CELIBACY AND THE PRIESTHOOD - 30 Questions and Answers

Why can’t priests marry? It’s a question people often ask and the requirement of celibacy has also been blamed as one of the causes of sexual abuse by priests.

A recently published translation of an Italian book addresses the topic in a question and answer format, “Married Priests? Thirty Crucial Questions about Celibacy” (Ignatius Press). It is edited by Arturo Cattaneo, with contributions from a wide variety of scholars.

We are faced with a great educational challenge in explaining the Church’s teaching on priestly celibacy, admitted Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.

He likened celibacy to marriage. "The underlying logic of priestly celibacy is the same one we encounter in Christian matrimony: the total gift of everything forever in love."

From the historical aspect the book noted that Christ chose celibacy for himself even though among the Jews this state of life was seen as a humiliation. He did not generate children physically but loved his disciples as brethren and shared a common life with them.

Jesus' way of communicating life was not through physical generation but spiritual. Therefore the celibacy of those who follow Jesus in the priesthood must be understood in the perspective of this spiritual transmission of eternal life.

One of the questions deals with the affirmation that celibacy did not become obligatory until the Middle Ages. For a start, the explanation noted, there is considerable Biblical evidence, both in the Gospels and the letters of St Paul, of support for celibacy as a sign of witness.

While it is true that during the early centuries married men were ordained, after their ordination they were expected to practice continence and those who were single at ordination or those widowed after ordination were not permitted to marry once they were priests.

All deacons, priests and bishops, the explanation continued, had to refrain from sexual activity from the day of ordination. "Nowhere in the Church can it be proved that a married cleric legitimately begat children after his ordination."

Over time the Church realized that continence for married clerics was problematic regarding the sacramentality of marriage and so during the Middle Ages this led to the decision of requiring priests to be single.

Vocations

Why not allow married priests in order to attract more vocations? This, the book observed, is one of the most frequent arguments regarding celibacy. There is no evidence, however, "that requiring less of candidates to the priesthood leads to increased numbers of them," the answer replied.

"Experience proves the contrary instead: vocations to the priesthood flourish and multiply when the radical gospel message is welcomed consistently and unapologetically."

The requirement of celibacy is not a dogma, another section of the book admitted, but this does not mean it is a merely disciplinary measure. Celibacy means that the priest should be similar to Christ and live as he did.

Jesus regarded himself as the “Bridegroom” of the whole community of believers. The explanation referred to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (5:21-33) that uses the image of marriage for the union between Christ and the Church.

Is not celibacy unnatural and the cause of crises among priests? In the answer to this question the author, in this case Manfred Lütz, a doctor of medicine in psychiatry, explained that the question is based on an erroneous premise. What about all the people who are unmarried – are they all unnatural?

The celibate life only becomes unnatural when being single turns into isolated selfishness or narcissism, Lütz continued.

Spiritual life

From his experience as a therapist Lütz said that crises among clergy do not come from celibacy, but rather from the drying up of the spiritual life.

A subsequent question also dealt with this theme of psychological equilibrium. It was answered by André-Marie Jerumanis, a priest and physician.

Celibacy, he explained, is not harmful to equilibrium or maturity if we take into account that it is a free choice of a psychologically mature person.

A human being is not just a mere bundle of instincts. Instead, as a person we have an intellect, a will and free choice, which makes possible self-control.

"The more humanly and spiritually mature a person is, the more perfectly he will practice continence at the psychological level, not as frustration but as perfect freedom exercised in self-control and in complete availability to his personal mission," Jerumanis explained.

In another question Jerumanis dealt with the accusation that celibacy is a causal factor in sexual abuse. It would be rash to come to this conclusion, he affirmed, just as it would be rash to conclude that marital crises are due to the requirement that marriage be indissoluble.

Another contributor noted that no one would blame the institution of marriage as being responsible for a parent sexually abusing their child. He also observed that sexual abuse is just as prevalent in churches that have married clergy and that by far the largest number of cases of sexual abuse occurs in the immediate family.

These explanations and the other questions and answers make this book a valuable resource at a time of continued debate over celibacy.

You may very well be speaking of the catholic church, but did you know that every Pope since the reformation, and still does today, that ALL men of the cloth, regardless of Christian faith, should be celibate.

After all, the Pope and the Catholic Church itself still believe they are the ONE TRUE faith, and all the rest are fakes.

I was raised a Catholic, I took catechism classes every Wednesday at 2 pm for 6 years. I know for which I speak.

I must admit, it truly taught me many things, and it was great to get out of School early every Wednesday.

