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Turning to a Support Group to Deal With Celibacy
NY Times ^ | October 14th 2011 | Debra Weiner

Posted on 10/15/2011 8:14:29 AM PDT by Cardhu

Publicly, he is a religious brother with a Roman Catholic order. Privately, although he took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, he said, at 23 he was a sex addict, anonymously cruising bars, parks and Cook County Forest Preserves for quick hookups.

Six years ago, his superiors found out and encouraged him to seek help. He agreed readily and spent the next six months in intense therapy at a residential treatment clinic north of Toronto for male and female church ministers with psychological and addiction problems.

Brother Patrick has been chaste ever since (his real name is being withheld because he requested anonymity). Now 49, a California native with a singsong lilt to his voice and John Lennon-style wire rim glasses, he is a founding member of one of the country’s few celibacy support groups for priests and religious.

Allan Schnarr, a clinical psychologist who teaches at Loyola University of Chicago and former priest who spent 10 years in the Resurrectionist religious order, started the group in 2009 at the request of a client, a priest.

Monday mornings twice a month ever since, Brother Patrick and the three other brothers and priests in the support group meet in Hyde Park at the Claret Center, which offers psychotherapeutic services and spiritual direction. Seated in a circle in the center’s homey conference room, they discuss the spiritual and emotional struggles and joys of being true to their vows.

“Unfortunately, the church has embraced the notion that once you've chosen this profession your sexuality goes away,” Brother Patrick said. “But it doesn't. God would never expect something so absurd as that.”

Instead, he added, you have to nurture it in different ways. “If you can’t and you’re afraid to talk about it, and your sexuality becomes a big, dirty secret,

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: catholic; celibacy; noncelibacy; priests; romancatholic; romancatholicism
A thoughtful and illuminating article about Priestley celibacy by priests.
1 posted on 10/15/2011 8:14:35 AM PDT by Cardhu
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To: Cardhu

If they want priests to remain celibate, they should let ‘em get married! ;)


2 posted on 10/15/2011 8:17:31 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Herman Cain 2012 -- the man we need at the time we need him)
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To: freedumb2003

Perhaps you are right it is always more exciting thinking about it. :)


3 posted on 10/15/2011 8:19:45 AM PDT by Cardhu
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To: freedumb2003

Well, marriage is often a cure to the desire for marriage. :-)


4 posted on 10/15/2011 8:21:08 AM PDT by Larry Lucido ("#Occupy America" is a great success! I got mail today addressed to "Occupant"!)
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To: Cardhu

I’m celibate and not a priest, and I don’t need a support group.


5 posted on 10/15/2011 8:21:17 AM PDT by wastedyears (Attaaack Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatch)
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To: wastedyears

>>I’m celibate and not a priest, and I don’t need a support group.<<

I am pretty sure being a priest is voluntary...


6 posted on 10/15/2011 8:25:04 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Herman Cain 2012 -- the man we need at the time we need him)
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To: freedumb2003

It is, but celibacy is 50% the person’s own decision. The other 50% is, well... no opportunity.

No love, no lovin’.


7 posted on 10/15/2011 8:27:01 AM PDT by wastedyears (Attaaack Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatch)
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To: wastedyears

That was my point... it was a joke


8 posted on 10/15/2011 8:29:05 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Herman Cain 2012 -- the man we need at the time we need him)
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To: freedumb2003

In this case, he was looking for sex in forest preserves - one of the seven warning signs of a sodomite. He should have been thrown out immediately. This is how the RC church is being destroyed form within.


9 posted on 10/15/2011 8:32:53 AM PDT by achilles2000 ("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
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To: freedumb2003

I often take things for full face value.

Except when it comes to Democrats. Then I take it with a shipload full of salt.


10 posted on 10/15/2011 8:36:01 AM PDT by wastedyears (Attaaack Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatch)
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To: Cardhu
Too bad Weiner didn't devote any space to detailing the account of the many happy and successful celibate Priests and religious. However, she did find plenty of space to give “Father Lawrence” a soapbox.
11 posted on 10/15/2011 9:00:38 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: Cardhu
"Priestley celibacy"

Yeah, right.

Tell that to Fr. Hayes of St. Stanislaus parish circa 1968...he got his ass kicked badly right in the Church yard by two dads.

Seems he had a taste for Altar Boys. Tried to talk a couple of 11 year old boys into undressing to their underwear so "he could ensure all the robes fit just right" after plying them with expensive Sauterne. The boys got scared and ran...told their dads.

My dad's right hand was bandaged up for two weeks after that:)

12 posted on 10/15/2011 10:16:40 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Cardhu

God bless him!


13 posted on 10/15/2011 11:08:42 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: freedumb2003
**If they want priests to remain celibate, they should let ‘em get married!**

Giving ones life to Christ is far superior. And how about all these Protestant ministers? Why don't we hear about them???????

ALL Protestant denominations - 838 Ministers

147 Baptist Ministers

251 "Bible" Church Ministers (fundamentalist/evangelical)

140 Anglican/Episcopalian Ministers

38 Lutheran Ministers

46 Methodist Ministers

19 Presbyterian Ministers

197 various Church Ministers


14 posted on 10/15/2011 11:10:50 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: wastedyears

Not true. You have the wonderful love of God!


15 posted on 10/15/2011 11:12:33 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Mariner

The most probable pedophiles in order are:

Fathers
Teachers
Coaches
Protestant ministers

Priests are way down on the list.

So if a father is a teacher of mid-high history, coaches the girl’s basketball team and is a youth minister at his church on weekends/Sundays — watch out! He would be much more prone to pedophilia that any priest.

___________________________________________________________

Sexual Abuse of Children by Protestant Ministers

Report: Protestant Church Insurers Handle 260 Sex Abuse Cases a Year

Abuse by Protestant Ministers of Every Denomination

Child Sexual Molestation by Various Protestant Clergy

Baptist Predators website

"Yeshiva" of Brooklyn also Guilty of Child Abuse

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sex Abuse by Teachers Said Worse Than Catholic Church

WHEN BOYS ARE MOLESTED BY TEACHERS AND OTHERS IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY

OPS (Omaha Public Schools) didn't report abuse allegations

ANOTHER two Texas teachers arrested for having sex with their students

Forgotten Study: Abuse in School 100 Times Worse than by Priests

 


16 posted on 10/15/2011 11:13:58 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

>>Giving ones life to Christ is far superior. <<

It was a riff on the old joke about how marriage ends your sex life... *shrug*


17 posted on 10/15/2011 11:47:21 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Herman Cain 2012 -- the man we need at the time we need him)
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To: Cardhu

Why is a Mormon so interested in Christian beliefs?


18 posted on 10/15/2011 9:33:51 PM PDT by Cronos (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2787101/posts?page=58#58)
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