Wait… Weren’t the Apostles Married?

Yep! In fact, Scripture mentions that the apostles brought their wives along as they traveled. Here’s where it gets confusing: Did they continue, uh… being married after Pentecost? Some people believe they took a vow of celibacy, but Fr. Simon isn’t convinced they did.

Fast forward a few centuries, and we see a split between the Eastern and Western Church. In the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches, married men can become priests. In the Western Church (a.k.a. Roman Catholic Church), celibacy became the standard.

So, How Did Celibacy Become the Norm?

It all traces back to the monks. Monasticism changed everything!

Back in the day, monks were the most educated and spiritually disciplined men around, so they often got tapped for priestly duties. Monks, of course, took vows of chastity, and eventually, that became the expectation for all priests in the West.

Here’s an interesting fact: In the Eastern Church, priests fast from intimacy before celebrating Mass. Since their liturgies were less frequent (every Sunday), that wasn’t a huge issue. But in the West, where daily Mass became the norm, it just made sense for priests to be celibate all the time.

But… Isn’t It Because Priests Are “Married” to the Church?

That’s part of it! The “Christ is the Bridegroom” imagery adds a beautiful layer of meaning to celibacy. But Fr. Simon explains that this wasn’t necessarily the original reason, just a later theological explanation.

Celibacy in Today’s Church

Priests have an important vocation. They’re moved from parish to parish (a policy that really kicked in around 1972), which Father says makes it harder for them to form lasting community bonds.

Father’s opinion is that priests need stability. Back in the day, a pastor would stay in one parish for life, and the parish became his family. Now, it’s a lot lonelier. We need to pray for our parish priests and reach out for support!

Invite your pastor over for a Sunday meal some time!

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