1.  It is following the example of Christ, who did not marry / 2.  It is easier to remain focussed on Christ and His Church, with undivided love
3.  Marriage and family life is demanding and time consuming. There must be no competition between the love of a wife and family, and the love of everyone in the parish / 4.  Priests often need to be moved to new situations and this would be difficult for someone with family commitments.
5.  Jesus’ disciples were all married men, although Jesus himself was not. This include St Peter (Jesus healed his mother in law from a fever) / 6.  A priest who experiences the challenge of family life may be better able to understand and support parishioners who are having family difficulties
7.  Celibacy is not a normal situation for all men to be in, and some men may be called to both priesthood and marriage. These men currently cannot follow both vocations. / 8.  Celibacy distances the priest from ordinary human life and so distances him from the parish community
9.  There is a great shortage of priest in the Church. Allowing married priests might help this shortage. / GCSE question: should priest in the Catholic Church be allowed to get married?
Give 2 reasons for, 2 reasons against, and explain your own opinion.

Arguments FOR and AGAINST Celibacy
(the vow that priests take not to have any sexual relationships/ & therefore not to get married)

1.  It is following the example of Christ, who did not marry / 2.  It is easier to remain focussed on Christ and His Church, with undivided love
3.  Marriage and family life is demanding and time consuming. There must be no competition between the love of a wife and family, and the love of everyone in the parish / 4.  Priests often need to be moved to new situations and this would be difficult for someone with family commitments.
5.  Jesus’ disciples were all married men, although Jesus himself was not. This include St Peter (Jesus healed his mother in law from a fever) / 6.  A priest who experiences the challenge of family life may be better able to understand and support parishioners who are having family difficulties
7.  Celibacy is not a normal situation for all men to be in, and some men may be called to both priesthood and marriage. These men currently cannot follow both vocations. / 8.  Celibacy distances the priest from ordinary human life and so distances him from the parish community
9.  There is a great shortage of priest in the Church. Allowing married priests might help this shortage. / GCSE question: should priest in the Catholic Church be allowed to get married?
Give 2 reasons for, 2 reasons against, and explain your own opinion.

Arguments FOR and AGAINST Celibacy
(the vow that priests take not to have any sexual relationships/ & therefore not to get married)