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I must admit that I find the demand of the Catholic Church for celibacy to be rather puzzling. The author's main point seems to be summed up in this statement: "A priest's first duty is to his flock, while a husband's first duty is to his wife." Apparently, he doesn't think a married man can be devoted to his flock. Technically, a priest's or pastor's first duty is to God, not his flock. In fact, that is the first duty of any Christian, clergy or layperson, married or single.

Despite his slant toward celibacy, the Apostle Paul recognized marriage as being perfectly in line with the Christian lifestyle. He writes, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her" (Ephesians 5:25). Earthly marriage between a man and a woman has always been looked upon as being representative of Christ's relationship with the church. To say that marriage has absolutely no place in the priesthood is to read something into Scripture that just isn't there.

Nowhere in Scripture will you find that the clergy are commanded to be celibate. That is strictly an invention of the Catholic Church. Members of the clergy are expected to be sexually pure, and I believe that a healthy sexual relationship within the confines of marriage definitely figures into that.

If a man believes that God has called him to a celibate lifestyle, more power to him. But if he believes he is called to a life of wedded companionship in his service for the Lord, it seems unfair that his usefulness as a priest would be so casually dismissed. Those who have been covered by the blood of the Lamb are all priests (1 Peter 2:9) and saints (1 Corinthians 1:2) in the eyes of God, and I believe that a healthy marriage, even among the clergy, is pleasing in God's sight. To say that marriage has no place in the priesthood of the Catholic Church is to say that God was foolish for instituting marriage in the first place.

So, once again, it appears that the Church has to decide which is more important, Catholic tradition or Holy Scripture. Firstly, there is no command for anyone to avoid marriage and live a celibate lifestyle. Secondly, a healthy marriage relationship among the clergy is actually encouraged (1 Timothy 3). Why is that so difficult for some to accept?