§ 2. On Ecclesiastical Celibacy

2199. • For the holiness of Clerics and Priests, inviolable chastity of the body is required before all things. Hence the following:

Principles. I. The obligation of observing PERPETUAL CELIBACY is contracted, ipso facto, by all who receive SACRED ORDERS. This is established from various decrees of canon law; and notably from can. 1, dist. 28, where St. Gregory prescribed thus: "Let Bishops presume to make no Subdeacon except one who has promised that he will live chastely: because no one ought to approach the ministry of the altar unless his chastity has been approved before the ministry received." Likewise from Trent, sess. 24, can. 9, where this was defined: "If anyone shall say that Clerics constituted in sacred Orders, or Regulars solemnly professing chastity, can contract marriage, and that the contract is valid, notwithstanding ecclesiastical law or vow: let him be anathema"¹ (cf. n. 2013).

2200. • II. The obligation of ecclesiastical celibacy is not of divine law; but arises from the LAW OF THE CHURCH prescribing chastity, and the vow of chastity.² The reason of the former is "because, although celibacy had its origin from the Apostles, as the Doctors prove, nevertheless only from a precept of the Church or of the Apostles (as Bellarmine proves) was it introduced and established, as is clear from the very words of Trent."³ - The reason of the latter is taken chiefly from the Law,⁴ where it is said: "We therefore, attending to the fact that the Oriental Church has not admitted the vow of continence."

But among the GREEKS, with the Church tolerating it, even to the present times there is in force canon 13 of the Trullan Council, which indeed against the institutes of the Elders permitted that deacons and presbyters can licitly come together with the wives whom they took BEFORE Ordination; meanwhile, however, those two edicts being preserved in their pristine integrity, by one of which it is prescribed that Bishops live in perpetual celibacy, and by the other that, after sacred Orders have been received, it is no longer licit for clerics to contract nuptials.⁵ - Whence it happens that SACRED ORDER is among the Greeks, as among the Latins, a diriment impediment of contracting marriage; but the use of marriage (if married men have been ordained) is gravely illicit only to Bishops, while among the Latins it is gravely illicit to all clerics constituted in Sacred Orders (recall what was said n. 1939, 2, and 2013).

2201. • Will you ASK whether the obligation of celibacy arises immediately from the precept of the Church, or mediately, namely from the vow which is emitted in Ordination itself? - R. Both opinions, according to St. Alphonsus, are probable; but the second, which says that this obligation arises from a vow, is more common and more probable. For this is expressly said in various chapters of canon law; and moreover, if the obligation were from the law of the Church alone, the Supreme Pontiff could release all priests from it: which is against the common opinion of the Doctors.⁶

From these things you will resolve: 1. The Church can dispense in the vow of continence annexed to sacred Orders, as in all other vows.⁷ Yet it never dispenses with those constituted in Sacred Orders except under this condition, that the dispensed be altogether removed from clerical offices.⁸

2. If someone, in receiving Order, expressly did not wish to vow chastity, he would nevertheless be held to celibacy: not indeed by force of the vow, which he did not emit; but by force of the precept of the Church, which would bind him to chastity from a motive of religion when the vow is lacking.⁹

3. If someone were ordained before the use of reason, certainly he would not be held to celibacy. But whether one Ordained before puberty would be held is disputed probably on both sides.¹⁰

4. If someone is ordained through extrinsic fear unjustly inflicted, and does not have the intention of receiving Order, he is not validly ordained, nor is he held to chastity or to the Breviary. Indeed, even if from fear he consented to Ordination, it is more probable that he is not held to the burdens; because his vow is more probably to be judged invalid. Nevertheless, it is expedient that one so Ordained seek dispensation, if he does not wish to exercise the Order but to enter marriage. But he would be held if the fear had been justly inflicted, or if the Ordained man knowingly ratified his ordination, e.g. by spontaneously exercising the Order.¹¹

2202. • Note. The law of celibacy is most fitting to the clerical state, and morally necessary to the end of the Church. - The reasons are: 1) The holiness and dignity of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and of the other mysteries, which are to be handled by ministers of the altar. - 2) The office of teaching and exhorting: for a married priest cannot with perfect authority and efficacy teach the most holy truths of the Gospel, and especially opportunely exhort virgins and widows to continence. - 3) The administration of the Sacraments; for how could the Christian faithful, unless sacred ministers excelled in the vigor of chastity, be induced to open candidly to them the secrets of their consciences, and how would they show to the Sacraments themselves that highest reverence which they merit? - 4) Care of the sick, and generally ministries of charity; for souls empty of carnal cares and affections, and full of the spirit of Christ, pour themselves out into charity and into most abundant beneficence, as is everywhere established from the works of Catholic charity.¹² - See more among the dogmatic Authors, or Canonists.