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Situation: A young man’s father dies, and he lives with his mother to the end of her days. He has no social life.
Before Freud: “Ah shor-an-begorrah, ‘tis a foin, foin thing for a boy to be taking care of his par sainted mither.”
After Freud: “Those two have a sick, co-dependent relationship. She needs to remarry, and he needs to get a life.”
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Situation: A young man says he wants to become a priest.
Before Freud: “Ah shor-an-begorrah, ‘tis a foin, foin thing for a boy to be taking the religious life. Why, every faithful Catholic family should give at least one child to the chairch.”
After Freud: “What a blow to the family. I know they were looking for grandkids from that one. What’s wrong with him? Doesn’t he like girls?”
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In the years after World War II, and long before the Second Vatican Council, Catholics no longer valued religious vocations. Even in the 1950s I can remember the nuns desperately trolling for religious vocations. But there was still a strong need for priests, and as a result men were ordained who were not fit for the priesthood.
The Polish Pope blamed society for homosexual priests and nuns, and he had a point. In 1969 homosexuality came out of the closet. In the 1970s it became trendy and legal. In the 2020s gay marriage became the law.
The edict that ended the married priesthood dates from the 10th Century, and it was based on priests passing church property onto their children, not dogma. The Argentine Pope would like to do something about that, and a number of ideas have been floated within the Vatican. As to whether any of them will be implemented is a question for the future. Change is hard, and massive change is harder.
I know change is hard, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why many Catholics are against married priests.