Imagine a priest driving down a road in his suburban filled with his five children. Riding next to the priest is his wife. He has been married to her since his ordination. This priest performs mass like any ordinary priest, but has special obligations outside of the church. He has chosen not to take a vow of celibacy, giving him the option to marry freely. The choice of family over celibacy creates responsibilities to both church and family. This freedom of choice allows the priest to share responsibilities focused on family care as well as church affairs and activities. He must balance his family and personal needs along with the needs of his parish. This priest has taken a path that would be preferred by many priests. Today almost 110,000 Catholic Priests are married worldwide. About one in three priests prefer the option of being married while being ordained (Shuster 5). Priests should have the right to choose a life of celibacy or a life with a family created through the sacrament of marriage. .
The church has been present since the first Pentecost and many married clergy have led the church community for years. "Over 39 popes have been married" (Shuster 2). When the church was developed, it was accepted that priests could marry and assume a life with a family. The first marriage to an ordained minister of the Catholic Church occurred during the conception of our church. Peter was the first pope of the Catholic Church. He was married when he became pope. Over the first 1,200 years of the church's existence, priests and clergy were allowed to marry. The Roman Empire accepted the Catholic faith and their ideals on married clergy. Therefore, the Catholic faith was chosen as the main religion of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire had enormous Catholic churches built across Europe attracting many young men into the priesthood. Priesthood was very prestigious position within the community.
