Questions from a Non-Catholic about a Celibate Clergy

[DivineMercy01]

Obviously, a celibate priest will not have the opportunity to ignore his own child’s suffering to protect his reputation as a pastor. He has plenty of other opportunities to sin that are unique to his specific circumstances.

This is not a question of sin, as everyone has plenty of opportunity to sin. It’s called being human whether you’re a priest or a layperson. It is a question of being present for your child. The pastor in this situation was too wrapped up in his pastoral role to be present for his child and keep her safe.

We can debate the specifics all day, but the truth of the matter is that the Roman rite only allows the ordination of married men in some situations for legitimate reasons. Asking the few devoted men we have to be spread too thin by playing both roles is a recipe for more problems to occur, as well as schism.