asexuality

[zinger90]

Ok so I have no idea where to put this but I think this might be the right place.

Last night I was at a bonfire with some people from the Newman Center on campus and we were having a deep discussion because some people were confused on the Church’s stance on homosexuality dating/marriage (dont really need help with that one here though, I handled it pretty well by talking about what marriage was and how dating is discernment for marriage) and one of the new people asked about people who described themselves as asexual. I took that as people who were not attracted to either sex for one reason or another. The way I answered was that it would be a lot easier for them to be a priest or religious than other people who had these attractions. It seems like it is the right answer but I just want a few other opinions.

 

[Verbum]

Hi Zinger,

It seems obvious that the weaker the sexual impulse, the easier it would be to practice celibacy.

Verbum

 

[GEddie]

That may well be; but “the lack of A does not imply B”. That is, the lack of a call to marriage (which call would preclude ordination as a priest in the Roman church, or entrance into a religious community) does not, in itself, imply a vocation to ordination or to religious vows.

One may be “asexual” and still have no vocation to the ordained or religious state.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Dale_M]

Since the term “asexuality” as a personal identification is a new concept, I doubt that the Church has spoken directly on the topic. However, I think you are correct that asexuals would have an easier time than others when it comes to religious life and the demand for celibacy. But, as GEddie pointed out, simply being asexual doesn’t imply a religious vocation.

Not having sex is expected by the Church for everyone who is not married. Perhaps a sticky problem would be marriage. A few years ago, when the concept of asexuality first made the news, I spent some time at an asexual online forum. It seems asexuals have a range of views as to relationships, but some do want to marry.

The Church, I believe, requires that a marriage be consummated in order for it to be valid. Never having had sex is grounds for an annulment.

I know there is an obscure tradition of “Josephite marriage” in which a couple unite with the intention of never having sex, but I don’t think the Catholic Church is comfortable with the idea. I am not sure if it would be easy to get married in the Church if the priest was aware that the couple never intended to have sex.