21 posted on 01/27/2013 4:20:40 PM PST by OneVike (I'm just a Christian waiting to go home)

There are married Roman Catholic priests...that is: clergymen who declare loyalty and obedience to the Holy Father in Rome....in the United States and,I suspect,other countries as well.My understanding is that most of these priests are Episcopal/Anglican priests who converted to Roman Catholicism,made the required professions of obedience to the Pontiff and were accepted into the priesthood by Rome's duly appointed representatives.

If *some* Roman Catholic priests are allowed to be married I can't understand why all are not given that option.

22 posted on 01/27/2013 4:27:28 PM PST by Gay State Conservative ("Progressives" toss the word "racist" around like chimps toss their feces)

To: daniel1212; NYer; hosepipe; ReformationFan; metmom; boatbums; caww; presently no screen name

One only need look to paganism to understand where the idea for celibate priests comes from.

23 posted on 01/27/2013 5:08:28 PM PST by CynicalBear

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Wrong the word is “Petros” not Peter.. meaning a rock..
So some believe Jesus gave Cephas a nickname(Peter).. I do not..
maybe the other apostles did though, maybe not..
I doubt Jesus ever spoke Greek.. or most apostles.

God giving nicknames is quite familiar.. maybe licentious.. even lame..
and the word is not church.. greek and hebrew at that time didnt have a word for church.. as in synagogue..
Jesus wasn’t really into synagogues.. from my studies..

Like I said.. it takes faith to believe what you believe..
You trust dogma I do not trust.. but many others do as well..
Like Mormons trust dogma I do not trust.. same deal..
And Scientologists too.. and Buddhists and many other faiths..

I may believe things you do not trust.. I accept/tolerate that..

24 posted on 01/27/2013 6:12:26 PM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole..)

After all, the Pope and the Catholic Church itself still believe they are the ONE TRUE faith, and all the rest are fakes.

should have paid closer attention in class....the Catholic Church is indeed the one, true church......BUT, the others are not "fakes"...they have relinquished some Catholic teachings and are therefore incomplete, not wrong, just incomplete.

25 posted on 01/27/2013 7:38:48 PM PST by terycarl

Wrong, the Church is the total collection of all believers, not an organized religious establishment. Especially one who’s priests have more times than not acted much the same way as the priests and Pharisees of Jesus day.

One of thousands of problems I have with the catholic church is the way they go directly against the teaching of Christ by calling their priests “Father”.

That being said, I am not going to get into a long drawn out discussion about the many, many errors of the Catholic Church, because there isn’t enough time in the day to do so.

26 posted on 01/27/2013 8:49:04 PM PST by OneVike (I'm just a Christian waiting to go home)

To: OneVike; terycarl

27 posted on 01/27/2013 9:25:16 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

To: Gay State Conservative

It’s because they converted to the beliefs of Catholicism and want to be a Catholic priest rather than an Anglican priest.

Simple.

28 posted on 01/27/2013 9:27:30 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Do you really know about what you are speaking?

If you were baptized a Catholic, got out of school early on Wednesday to attend catechism classes — you are and always will be a Catholic.

That mark of Baptism (and I wonder if you were confirmed too) will always be with you.

You will always be a baptized Catholic.

29 posted on 01/27/2013 9:30:15 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

30 posted on 01/27/2013 9:31:50 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Baptism is but a public pronouncement of one's faith in Christ, not one's faith in a religious organization.

Just because one is raised and educated by the public school system, does not mean they can never be deprogrammed of the indoctrination they received at the hands of the state school system from K-12.

Many a Pharisee was given the truth from Christ, some saw the light and became born again, many did not.

I may have been raised by going to catechism classes every Wednesday for 6 years as I stated in my comment to GeronL, but what I did not write is that I also attended a Lutheran church every Sunday with my Mother. It was my step father who was Catholic, and he tried to get me and my sister to become Catholic. (we were the two youngest of 8 children)

I had my eyes opened to the truth years later after actually reading the Bible from cover to cover and being exposed to God fearing biblical scholars who had no agenda but teaching God's Word instead of religious doctrine from an organization.

I am a Christian, not a Lutheran nor a Catholic. I do not identify myself by any other name than that of the man who died on the cross for my sins. Anyone who dares to identify themselves by another, gives the glory to Satan, not to God.

In my many years here, I have entered many religious debates, but because of the many followers I had that are Catholic, I have steered clear of debates on Catholicism. Well since I disbanded by ping list, I no longer feel the need to keep out of the foray.

I do not look to the Catholic Church as a cult as many evangelicals do, however I do think the teachings of the church is very detrimental to one growth as a Christian. That being said, I also see the teachings of many evangelical Churches as detrimental to one's Christian growth.

I guess you could almost say my Christian awakening is almost parallel to my political awakening in the last 20 to 25 years. The more I study and learn, the more I see the flaws in various religious orders today. Just as the more I learn about American politics, the more I see the flaws in most political entities. I know what is closest to the right way, and I know which ones are the farthest from the truth.

