Why are Catholic Priests unable to marry?

[hisstory]

Catholic priests were allowed to married up until the 1100s. What caused a reform in the church that banned marriage?

[DigitusImpudicus]

Whatever the "official" line was, I suspect it had a lot to do with preventing power from being inherited; i.e. to make sure the Bishop's son didn't become the next bishop...

Chris--

[c.stain]

One can read the history of monasticism and find it was an offshoot of monasticism. Man could not devote his full attention to God if he was married. His actions would be devided between the two.

[CelticBard]

Sex is a sin, women are sinners, Christianity, not Jesus's preachings, but Christianity is very misogynistic. Everyone is born with original sin because conception itself is sinning. Nicletism, priests having wives, continued on long after 1100, remember the famous pope, Rodrigo Borgia? His son Cesare was the man whom Machiavelli's The Prince was written about and his daughter was married off to every rich man in Italy, who then would coincidently die of mysterious circumstances. It all boils down to the perscribed treatment of women by the Catholic church, they are sinners, Lilith was, Eve was, Mary Magdalene was. Women have forever been persecuted by the church, midwives were branded witches, smart women were branded witches, dumb women were branded witches, women with attitude were branded as witches, and consequently killed, burned at the stake. Misogynism. Judaeo-Christian culture is based around Patriarchs, papa's got the power, god is a he, Jesus was a man, women are veritably never the focus of Christianity with the exception of the Virgin Mary, and she's only famous because the Holy Spirit stuffed her.

[cptJACK]

I think it has to do with what Chris said. To prevent a monarchy in religion.

[Comet]

Whatever the "official" line was, I suspect it had a lot to do with preventing power from being inherited; i.e. to make sure the Bishop's son didn't become the next bishop...

Chris--

I agree to a certain extent.....if someone had enough money to purchase a bishopric, it wouldnt matter who the individual was. Their are many cases where the Church allowed a bishop's son to "inherit" the office. The bishop needed to pay the Church the asking price before the son was awarded the office. Many times, these transactions would occur before a son was even born. In most cases, the Church would sell to the highest bidder. This practice, known as Simony, was one of the major abuses of the Church that the reformers of the 16th century were looking to change.

Celticbard is right when he says that the practice continued well after 1100. I can't think of the two Popes of the top of my head, but I know both of them had concubines and/or mistresses. I'm thinking they were well after that 1100 CE mark. I think one of the reasons why it was suppossed to stop was because of the Pope's who were in power at the time.....If I remember correctly, these Popes were considered the reforming Popes. I wonder if priestly marriage was a reform topic....I will have to check into it.

[Breth]

One can read the history of monasticism and find it was an offshoot of monasticism. Man could not devote his full attention to God if he was married. His actions would be devided between the two.

I agree to him.

It similar to the silence which some preist have.

More of a "More devotion"

Maybe also Nuns were getting pregneant too much?

Though ironically, they probally lost many devout christains (the unborn babies) ... what better way to raise 'the perfect Christian" then in an monastry with your dad as a monk/priest.

[Commander]

Though ironically, they probally lost many devout christains (the unborn babies) ... what better way to raise 'the perfect Christian" then in an monastry with your dad as a monk/priest.

Also the best way to raise a child with a closed mind :?

[panzerbjorn]

Sex is a sin, women are sinners, Christianity, not Jesus's preachings, but Christianity is very misogynistic. Everyone is born with original sin because conception itself is sinning. Nicletism, priests having wives, continued on long after 1100, remember the famous pope, Rodrigo Borgia? His son Cesare was the man whom Machiavelli's The Prince was written about and his daughter was married off to every rich man in Italy, who then would coincidently die of mysterious circumstances. It all boils down to the perscribed treatment of women by the Catholic church, they are sinners, Lilith was, Eve was, Mary Magdalene was. Women have forever been persecuted by the church, midwives were branded witches, smart women were branded witches, dumb women were branded witches, women with attitude were branded as witches, and consequently killed, burned at the stake. Misogynism. Judaeo-Christian culture is based around Patriarchs, papa's got the power, god is a he, Jesus was a man, women are veritably never the focus of Christianity with the exception of the Virgin Mary, and she's only famous because the Holy Spirit stuffed her.

That certainly helped me.

[papaya]

An unmarried priest would not have legal offspring to which he could will his property at his death. Thus, the church would by default inherit any property or assets.

[88-Scharführer Nordwinter]

I believe it was as simple as the decision that marriage entailed active sexuality and that priests should be concerned only with the sacred and Holy. I remain completely neutral on the issue and recognize the truth in both perspectives.

[Commander]

An unmarried priest would not have legal offspring to which he could will his property at his death. Thus, the church would by default inherit any property or assets.

that answer makes the most sense to me.

[Josey Wales]

Yup, the church feared loosing land, though concubinism was legal for quite some time permitting that the man restrained himself to one woman.

If this fight against nature hadn't been permitted it's safe to say the young alter boys of Boston would've been a lot safer.

[/b]