Belgian bishops challenge celibacy ruling [CN-USA]

[Catholic_Press]

Two of the most senior Roman Catholic bishops in Belgium are challenging the doctrine that priests must be celibate in response to the recent uncovering of child sex abuse in every congregation across the country.

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[Timothy17]

Celibacy = sex abuse is a logical fallacy of the highest rank. That Catholic Bishops would fall for it is highly suspicious. That’s like saying marriage is the cause of adultery, so the discipline required in and for marriage ought to, therefore, be ended.

I can’t believe Bishops would actually make so erroneous a connection ; furthermore, wouldn’t the onus be on those priests struggling with celibacy in general, but especially with unnatural desires towards young people, confess and seek to correct it ? Whether celibate or not, such desires are unnatural and not a social norm in any case or situation. Those priests who harboured such perverted desires knew what they were doing and violated - no, reputiated even, their vows of celibacy. I do not believe such unnatural, criminal desires would in any way be affected by conjoining or loosening the discipline of celibacy ; further, I would demand evidence of any association between pedophilia and the discipline of celibacy, and contrast it to other instances, such as occurences of pedophilia by married or single persons, etc.

Pax,
Tim

 

[amyjo10]

Two of the most senior Roman Catholic bishops in Belgium are challenging the doctrine that priests must be celibate in response to the recent uncovering of child sex abuse in every congregation across the country.

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This is extremely interesting. My dad brought this up in conversation during my conversion. He suggested that priests shouldn’t have to be celibate because it draws in people who are sexually deviant (i.e. “I’m gay or I’m a pedophile etc., but I’m a Christian. I will join the priesthood because the celibacy and holy lifestyle will likely cure me somehow.”)

I think it’s a slippery slope. It’s like saying “Well, murder is wrong. Our standard is that we don’t murder. But people keep doing it. So we’ll just lower the standard and that way we won’t be so disappointed.”

Not to mention, the priests that have abused children would’ve done so even if they had had wives at home to have sex with. A normal sexually frustrated man seeks sex with a woman. A pedophile seeks it with a child. So it wouldn’t matter if a pedophile could get sex from a woman. He would still be a pedophile.