On the scale of 1 to 100, with Islam being a 1, and Christ being 100, I would put Catholicism at about 40. Whereas my understanding of Christ would be about 95. You can call me arrogant, or full of myself, but I speak of my understanding of what Christ teaches, not about my walk with Him.

I am sure there are Catholics who's walk with Christ are probably in to upper 90% as apposed to my 75% or at least around there, but understanding the truth, and living it are two different things. After all, we know that knowledge puffs up, while love edifies. I guess you could say that the more I learn, the less I seem to love at times. Sometimes I wish I were as ignorant as a child again, then I could again love those who hate me.

I guess that is our ultimate sin though, eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil opened our eyes to right and wrong. Now we find it more difficult to overlook the lies of those around us, and thus love them as Christ loved when he willingly died for our sins.

31 posted on 01/27/2013 10:45:09 PM PST by OneVike (I'm just a Christian waiting to go home)

Peter was the first Bishop of Rome. Now Peter was married, but we hear nothing of his wife later on -- perhaps he and the others gave up everything to follow the Lord?

Paul was unmarried and while he talks of the virtues of marriage, he also talks of the virtues of being unmarried for God

The best balance is among the Orthodox -- a married man can become a priest (but an unmarried priest can't get married) and bishops are to remain unmarried

The history of celibacy really dates to the end dates of the 1st millenium when people noticed that the unmarried monks were a lot holier than the married priests -- or perhaps about the married priests it was like the gossip about the Vicar's wife

Think of it, even today, if there is a pastor or vicar or whatever with a wife, there tends to be gossip "oh, how does she get that money" or other sordid details, even if, in nearly all cases, the couple are above reproach

32 posted on 01/28/2013 2:53:56 AM PST by Cronos

To: ReformationFan; GeronL

Catholics need to disown those who claim to be one but disagree with the church on everything. All denominations should

well, Catholics do do that. I don't think any denomination has excommunication (not sure) as that is just within orthodoxy (Catholic, Orthodox, Oriental/Coptic/Armenian/Ethiopian and Assyrian) -- but this needs to be wielded more often, I agree

33 posted on 01/28/2013 2:55:52 AM PST by Cronos

34 posted on 01/28/2013 2:59:03 AM PST by Cronos

To: OneVike; GeronL

all the rest are fakes.

Sorry, but that is false "The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter."322 Those "who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, communion with the Catholic Church

So your statement is false -- the groups outside orthodoxy are in a certain communion and hence cannot be fakes.

Of course, the Christian groups should believe in the Trinity -- so Mormons etc. are not in communion with us -- I can respect them and their conservativeness, but don't consider them fellow Christian brethren, as I do Lutherans or Methodists etc.

35 posted on 01/28/2013 3:00:58 AM PST by Cronos

To: OneVike; GeronL

onevike: I am sure there are Catholics who's walk with Christ are probably in to upper 90% as apposed to my 75% or at least around there, but understanding the truth, and living it are two different things....,I do not look to the Catholic Church as a cult as many evangelicals do, however I do think the teachings of the church is very detrimental to one growth as a Christian. That being said, I also see the teachings of many evangelical Churches as detrimental to one's Christian growth.

Fair enough -- I respect your difference of opinion. I disagree with you :) but I respect your way of putting things in an aim to express your belief rather than denigrate others'...

36 posted on 01/28/2013 3:03:45 AM PST by Cronos

One only need look to paganism to understand where the idea for celibate priests comes from.

Jesus was celibate. According to your statement that makes Him a pagan.

37 posted on 01/28/2013 5:36:34 AM PST by NYer ("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)

>> Jesus was celibate. According to your statement that makes Him a pagan.<<

Not in the least. The distinction between Jesus and carnal humans is rather profound. And equating the so called Catholic “priest” with Jesus is rather telling. Jesus was God, the Catholic “priest” is not.

38 posted on 01/28/2013 5:44:22 AM PST by CynicalBear

It’s because they converted to the beliefs of Catholicism and want to be a Catholic priest rather than an Anglican priest.Simple.

You've answered a question that I didn't ask.

39 posted on 01/28/2013 7:55:52 AM PST by Gay State Conservative ("Progressives" toss the word "racist" around like chimps toss their feces)

To: NYer; CynicalBear; Whosoever

Jesus was celibate. According to your statement that makes Him a pagan.

What do you think of “The Bride of Christ”?.. if just a metaphor.. What a metaphor..

Does Christ have a bride or Not?..
If he has a bride what does that mean(imply)?...
If Christ was or will be married what was the example provided..

Your opinion on this just may be premature possibly lame..
maybe even heresy.. to some(most)..

I would advise caution... maybe a re-think...

40 posted on 01/28/2013 10:18:19 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole..)

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