[sinkspur]

McCloskey was on SPECIAL EDITION on FOXNEWS tonight. He was less than convincing.

As long as the Western Church is willing to take in the Lutherans and Episcopalians who desire to convert and be ordained Catholic priests and remain married, the celibacy argument is undercut.

Father Richard Neuhaus, who writes for NATIONAL REVIEW, is a married Catholic priest; I daresay no one would accuse him of not being a Gospel witness.

The only way to truly rid the seminaries of the "Gay mafia" is to flood the Church with worthy candidates who are not gay.

IOW, married heterosexuals.

[ELS]

He was less than convincing.

I disagree. He gave a good explanation of the benefit of celibacy. It's a gift from God. No one is forced to become a priest.

[bejaykay]

Priestly celibacy is not an absolute dogma. That is there are (as you pointed out) already married priests. It is however the norm. Many people who don't get the celibacy issue, don't because they suffer from a modern "scientific" notion, that people "need" to have sex. No one has ever died from not having sex. Many people have gone their whole (long) lives without having sex. There is no evidence to say that allowing a normative married priesthood would change the proportion of priests who are potential pedophiles or even change the number or ratio of priest who may have homosexual tendencies. Noting that you don't agree with the Church on Humanae Vitae, I wonder are you interested in trying to change the Church in a general sense or are these two issues the only two which you have difficulty with?

[saradippity]

Father Richard Neuhaus,Editor in chief of First Things is a convert who was a Lutheran minister. He was celibate,never married and you can read all about it;do a Google search and an interview with him pops right up on the first page. He presents his view on celibacy very well,read it.

[Proud2BAmerican]

Father Richard Neuhaus, who writes for NATIONAL REVIEW, is a married Catholic priest; I daresay no one would accuse him of not being a Gospel witness.

Arnold : Why did you never marry, and are you in favour of a celibate clergy?

Neuhaus : Most Lutheran clergy are married, but I always believed I was called to a ministry that could best be exercised in the single state. I think I was a more effective pastor because of my celibacy. I am in favour of the leadership of this Pope, and he has made it manifestly clear that he has no doubt whatsoever about the importance of clerical celibacy. I find his arguments persuasive. I think he's right.

Once celibacy becomes an option, there are lots of pressures to marry and celibacy almost disappears as a charism.

[BlessedBeGod]

McCloskey was on SPECIAL EDITION on FOXNEWS tonight. He was less than convincing.

That's odd -- I thought he was excellent. He was very articulate and convincing in his position on the scandal -- in fact, the most articulate and convincing I've seen interviewed yet. (Some of them have been awful.)