A Catholic Bishop Looks Back Gratefully on 87 Years of Celibacy

The Daily Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8/11/10 | Damian Thompson

[marshmallow]

Bishop John Jukes of Southwark was one of the leading lights – and best brains – of the Catholic Church when I was still at school. Today, much to my surprise, an email from this remarkable Franciscan appeared in my inbox, asking politely if I’d be interested in his thoughts on 87 years of celibacy. Having reported so negatively on the antics of various Catholic bureaucrats, I’m delighted to reproduce his article, whose defence of this ancient spiritual tradition is in such contrast to the sneers and incomprehension of the Church’s critics.

I have always enjoyed the company of women. Their way of talking, the often – to me – apparently illogical style of reasoning, coupled with their physical appearance, have provided fascinating objects of wonder and interest. So you will understand how great was the step I took when I was 28 to freely take a life-long vow to God that I would never marry. It was a vow that I am still keeping in this year of Pope Benedict’s visit to Britain. I am still keeping this vow that I took under the example and inspiration of St Francis of Assisi because by it I am more closely linked to Jesus Christ, son of Mary of Nazareth and Son of God. Now as I celebrate my 87th birthday I reflect upon celibacy as I have experienced it and how this gift of God has placed me at the service of the Catholic Church and the people of God.

The choice of life-long celibacy is made by many hundreds of thousands of individuals in the life of the Catholic Church. Some do so, men and women, by electing to take a vow of perpetual celibacy as a member of a religious Order or Congregation. Other men seek ordination.........

[Secret Agent Man]

Hormones play a bigger role more than people know. If you’ve never had the big teen surge (and some people haven’t) I can see where some people might not be interested in the opposite sex that way.

But hormones definitely do influence behavior. Teenagers at very high levels. Everyone knows in other animals it sure does. Even in the neutered ones they still have seasonal surges and I can tell whenever that happens, it overrides their normal behavior patterns.

[JRandomFreeper]

I've been married 3 times and have 2 kids.

I've been celibate between marriages, and remain celibate these 10 years since I'm single.

My testosterone level is fine, and my hair is still red.

Celibacy offers a discipline that is useful.

Some are meant for it. Others are not.

But that doesn't mean I don't still pole vault out of bed like I was 18.

What I do about it is a choice. Hormones drive the urges. The brain drives the actions.

/johnny

[Secret Agent Man]

I agree with ya.

[Talisker]

“Celebrate ... the word is CELEBRATE!” says the old monk with tears streaming down his face.

Thanks for the history lesson.

Oh, I mean joke. Sorry.

[Tax-chick]

Really? You must have made a dreadful choice of your spouse ... but if you’ve been married 87 years, at least you’ve got some amazing longevity going. Are you a World War II vet?

[Romulus]

There are lots of married men who’re awkward around women. It’s a funny old world.

Priests are like other men; they come in all sizes and personalities. I happen to know quite a few, as well as a good many seminarians. Some are charming and polished; others are shambling and taciturn. Some sparkle in the company of women; others clam up.

To suggest that testosterone levels are the key is to suggest that a man is the slave of his passions — whereas the truth is that an essential property of every REAL man is self-mastery. Hef isn’t an example of a highly-sexed man; he’s a case of arrested development.

[Antoninus]

I think that a life long celibate, God love him, might have a lower testosterone level than someone like Hefner or any other over-sexed male.

Did it ever occur to you that being over-sexed may cause increased testosterone, whereas being celibate may decrease the levels? A large part of celibacy is mind over chemicals. If you stop thinking about sex all the time, you won't be as "stimulated" as you would be otherwise.

[OldPossum]

Re your posts 19 and 21, I should have stated my case with better precision. I was not saying that hormones played no role, I was trying to make the case that the mind, if it is doing its role in the life of a person who could control himself, would limit or shut down completely that person’s sexual urges brought about by the hormones. In this case, the Bishop is a person who can control himself and Hefner is a person with utter lack of control.

[Gapplega]

I doubt it

[Antoninus]

I doubt it.

To a certain extent, you're right, actually. But men are called to do impossible things, like remain celibate, all the time. Left to their own devices, it may be impossible. But with God's grace, all things are possible, even a normal, healthy man remaining celibate for 87 years.

[Gapplega]

I completely agree with what you said. The impossible becomes reality with God’s grace, no matter what.