Poll: Should Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Get Married?

Should Catholic priests be allowed to get married? That’s the question many are asking in light of recent comments by one of the Vatican’s top officials.

First, however, consider this: While he was serving as Archbishop Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis seemed against the idea.

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The issue of celibacy for Catholic priests goes back centuries. According to Catholic University’s website, celibacy for “Bishops, presbyters, deacons and others with a position in the ministry” was initially mandated by Canon 33 in the Council of Elvira from the year 306.

Celibacy was confirmed again at the Council of Trent in the middle of the 16th century. The Church held 25 sessions during the 18 years of the Ecumenical Council that lasted from 1545 to 1563. In the 24th session, decrees on marriage and celibacy of priests were issued.