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Third, onre might ask, "since this is the case -- celibacy is recommended by St. Paul, who was himself celibate (probably widowed) --- then how does one understand the passage (1 Tim 3:2:12) where Paul says that bishops ought have been married but once, and ought to have shown themselves to be capable heads of their own households?

That's not so. It's clear that if he were a married man, he should be one who had had but one wife

That's a phony fabrication of what those scriptures do not say...You are not quoting the 'word of God' when you change his scripture...Clergy must be married with a family...

Your religion had no clergy celibacy rule till about the 12th Century when it apparently was fully taken over by homosexuals and instituted this unGodly idea that clergy no longer had to have a wife...

I do not believe, and the Catholic Church does not teach, that lifelong celibacy is an essential requirement for receiving Holy Orders. There are married priests both in the West and the East, and the U.S. has about half as many ordained married deacons (~20,000) as it has celibate ordained priests (~40,000)

And there have been celibate clergy, too, dating from 33AD, a practice which was very widespread for a millennium even before it became the official canonical norm in the West. If you're interested in adding to your store of knowledge on this subject, try looking into the true history of celibacy (LINK). It will contribute to your overall credibility on this interesting Catholic topic, which I know is something you aspire to.

As for the Scriptures, I adhered to them very exactly --- to the very words --- when I wrote that previous post.

There is nothing in Scripture that says all clergymen must have wives, whether before or after their ordination. None of the pericopes you quoted said that. You read in your own interpretation which is not stated in the text.

Since you don't believe in ordination to begin with, I am unable to see why you want to object to the qualifications for ordained clergy you don't even believe in, in a Church you reject.

My bishop is Rev. Richard Stika, Diocese of Knoxville. So far, you have been unwilling or unable to answer a simple question I've asked you several times: Who is your bishop?

Whoever he is, I'll pray for him. May God bless him ---and you, too.