It is in a Priest Nature because of his devotion and separation in his following of God. To Have a Great Capacity to Love. It is of High Value to God. Is it a Sin For a Priest to Fall in Love?
- To Separate yourself for a life of singleness – avoiding the distractions of this world – to bring people closer to God – Jesus Did
- Marriage is not wrong, it is the way God Created us, For Companionship and as a strength to each other as we walk through this life.
- Choosing not to marry is not wrong – it is a choice
- Either way it is a matter of conviction – and one is free to choose.
- We Should Respect Both Choices
Table of Contents
Requirements of a Catholic Priest Today / Sin For a Priest to Fall in Love
- devout Roman Catholic male willing to lead an unmarried, celibate lifestyle. Integrity, virtuous character and close affiliation with a Catholic congregation will also be expected.
- ages of 17 and 55 years old.
- criminal background check,
- medical examination and psychological screening are typically required
- application to the seminary requires sponsorship by local church leaders in your parish who are acquainted with you
- ponsorship is only given to those who faithfully attend mass, receive sacraments, attend church events, participate in prayer services and belong to church committees
- high school diploma or GED is the minimum educational requirement for the seminary
- most men admitted to the seminary hold a bachelor’s degree with a major, or extensive coursework, in religious studies and philosophy
- As of survey in 2014 – 415,792 Catholic Priest
Biblical History of Office of Priest
Old Testament
- Tribe of Levi – No City of Their Own – To Minister to the children of Israel
- Must Be a male (Exodus 28:1)
- Must be a Descendant of Aaron
- Male between 30 – 50 ( Numbers 4:3)
- Must be Unblemished (Leviticus 16: 21-23)
- Must have a Proper Marriage (Leviticus 9: 9+14)
- No Uncleanliness (leprosy)
- Untrimmed Beard (Exekiel 4:20, Leviticus 21:5)
- Properly Dressed (Exodus 28:1-4)
New Testament
- Jesus is the High Priest (Hebrews 5:1)
- All Christians are Priest (I Peter 2:5, Hebrews 13: 15+16)
Is it a Sin for a Priest to fall in Love?
1 Corinthians 7:5-8 (NIV) Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command.
7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.
9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.“
Maybe you’re a priest that is caught up in a dilemma, and you want someone to help you answer this question-Is it a sin for a priest to fall in love? Or maybe you know a priest that is in love with a woman. It could be that you’re the woman that the priest is in love with, and you want to know if the two of you are on the right track, or could you be sinning against God?
When someone decides to become a priest, they undergo training and preparation before they’re ordained as priests. But even with all the preparations they go through, someone can fall in love after being ordained as a priest. While it is against the church policy for this to happen, I believe it is not a sin for a priest to fall in love.
Here are the reasons why:
Christians who Descided to Remain Single
- Jesus
- John the Baptist
- Paul
- Jeremiah
- Anna
- Phillips un Married Daughters
- Daniel
- Mother Teresa
- Mary Madaglene
- Mary of Bethany
- Lydia
Not completely sure on all pf these. Some may have been married but details not recorded ( Anna, Mary’s Daniel ( Possibly a Eunuch )
1 Corinthians 7:32–34. “But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband” KJV
Love Comes Naturally
We are objects of God’s love, and as such, God expects us to love one another. There is nowhere in the Bible where we are told that we should not love one another.
It is not wrong for a man and a woman to fall in love.
Origin of Marriage
Genesis 2 :21-25, 21, “So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman, ’or she was taken out of man.”24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”
Just because someone is a priest doesn’t mean that they are utterly immune to loving members of the opposite sex. Loving another person is not bad before the eyes of God.
He knows that we are human, but I believe what is wrong in this given situation is for the priest to continue in his priestly role when they are no longer true to the oath they made.
The Bible warns us against is sexual immorality and lust but not about love between man and woman. Love comes naturally. The priest and the woman in question should be sure that they’re genuinely in love with one another and not lustful before they think of the next step. They should also not engage in sexual immorality because if they do that, then they will be sinning against God.
Marriage was the First Institution to be Created by God
Of all the institutions that we have in this world, marriage was the first institution established by God. It means that God has high regard for the marriage institution, and he wants his children to get married and enjoy it. So no one should feel guilty for falling in love, even if you are a priest.
Yes, you wanted to serve God with all your heart for the rest of your life, but now things have changed. Embrace what is happening instead of pretending.
You may be judged harshly by human beings and members of your church, but God is a loving father who understands what you’re going through. As long as you’re not trying to fill up your lustful desires and you genuinely love the person, then there is nothing wrong with it.
Be completely honest with yourself and the church about what is happening and find a way forward.
Nowhere in the Bible are we Commanded to be Celibate
While Apostle Paul encourages us to be celibate to serve God wholeheartedly without the limitations that marriage brings, he does not command us to become celibate
(1 Corinthians 7:6-9). “I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.”
8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
In fact, he encourages those that are burning with lust to get married so that they do not end up sinning.
Although it is a law in the church for priests to be celibate, the Roman Catholic Church, to be specific, biblically speaking, it is a personal choice and gift for someone to remain celibate like Paul. People will say that you have turned your back on the church, so understand that there will be a price to pay for admitting that you have fallen in love with someone. You will lose your position in the church and the privileges that you’ve been enjoying as a priest. But remember how God told Samuel that he looks at the heart; that is the way he’s looking at your heart right now.
I Samuel 16.7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
God Will Still use you Even When You’re Married
One of the primary reasons why people ask this question is because they’re worried that God will not use them as his vessels. But that is simply not true. Just the way God used Peter, who had a wife, that is the way he will use you
(1 Corinthians 9:5). Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas
It may be hard for you at first but know that things will get better as long as the person you’re in love with is ready to stand with you through it all. If you choose to hide your feelings or have a secret relationship, you’ll feel imprisoned because you’ll not be true to yourself.
It is better to be honest with yourself and other people than to pretend you’re something that you not.
It is better to be wrong with men and to be right with God, and that may include coming out and confessing your feelings so that you can be set free and be allowed to live your life honestly and openly.
Conclusion
Coming to terms with the fact that you have fallen in love with someone, yet you are a priest, can be very challenging. A priest that is going through this may feel ashamed and condemned. The people you serve may feel betrayed but remember what apostle Paul said that it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
You can choose to burn with passion and live an unfulfilled life, or you can choose to be true to yourself and God. Yes, you may lose a lot of privileges and even the church you’ve been leading, but you’ll also be free, especially from condemnation. Remember, our heavenly Father looks at our hearts. He is not judging you for falling in love with someone.
God is the one who started the institution of marriage, and if you have a strong desire to marry this person, then just go ahead and do it as long as it is for the right reasons.
