Priestly Celibacy stuff?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MiserereMei25
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Without expressing my personal view. Because until canon law is changed, if it ever is, people will want it to conform to what they want. I think this is exacerbated by the fact that everyone knows it’s “just” a discipline. And since it could be changed, those that want it to can express that without putting themselves outside the church.

If it does ever change it’ll just be the opposite side that’s “hung up” on it. It’s what happens. People want what they want. Not a very revolutionary idea is it?
 
I think, a large part of this is because of the abuse scandals. “Let’s end mandatory celibacy for priests”! There’s some kind of magical thinking there, because if these men aren’t attracted to female women, who are of age, then why in the world would ending clerical celibacy change that? Hint: It won’t. Besides, the Church has always had married priests (Peter had a mother-in-law) and celibate priests (like Paul, who praised celibacy). I fully support the venerable Latin church’s tradition of celibacy. No one forces it on them, when they make those vows, they are doing so freely. I think what would work much better is more rigorous formation to prevent the abuse. The problem isn’t celibacy, the problem is that priests that are supposed to be celibate sometimes aren’t.
 
“We” ? I’m not hung up on it. It makes perfect logical and theological sense. People seem to sidetrack onto this issue because of scandals and low priest numbers. Neither of which have anything to do with a priest who is married and has children…
 
Priestly celibacy is something that is in a large part unique to Catholicism. So when many people look at all the scandals or the vocation shortage, this is often what people might point to as the problem (even though it really isn’t). This is especially true today, when much of the secular world has become so sexualized; many see unrestrained sexual activity as a necessity and even a right. Therefore, many will look upon celibacy with suspicion, at the very least.

Very simply, this explains in a large part why so many people get hung up on the idea of priestly celibacy.
 
Exactly. I just feel a lot of people have been bringing this topic up lately as a solution to sex abuse issues, which it is not.
 
MiserereMei25 said:
Why are we hung up on this issue?
Click to expand...
Celibacy flies in the face of the current free sex culture.
adamhovey1988 said:
The problem isn’t celibacy, the problem is that priests that are supposed to be celibate sometimes aren’t.
Click to expand...
I think this is the case with chastity across the board. There is a lot of social pressure to be sexually active,whether one is a teen, married, single or vowed person. We just apply higher expectations to our priests.
MiserereMei25 said:
Exactly. I just feel a lot of people have been bringing this topic up lately as a solution to sex abuse issues, which it is not.
Click to expand...
Nor is it a solution to priest shortage.
 
guanophore said:
Nor is it a solution to priest shortage.
Click to expand...
I do laugh every time I read this.

Celibacy is the only reason that I did not attend seminary.

Without it, there would be at least one more priest in a catholic school classroom in the US.

With the changes of the last few years, I would be eligible in my EC church, but I’d be 65 by the time of ordination, even if I started the process tomorrow (until the recent changes, I would be barred by my RC baptism).

hawk
 
adamhovey1988 said:
There’s some kind of magical thinking there, because if these men aren’t attracted to female women, who are of age, then why in the world would ending clerical celibacy change that? Hint: It won’t.
Click to expand...
Especially since the vast majority of sex abuse in the world comes from men who are married or already in a relationship.
 
dochawk said:
Without it, there would be at least one more priest in a catholic school classroom in the US.
Click to expand...
One does not need to be a priest to teach in a catholic school.

If God did not call you to celibacy, then He had a different plan for your life. God knows that the Latin Rite prefers to choose from among those called to celibacy to be priests.
 
Well, it (a married clergy as well as a celibate one) is part of the Roman rite for about half of the time since Christ walked the earth. And it (celibacy of clergy) is not even absolute, as we have married priests who were former Protestant ministers, married, converted, and ordained.

And as far as the Church, you might remember that the 20+ Eastern rites are as much a part of the Church as the Roman rite, in spite of the fact that the Roman rite is the largest. And the Church (which includes those Eastern rites) has 2,000 years of history of married clergy and celibate clergy.

As to the OP, I don’t know who is “hung up” on the matter, but there are many good and faithful Catholics who feel that a return to “both/and” would be appropriate - including bishops in Brazil who have publicly petitioned to allow the ordination of married men. I kind of doubt those bishops are “hung up”.
 
I don’t know that you can make and sustain such a statement. Perhaps you have never heard of NAMBLA, or been aware of a not exactly recent problem among runaway teenage boys, who all too often turn to prostitution to be able to stay alive. They are referred to as “chickens”, and their predators as “chicken hawks”.
 
guanophore said:
One does not need to be a priest to teach in a catholic school.
Click to expand...
Nothing suggested that it is.

However, a priest in those spots has outsized influence.

Some of my strongest influences were these priests.
guanophore said:
If God did not call you to celibacy, then He
Click to expand...
I was called to both.

Had the changes come ten or fifteen years earlier, I could have met both calls.

hawk
 
Yes, I am aware of all those points. I was trying to explain to the OP some reasons people may get “hung up” or have issues with priestly celibacy. My explanation was meant to try and point to some reasons why many in today’s culture might look with suspicion on priestly celibacy, and was not meant to be an argument for/against the practice.
 
Last edited:
dochawk said:
I was called to both.

Had the changes come ten or fifteen years earlier, I could have met both calls.
Click to expand...
Do you not think that God knew about the changes and how that would impact you? God calls people to do things for many reasons, not always to complete a mission as we understand it. He called Jonah to preach to Nineveh, but the results were not at all what he expected. He was disappointed, but God had another plan for the Ninevites. Clearly He had another plan for your life as well, as He does not make mistakes, and you were born and called at a time that was not conducive.

Many of the saints were called to a course they could not follow, for whatever reason. He uses all such things for the good.
 
otjm said:
I don’t know that you can make and sustain such a statement. Perhaps you have never heard of NAMBLA, or been aware of a not exactly recent problem among runaway teenage boys, who all too often turn to prostitution to be able to stay alive. They are referred to as “chickens”, and their predators as “chicken hawks”.
Click to expand...
All this being true, it is still a fact that the majority of offenders are heterosexual married men.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top