Introduction
No. A Monsignor is a Catholic priest who has already been ordained, and under the Church’s Code of Canon Law (Canon 1087), a person in holy orders cannot validly marry. That rule applies to a Monsignor the same as any other priest; the title does not change it.
Definition of a Monsignor
A Monsignor is a priest who has been given the honorary title of Monsignor by the Pope, usually in recognition of years of service. It is a title, not a separate office, and it does not change the priest’s obligations — including the obligation not to marry.
Overview of Catholic Church’s stance on marriage
The Catholic Church has a long history of upholding the sanctity of marriage. In fact, the Church has a stance on marriage that is quite strict. A Monsignor cannot get married, as they are ordained to serve the Church and not to enter into marriage themselves.
Can a Monsignor Get Married?
No. Canon 1087 states that clergy in holy orders who attempt marriage do so invalidly. A Monsignor who has already been ordained cannot enter a valid marriage, to a Catholic or anyone else, unless the Holy See grants a specific dispensation releasing him from holy orders first.
Historical perspective
Mandatory celibacy has been the discipline of the Latin Church for centuries. There are narrow exceptions elsewhere in the Catholic Church — Eastern Catholic churches ordain married men, and some married former Protestant clergy have been ordained Catholic priests under special provision — but in every case the man was married before ordination. Ordination does not happen and then marriage follow; it does not work in that order.
Current perspective
This is not a matter of local jurisdiction. Canon 1087 is universal law for the whole Catholic Church: a Monsignor cannot get married.
Reasons Why a Monsignor May Choose Not to Marry
A monsignor may choose not to marry for a variety of reasons. Some monsignors may not want to get married because they believe that marriage is a sacred institution that should only be entered into by those who are in a committed, monogamous relationship. Others may choose not to marry because they are not interested in having children or they are unable to have children. Finally, some monsignors may simply not be interested in marriage.
Dedication to the Church
Many people dedicate their lives to the Church, and some priests are later honored with the title of Monsignor. That dedication includes the commitment not to marry, made at ordination, which the Monsignor title does not undo.
Financial considerations
Because a Monsignor cannot validly marry, questions like the cost of a wedding or a married cleric’s salary do not apply to him.
Personal beliefs
Personal beliefs aside, can a Monsignor get married? The one exception is a man who was already validly married before he was ordained — for example, some married men ordained in Eastern Catholic churches, or married former Protestant clergy ordained under special pastoral provision. He remains married. But that is a marriage that came before ordination, not one entered afterward, and it requires the Holy See’s provision, not simply a bishop’s approval.
Conclusion
A Monsignor cannot get married. Marriage is a sacred institution, and the commitment a priest makes at ordination is the reason marriage is not open to him afterward.
Summary of the Catholic Church’s stance on marriage
The Catholic Church has a long-standing stance on marriage, which can be summarized as follows: Marriage is between a man and a woman and is intended to be a lifelong union. A Monsignor cannot get married, because he has already been ordained and Canon 1087 bars anyone in holy orders from validly marrying — not because of his rank.
Summary of reasons why a Monsignor may choose not to marry
A Monsignor’s celibacy is not simply a personal choice he could reverse — a civil ceremony would not make the marriage valid in the eyes of the Church, and entering one would put him at odds with his own ordination.
Final thoughts on the topic
This is not a matter of differing opinion. Canon law settles it: a Monsignor, like any ordained Catholic priest, cannot get married.