I wonder how many people who are pushing for married priests have even considered how difficult it would be not only for those priests, but those families as well. The priesthood is not a career; it’s a vocation. It’s a hard life for non-married priests as it is; can you imagine how one would be able to support a family?
We also have to remember that the priesthood is a vocation that is to be lived within one of two contexts, the secular state or the religious state. Since we are talking about marriage, obviously that excludes priests who are religious. They have a second vocation to celibacy, poverty, obedience, the charism of their community and the family life of their brotherhood.
Priests within the secular state are mostly diocesan priests. These men are not expected to live as religious do. They do not profess to live by the evangelical counsels. They do not profess to live according to a rule of life. They are not members of a brotherhood where they have other commitments and duties.
It is canonically incorrect for them to live like religious live. They are to permeate the secular world with the gifts that a priest has to offer and that he has received through Holy Orders. While priests who are religious may be completely pulled out of the world and in many cases to not serve the laity at all. They exist for the good of their community and they work only in the ministries of their community. Some religious communities have no external ministries. Some have external ministries, but not parish ministries or only a limited commitment to parishes.
When the Church speaks about celibacy she is only speaking about secular priests, not religious who are priests. This does not apply to them. They have a vow of celibacy and they are bound to a brotherhood.
The Church believes that the secular priest, even though he may work a typical 40-50 hour a week in a parish, brings something to the community through his gift of celibacy. There is a grace that will not be present if celibacy is sacrificed. This grace strengthens the priest to be more like Christ. This is what the Church is trying to protect.
The Church is not trying to intentionally deprive the laity of the services of a priest, but she is protecting the priest so that he may be a recipient of the graces that flow from a life of celibacy.
We actually have many more priests than we think, but many of them belong to religious communities that are not involved in parish ministry. Many are also mendicants, monastic or hermits. For example, if you look at communities like the Carmelites, the Augustinians, the Franciscans, the Maryknoll, the Jesuits, the Society of Mary, the Missionaries of Charity, Benedictines, Cistercians, Trappists, Carthusians, Camaldolese they do not commit all of their ordained friars and monks to parish ministry. Many are in ministries that are proper to their religious order. Some are not involved in any ministry or contact with the laity. But the Church is not going to bring them out to serve the laity and risk losing the great gift that she receives in having priests who are brothers, monks, friars or hermits. That would do terrible spiritual harm to the Body of Christ.
The Church uses the same logic with celibacy and secular priests. Even though they are secular men, they remain celibate so that through the graces that they receive via their celibate lifestyle, they will contaminate the secular world with holiness.
The Church is not just interested in having priests to celebrate the sacraments. She also wants priests whe live and work in the secular world and inspire the secular world to a holy life in that particular state. Since most Catholics are seculars, it is important that secular priests be free to live and engage in that enviornment and bring grace to every secular activity, even at the gym or playing golf.
The power of celibacy is not always visible, but it is there.
Fraternally,
JR
