laypersons to give out communion....I think it would be better for the church....

The Church does have some married Priest

Really, 'cause that goes against their doctrine, of not being distracted with personal lives, so they can devote all their energy to the followers.....unless they have changed it recently...but I think they should....

They should admit the hypocrisy of it all and disband the entire church.

If that can save the women from abuses then it should be done immediately.
I don't know y they r not allowed to have relations,as human they need that,that's not sin...

Not being married has nothing to do with abuse that is about power over someone.

Yeah....even married people abuses others....but marriage can decrease a little bit of rapes at least.

well, rape is a matter of violence and control. Marriage has little to do with rape... A large percentage of serial rapists were in marriages or relationships.

But y should one be forbidden to marry to become a priest?

my personal opinion is that they shouldn't....kind of hard to accept marriage advice from someone who hasn't any experience....I'm protestant , I don't believe that I need a priest/bishop/pope to intervene in my praying to god...

Tell that to the victims of Sanduskey. Rape is not about sex it is about power and control. How many married men have raped women, and children ? The answer is a lot.

it just seems strange to me, not to marry, god made woman for man, im not kicking their beliefs...but only love for humanity can stop the abuse, i think.

Marry, yes. "Have relationships," as in have extramarital sex like the foolish people do, no way. That is clearly sinful.

The apostle Paul did say that it was best for people in ministry to be unmarried, IF they were able to do so without falling into immoral behavior. The Bible doesn't make it a requirement, and this is just one more example of the Catholics deviating from the Bible, to everyone's hurt. They should allow their ministers to marry, just like everyone else.

I can't say yes or no. But that rule seems out dated to me.

It was never in season. It is a silly rule that is not from the Bible, but merely a Catholic tradition.

I was wondering about that. I don't know how anyone could expect a man to abstain for life it's a natural instinct.

Paul talks about it in 1 Corinthians 7. He states that there are some major benefits to having your ministers be celibate. He also warns that not everyone has the constitution for it, and says that marriage is the answer, and that gross sexual sin can result if you try to force someone without the constitution for celibacy to remain celibate. The Catholic church apparently missed that warning, and decided to mandate it for all; after all, it has benefits, right? It's just another illustration of how the Catholic church is selective in their application of Biblical truths.

Some priest are married

I just heard that; I guess if you are already married, and decide to go into the priesthood, they won't turn you away.

Correct but that is only in the Eastern Rite unless you are A Lutheran Priest

It was put in place as a reform measure...seems there were priests/cardinals/bishops with expanding families, both from marriage and affairs...the church implemented celibacy as a way of saving money and preventing positions of the church taking on an inherited right of the children...

You are right in fact Pope Alexander had three children and when he changed the face of Jesus his son Ceasare Borgias was used as the model. Look up this man and you will see the face of Jesus.

:)

In other words, they created a mandate that was extraBiblical to manipulate people......well, that's just like the Catholic church........



I am a Christian. I have no inherent problem with "organized religion," although I would point out that true Christianity is not a religion at all, though most call it one. True Christianity is a relationship with the resurrected Christ, but the Catholic church is just a means to manipulate people. It has always been so. That is not to say that there are no good people in the Catholic church; quite the opposite. I know many Catholics who are very good people, and truly love God, but the system and the hierarchy is corrupt.

And yet John the Baptist, Paul, and many others did not get married and practiced celibacy, as did Jesus.

Yes. Some have the ability to remain celibate. Some do not. Paul talked about it in 1 Corinthians 7 at great length. Apparently you didn't read my prior post.