new catholic cathedral st. anthony

[beachboy]

I've always wondered how for the first 1,000 years of the 2,000 year history priests WERE allowed to marry... and then "presto-chango"... they no longer are allowed to marry.

Oops, it didn't happen that fast ... here is a useful summary:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_celibacy

In the Middle Ages, bishops and abbots were [[as today) custodians of church assets. Unlike today, they bequeathed these assets to their descendants, causing concern in Rome about asset dispersion. Also, they used church monies to raise armies and make war against their fellow bishops and abbots, as well as princes, kings, etc.

In response to this situation, Benedict VIII put teeth in the Council of Elvira's prohibition of clerical marriage [[c.306) by prohibiting the inheritance of church assets. However, the misuse of temporal custodianship continued well into the Renaissance, for example, with the "warrior pope" Julius II [[also a prolific daddy):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Julius_II

There have been many "discussions" in various RC and other blogs about celibacy, most of which are ill-informed. Here is an example of a "book review":

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/...ture.org%29%29

and an example of gay-bashing:

http://www.catholicintl.com/epologet...l-priests2.htm

A truly brilliant analysis of the situation was published over a decade ago by Fr. Donald Cozzens - a compassionate man who trains RC priests and clearly understands the roots of the celibacy problem. I highly recommend his book The Changing Face of the Priesthood, for a balanced perspective:

[[Click on the cover pic to read selected pages)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...der_0814625045

As one of my atheist friends politely quips, cosi passa le palle della chiesa...

[justanotherboy]

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"

I guess tradition trumps Scripture.

[SWMAP]

Scripture is one way God reveals himself, but not, of course, the only way The others are [[according to the early Church), in the sacraments and in the signs of the times [[history).

Some of the little admonitions are just that - little admonitions. Like that women should cover their heads in church and be silent.

Look to scripture for big theology and not little admonitions. And look for God's will in the signs of the times. Grow in wisdom age and grace.

[justanotherboy]

10 commandments are just little admonitions too

[cjd]

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"

I guess tradition trumps Scripture.

I think that supports what has been correctly stated earlier... the RC Church from the earliest times forbid a priest, if married at ordination, from remarrying. Thus, he could be "the husband of one wife," not of more than one. Just as now, a deacon can be ordained if married but may not remarry after ordination.

If you are interpreting this to mean that a priest has to be married, then you get absurd results. For in the same passage Paul talks about the priest managing his household and his "children". Therefore, under your reading, only married men with multiple children [[not even those with only a single child) could be a priest. If widowed, I guess he would have to remarry to regain his ordination rites, no? If he lost a child and had only one living he would have to conceive again so that he could meet the rule to be a priest.

Moreover, interpreting scripture as such would contradict 1 Cor. 7:8 which indicates that it is better to be unmarried than to be married.

Finally, how why would Paul choose to violate his own rule by being ordained and unmarried?

This interpretation leaves absurd results and thus cannot be correct. However, if interpreted to mean that priests, once ordained, could not remarry, the absurd results vanish.

Tradition does not supplant scripture but supplements and enriches it. Even St. Paul supported using tradition. See 1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 4:20;Phil. 4:9; Col. 1:5-6.