Opponents contend, first of all, that if a priest decides to get married they would be more caught up in their marriage and family life. Therefore they would have less time to devote to the church. The apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, wrote that unmarried men would be less distracted in their service to God (Roe). Paul also stated, “I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the lord, how to please the lord, but the married man is anxious about the worl

The opponents say in their third argument that if Roman Catholic priests were allowed to marry and have a family it would cost the church more money. Despite their claims, the church would not need to pay more money to the priests. Just like any other family, the wife helps support it, too. The wife brings in money also, so there would be no need for paying priests more. This problem also deals with a priest shortage. Why are people more worried about money and less worried about the priest shortage? Think about marriage in the Roman Catholic Priesthood and all the benefits that would come with it. There is no need to worry about money, because marriage would not make the church give more money to priests. Another question dealing with money are the retirement benefits of priests leaving the church in order to wed. The church wouldn’t have to worry about all the retirement funds if it allowed marriage in the Roman Catholic Priesthood. The reason that they wouldn’t pay the priest more retirement money is because there wouldn’t be as many retirements, because priests could still be in the clergy and be married at the same time. Overall, money wouldn’t be a problem in the Catholic Church because there would only be one change made and that is the lowering of all the retirement money. There would be no change in the paycheck of a married priest; it would remain the same.

Another argument is that mandatory celibacy is the tradition, and it should be kept that way. The vow of celibacy is a distinguishing characteristic of the Roman Catholic Priesthood. The Catholic Church’s principle of celibacy has been defined as a spiritual process of imitating Christ (Bamberg). Pope John Paul II said that priests must live celibate lives and avoid scandalous behavior (Campisi). He also states that, “The value of celibacy as a complete gift of self to the Lord and his church must be carefully safeguarded” (Campisi). In dealing with tradition, the church values celibacy as a way for priests to model our lives after the life of our lord. Since we know the Lord was celibate. Celibate life is a commitment to the church and its people, and a preparation for heaven, where such distinctions as husband and wife won’t exist (Campisi). Overall, the Vatican says celibacy is an “ancient tradition.”

dly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided” (Corinthians 7:32-34). Another argument against the marriage of priests, coming from a Catholic woman, Megan Byrnes, is that many don’t see how a priest could do all that was needed if they were married (Campisi). Byrnes states, “I see what they do every day and I think, how that would fit in the pressures of a family life. They get as

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