History fully supports a married priesthood. For the first 1200 years of the Church’s existence, priests, bishops and 39 popes were married. Celibacy existed in the first century among hermits and monks, but it was considered an optional, alternative lifestyle. Medieval politics brought about the discipline of mandatory celibacy for priests.

Let’s remember the words of Jesus: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.” St. Peter, the pope who was closest to Jesus, was married. There are three references in the Gospel about St. Peter’s wife, his mother-in-law and his family. Based on Jewish law and custom, we can safely assume that all of the Apostles, except for young John, were married with families.

Married priests and their spouses were the first pastors, the first bishops, the first missionaries. They carried the message of Jesus across cultures and protected it through many hardships. They guided the fragile young Church through its early growth and helped it survive numerous persecutions.

Pope John Paul II recognized this in 1993 when he said publicly that celibacy is not essential to the priesthood. This pronouncement offers great promise toward resolving the problem of the shortage of celibate priest… Take note and thanks…

and that once this number 108 is revealed it will usher in the Messianic age.

the number 108 is taken to represent the ‘distance’ from the body to the god within…