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What Does the Bible Say About..Unmarried Priests?

Why do Catholic priests not marry?

Answer

The Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church does not require its priests to remain unmarried. There are many reasons that the Roman Catholic church requires or requests its priests to remain single. They are following the examples of Jesus and (possibly) Paul, who were able to fulfill their ministries by not having to worry about a wife. They are able to devote more time to ministry without taking that time away from family. They are required to move a lot, and this would be more difficult with a family (although the American military manages quite well in moving families around every four to six years). It serves as an example of sacrifice when he asks others to make sacrifices. It saves the church large amounts of money in the reduced salaries they can pay to priests who don’t have to support a family. These are among the answers given by one priest. In some cases, priests are allowed to marry, or if married when they become priests they are allowed to remain married. It is a rule that the Roman Catholic Church has put on its priests, and they admit that it is not a biblical requirement, so they can remove that rule any time they choose. They just have not chosen to change the rule, although the recent scandals in some congregations may cause the Roman Catholic Church to rethink the issue.