Posted on 05/12/2009 12:50:13 PM PDT by marshmallow
Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 7, 2009 / 04:13 pm (CNA).- Bishop Juan Ruben Martinez of Posadas in Argentina said celibacy cannot be reduced to a "mere imposition of the Church" and that "bad examples and even our own limitations do not invalidate the contribution of so many who, in the past and today, give their lives for others."
Bishop Martinez said that a "materialistic vision" of man that is based solely on "instinct and the physiological" makes it difficult to see these values as a "gift of God" and an "instrument of service to humanity and to the common good." He recognized that "from materialistic anthropology, celibacy and monogamous marriage tend to be considered as something unnatural." However, he warned, "To reduce celibacy to a mere imposition of the Church is in fact to insult our intelligence and Christ himself who was ‘the eternal high priest,’ ‘celibate,’ and gave his life for all of us, and he himself recommended it. It is to insult the biblical texts which show great respect for celibacy and chastity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it insults the Fathers, doctors and pastors of the Church from apostolic times to the present."
"Uniting celibacy with the priestly ministry is a more radical Gospel choice made by the Church based on her authority and supported by the Word of God and the testimony of the saints and of so many men and women who, throughout history, strove and strive through this gift and even through their own frailties to give everything exclusively to God and his people. Bad examples and even our own limitations do not invalidate the contribution of so many who, in the past and today, give their lives for others," the bishop said.
He went on to note that only on the basis of faith can we have "a profound understanding of issues such as life, the family, marriage, the Church and her mission, the priesthood and celibacy."
Bishop Martinez encouraged Catholics to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, "trusting in the initiative of God and man’s response," and he thanked God, who continues to call young people to consecrate themselves to God and their brothers and sisters. "They respond to the call because they believe in love," he said.
I am not a Catholic, but, I note the lock step consistency in these type stories.
An RC priest molests, or fornicates, and the problem instantly becomes celibacy.
Not child molestation, or fornication, or adultery, or pederasty, or homosexuality. No, no, the problem is celibacy.
Does the media all go to classes to get this formula? “Should an RC priest ever be caught in a sexual act of any kind, blame celibacy.”
‘I am not a Catholic, but, I note the lock step consistency in these type stories.
An RC priest molests, or fornicates, and the problem instantly becomes celibacy.
Not child molestation, or fornication, or adultery, or pederasty, or homosexuality. No, no, the problem is celibacy.
Does the media all go to classes to get this formula? “Should an RC priest ever be caught in a sexual act of any kind, blame celibacy.”’
Exactly(and I am a Protestant). If a priest is committing child molestation, or fornication, or adultery, or pederasty, or homosexuality he is not by very definition of the word celibate.
Thus, any scandalous behavior by clergy is immediately seized upon as evidence to back up the anti-celibate viewpoint.
Celibacy does relate to service to the church, whether it's requirement is a good thing considering the shortage of priests, the resulting lack of heterosexual vocations, and the very frequent violations of the discipline. What best meets the needs of the Church today?
The 21 Churches in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church which ordain, as a norm, married men, are all experiencing a shortage of Priests as is the Greek Orthodox Church which also ordains married men and pays their clerics quite a bit more than the Catholic Church does. The "do away with celibacy and all our problems will be solved" argument is, at best, specious.
What best meets the needs of the Church today?
Obedience and fidelity to God ,just as it has always been.
I am in total agreement with this statement. Our problems will not be solved easily - one way to start is with some pastoral and intelligent leadership. This pope must undo some of the harm done by JPII and this will be difficult because of personal friendship and a certain loyalty. He has done well so far in the case of the "Legionaries. Latin America is a problem and some better criteria in selecting US bishops would be a plus.
Celibacy should probably be continued but there ought to be some utilization of the priests who later choose for a variety of reasons to get married. The presence of the married priests, who were long time celibates and know the system, would be an offset to the present gay culture. Their ministry would also be useful.
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