Priesthood and Marriage

Priests and Marriage by Fr. R. J. Griffin

When did the Church make the law forbidding Priests to marry?

Pope Siricius in 385 made a law forbidding Priests to marry and Pope Gregory VII in 1074 confirmed and enforced it more strongly.

Why did the Church make a law forbidding Priest to marry?

The Church has made this law for a number of good reasons: 1. A priest stands in the place of Christ. Christ was a virgin, and praised virginity. See Matt. 19:11-12. St. Paul was not married, and advised others who wanted to serve God perfectly not to marry also. (See 1 Cor. 7:7-8; 25-28; 32-33). St. John praises virginity. (Revelation 14:3-5)

2.) A Priest who is not married is freer than a priest who has wife and children. If he were married, his wife and children would come first. If he is not married, his flock, his spiritual children, will come first. For example, when a priest has to give the last sacraments to a person dying of plague or small pox, if he is married, he will naturally fear catching the plague himself and so giving it to his wife and Children.

3.)If a Priest were married, where would he get sufficient money for his wife and family especially on the foreign missions? If all priests were married, it would be impossible to have so many missions. Priests make the sacrifice of the happiness of family life for the love of God, and to be able to help people better.