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I must assume you were unable to refute my point,which was,there is no scriptural support for those "'dedicated' to follow Christ" (priests)to marry. That,in fact,scripture clearly says they should not.

Jesus and St. Paul both encouraged celibacy, but neither mandated it.

The Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church has married priests, and there are married converts from the Episcopal and Lutheran Churches serving as priests today in the Western Church; well over 100 of them.

Celibacy is a discipline, not a doctrine, and the Church won't crumble if the discipline is changed.

In fact, I maintain the Church will have many men willing to serve; many ex-priests would return. An added benefit would be to allow the Church to rid itself of the openly gay priests and seminarians.

I agree with your points entirely. Historically there is NO basis for denying ordination to married men. Heck, St. Peter was married! St. Paul was not, but he specifically said that *his personal committment" did not need to be applied to everyone.

Good that you mentioned the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church. They are often forgotten entirely in the US, but in reality there are 21 other rites besides the Latin Rite, and to my knowledge virtually ALL of them allow married men to be ordained.

Further, the Eastern Orthodox (who WERE in union with Rome until the early 11th century) have *always* allowed for the ordination of married men for the parish priesthood. (Monks and bishops are celibates.)

Consider this point. Those who wish to argue against women as priests use arguments from history to point out that Christ didn't ordain women, etc. Fine - except when the arguments from history *support* ordination of married men, they are discarded!

No, changing the discipline on celibacy will NOT "destroy" the Catholic Church - it certainly hasn't destroyed 21 out of the 22 rites, OR destroyed the Eastern Orthodox (whom Pope John Paul II has worked hard to reunify with the Catholic Church. If the Eastern Orthodox WERE reunified, they certainly would not give up their married priests.)

Besides, the Latin Rite *already* ordains married men, when they convert from Anglicanism or Lutheranism, and want to be Catholic priests. In fact, there are more married Latin Rite priests in the USA than there are Byzantine Catholic married priests! Why not just make it possible in general?

I think you are very wrong. But in any case wouldn't it be adding stupidity to probable error to change horses in mid-stream? No less,a raging stream with a huge waterfall within earshot. By the time the horse is changed we'll all be over the dam.

No,the answer is clear out the homosexuals priests,live with a Church that is purer and poorer and stronger and maybe even smaller,for a while.Then in an atmosphere of serenity study the scriptures and pray and seek to discern what Christ really wants of his "consecreted followers".

So,I am correct? There is no scriptural support for married priests and it is,in fact,to the contrary.I must be correct,since you cited no scripture nor tradition nor Magisterial teaching,just an assortment of asides and incidentals.And please don't come back at me with some smarmy stuff about it being a discipline,I've heard it all at our little "coffee,kitch and catechesis" classes.Oh, and another thing you don't have to bother to explain to me is this magisterium of the people that you Anchurchers put so much stock in.