Celibacy is a discipline, as you rightly note. A difficult one. However, thousands of holy men and women have given witness to its value and glory to God for over two thousand years. John Paul II, of happy memory, called it "the brightest jewel of our priesthood" for indeed that is what is is and the saints and martyrs have died rather than abandon it.
Today's world sees it as ridiculous but it is a poor judge. The world of unrestrained sexuality finds it impossible to understand.
What would you suggest? That Fr. Cutie be locked in a cell? The likelihood is that even if the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak.
Celibacy is a discipline, as you rightly note. A difficult one. However, thousands of holy men and women have given witness to its value and glory to God for over two thousand years.
And many, many of them have fallen short, too. This is one of those things that drive me nuts. Here you are, pontificating on how another person should stick to a discipline that you are unwilling to undertake for yourself. You don't even know the extent to which he wrestled with it, nor the strength of the temptation that drew him away. But, safe in your position of never having to deal with it yourself, you feel safe in judging him for his failure.
Today's world sees it as ridiculous but it is a poor judge. The world of unrestrained sexuality finds it impossible to understand.
Jesus understands this man's difficulties. You, apparently, know better.
Yeesh...if i was to enter a religious order I would want to do that as a single person and not marry. that would be my choice as I would be giving my whole life to God in that ministry. I would not want the extra burden of family, because I chose such a life.
There are many ways to serve God, married or single. But if I wanted to dedicate my whole life to God, ie Mother Theresa, a family would complicate that choice. As for the Catholic church, well, let the church have celibate priests..if you don’t want to be celibate serve in the Catholic church in another way, or chose another Christian faith to be a minister in.
As for ‘married ministers understand their parishoners better “..that is ridiculous. what if the parishoner is single? or Gay? or a female, and the minister is a man? Or they once were Jewish and converted/ Or they are Black and the minister is white?..on and on.