This has been a bone of contention
for many decades within the Catholic
Church.

The reasons I had always assumed were
because the Church couldn't support
a priest with a family.

However, the other religions don't have
a problem supporting their clergy with
families - and the Catholic Church is
wealthier than most of them.

I feel that if a priest wants to marry
he should be allowed to do so.

What do others think?

If we live in a society where religions are hostile to the freedoms of others, they should be forced to as they do others.

Providing they mind their own business in society and stop seeking a 'theocracy', I think it's a call only the Pope can make.

Yes.

Surely the point in Catholicism is celibacy rather than simply being single? I thought that abstaining from pleasures of the flesh symbolises a priest's commitment to god? Certainly nuns are metaphorical brides of christ.

Celibacy has fine and ancient antecedents and I do understand how some people channel their sexual energy into one's spiritual life. Some priests may choose to be celibate, or at least partially celibate, for that reason. But the Catholic Church became, at some point, a haven for those who had an uncomfortable inkling their desires were not of a strictly heterosexual and conventional nature.

I think it's a good measure if someone is properly dedicated. They should have to give up something substantial to live off the donations of the church goers, and to prove they are more worthy than the people they are preaching to and receiveing donations from.

See if I was religious, I'd want the bastard preaching to me and telling me how to live my life to have some sort of moral high ground in which to preach from at least. But I suppose the way it is you've got someone who has no idea what it's like to have a wife and kids or sex (supposedly) telling you how to live your life.

I suppose it's where religion falls down in my eyes. Too much about 'show' and proving your credentials in holyness. I trust people who are good because they believe in being good rather than those that are scared of hell or what the church community will say.

Foxy,

I was interested to hear that priests were able to marry prior to the 13th century, but that the Church introduced into its ranks the practice of priests not being able to marry at about this time in order to stop the (terrible!) practice of priests passing on their estate to their families. That is, the Church wanted the properties for itself. A hallelujah moment in the history of Church.

If that's the best reason the Church can come up with, I reckon this practice deserves to well and truly come under the spotlight.

To answer your question, priests should absolutely be able to marry if they so desire. This would be beneficial for a number of reasons: make the priests' lives more whole as well as to allow women to have a decent standing in the Church. In my opinion, the current practice is a lazy artifice that has been hanging around the Church for far too long.

I've always been told that there were several
reasons priests were not allowed to marry...

First was they had to have a single-hearted devotion
to Christ and giving themselves entirely to God.
This was reaffirmed by the Second Vatican
Council (1962-1965). It affirmed that priests
who were celibate had an "undivided heart."

Secondly, Celibate priests had the ability to give
themselves completely to parishners.

Thirdly, They were expected to renounce "worldy
pleasure," including the joy of sex.

Lastly, it was thought that
a married person had a conflict
of interest between religious commitments
and familial responsibilities.

Sexuality was thought to be suspect and not
appropriate for clergy to engage in sexual
activity.

Whether many of us would accept those reasons
as valid in today's modern world or not, doesn't
really matter as far as the Church is concerned.
As many have pointed out, the Church is still
run by traditionalists who will adhere to the old
legalistic ways of the past.

Change in the Church comes slowly at the best of times.
Hopefull, one day priests will be able to make a choice
between marriage or celibacy.

We may even get to call our parish priests by their
first name, instead of the patriarchal and impersonal,
"Father."