[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

True, no one is forced to join the priesthood.

But it’s a little more complicated than that. Back in the day, many older Catholics will recall, Catholic families were much larger than they are today. Often many of these families would actively encourage a young son or daughter to enter into vocations, often at a very young age, with the full backing of the Church. Teenagers as young as sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen were often recruited for the seminaries. Many were far from sexually and emotionally mature, therefore this certainly must have been a contributing factor to the homosexual/pedophile priest scandal.

Since the scandal, the Church has since implemented a strict screening process complete with thorough physical and psychological examinations. According to our pastor, only about one in ten applicants to the priesthood actually get admitted into the seminary. Also, the average age of a man entering into the seminary today is about thirty five, many considerably older.

As homosexuality has been widely accepted by the general public in recent years, and even celebrated and glorified in certain sectors, especially our media and entertainment establishments, there is little desire these days for homosexuals to enter into vocations, although back in the day that was an attractive option for them, and in many cases a perfect cover for them because back in those days few people would dare question the veracity or integrity of a Catholic priest plus you had the bishops covering up for them transferring predator priests from one parish to the next.

That all said, the number of priests in the country continues to decline. In the 1960s we had about 60,000 ordained priests in the country, today the number is under 40,000. And yes the Church’s policy of mandatory clerical celibacy is something which should be reviewed. There is nothing in the Bible which says priests must be celibate, to the contrary, priests were married men in the Bible and for many centuries they were permitted to be married even in the Catholic Church. And as Pope Francis himself has recently stated, the policy is not considered dogma etched into stone, and is subject to change.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I do think that contraception is the main causes of the shortage of celibate vocations. When people had a normal number of children (say, 4-6) they knew that if a few of them discerned a celibate vocation, they would still have kids to care for them into their old age, and they'd still have grandchildren.

Now that so many Catholic couples settle for sub-replacement procreation and impair their bodies with drugs, devices, and surgery to prevent any more--- it's much rarer for them to accept the idea that some of their kids have a genuine calling to Christian celibacy. This is the sort of "singleness" which is described by Our Lord as being "for the Kingdom." (Matthew 19:12)

It is true that celibacy is not a theological or dogmatic prerequisite for the Sacrament of Holy Orders. There have always been, and are now, tens of thousands of married people in Holy Orders.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I do think that contraception is the main causes of the shortage of celibate vocations. When people had a normal number of children (say, 4-6) they knew that if a few of them discerned a celibate vocation, they would still have kids to care for them into their old age, and they'd still have grandchildren.

Now that so many Catholic couples settle for sub-replacement procreation and impair their bodies with drugs, devices, and surgery to prevent any more--- it's much rarer for them to accept the idea that some of their kids have a genuine calling to Christian celibacy. This is the sort of "singleness" which is described by Our Lord as being "for the Kingdom." (Matthew 19:12)

It is true that celibacy is not a theological or dogmatic prerequisite for the Sacrament of Holy Orders. There have always been, and are now, tens of thousands of married people in Holy Orders.