Why should priests be celibate?

[dochawk]

I worked as a sex abuse investigator. There is no evidence that having access to sex with adult women prevents child sex abuse.

In fact, at least one large academic study (out of Penn State, five or ten years ago, iirc), found both that:

1. the rate of abuse is slightly higher among married clergy, and
2. the rate was lowest for the RCC

(but you’d never know the second from media coverage . . .)

 

[Sarcelle]

Continence has always been held in suspicion.

Same thing with fasting.

It seems like having one’s appetites under control is seen with suspicion.

 

[otjm]

I noticed an article on a priest in our archdiocese; it noted that he was covering three parishes. They all three have viable congregations. Is he a pastor to any? most certainly no in the sense of 24/7/365. And he is not the only one covering more than one parish each and every week. Maybe you don’t need help where you are; don’t judge everyone else by what you see around you.

I’m not saying that buildings aren’t available… I’m saying that the cost of keeping one rectory open per priest and used for him and his family is more expensive than having multiple priests living in one rectory.

we don’t have the luxury of having rectories in many of our parishes, and we certainly don’t have a need for a rectory for “several priests” as most parishes have one priest. Period. and a number of the parishes which have a rectory have one priest. Period.

Again, you are looking at what you experience and projecting it out to other dioceses.

 

[Gorgias]

Is he a pastor to any? most certainly no in the sense of 24/7/365.

Most certainly he’s pastor to each of them! And yes, 24/7/365!

It’s just that he’s not living at all three rectories simultaneously.

But, I guarantee you, if there was a situation at one of them, he’d pick up and get over there on the double. He absolutely ministers – that is, pastors – to all three!

Maybe you don’t need help where you are; don’t judge everyone else by what you see around you.

We’re in the same situation, brother; don’t judge everyone else’s solutions by the fact that they don’t see things like you do.

we certainly don’t have a need for a rectory for “several priests” as most parishes have one priest. Period. and a number of the parishes which have a rectory have one priest. Period.

So, having married priests would cause added expenses for your parish.

Again, you are looking at what you experience and projecting it out to other dioceses.

Certainly not. We’re in the same boat. Let me ask you, though, since you didn’t address it: how’s your congregation size? Are you growing? Shrinking? How are your revenues trending? Has the clergy abuse scandal taken its toll on either or both? How well-positioned are you – and how much is there a real need – for additional (and more expensive) clergy support where you are?