Hi Stan,

Thanks for the question.

They justify it by pointing to these Words of Jesus in the Scriptures:

• Matthew 10:32-42
  
• Luke 14:25-33

While every baptized Catholic is called to share the Gospel with others by word when proper, and deeds, some have a vocation to serve the Church as Apostles.

Catholic bishops are the current day Apostles. Priests are men who are called to partake in that ministry with the local bishop. They are helpers, without which the bishop could never serve all the people in Jesus' Church.

As a side note, they have to be men because Jesus Himself was a man. All priests . . . from the Pope down to the priest, act in the person of the Man Jesus when administrating the sacraments of the Church.

I hope this helps,

Mike

Dear Stan,

The Gospels are not a history book and you cannot read them that way.

• True, we know that Peter, for example, gave up his fishing nets but who says he gave up his family?
• Did he not bring Jesus to heal his mother-in-law?

On the other hand, in a spiritual way, God is asking you to make Him your highest priority even over your own family, in fact even over yourself.

• What does that mean for you?

Fr. Jonathan