Priest paid his male ‘sex master’ from collection plate: lawsuit

New York Post ^ | December 10, 2015 | Julia Marsh

[LadyDoc]

Blame Paul for celibacy.

but if the guy was a gay and into S&M, drugs, and theft, one suspects celibacy is the least of his problems.

[kearnyirish2]

Now, now - who are we to judge? /s

They had some parishioners on the news last night, and they were steamed; they said they had tried to resolve this quietly with the archdiocese a couple of years , and nothing was done. Their hiring of a private investigator has been done before; here in NJ a pastor (in Rumson?) was stealing and after inaction by the diocese parishioners hired their own PI (and of course then the story was all over the news). The most memorable part of that case to me was the number of people who had no problem with the thefts - absolutely disgusting.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

I am glad you brought up St. Paul. Paul in fact gives a complete job description for service in the clergy:

“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

1 Timothy 3:1-7

There you have it. The complete job description required for service in the Church in the New Testament. Of course priests were married men throughout the entire Bible from Aaron on down. The early popes were married men as were most priests and bishops until well into the Middle Ages. Compulsory clerical celibacy did not come about until much later in Church history and it was not implemented for biblical reasons. The Lord commands us to be fruitful and multiply. He created Eve because he did not want Adam to be alone. Physical intimacy between husband and wife is a precious gift from God to be denied to know one. There is NOTHING in the Bible which would deny such a gift from anyone, certainly not our priests. The Lord wants us to celebrate life, not celibate life. Holy Matrimony is God’s plan. Forced celibacy is the Church’s plan. There is NOTHING in the Bible mandating or requiring celibacy as a precondition for service in the priesthood. NOTHING! A married priest is no less holy than a married priest. We have a number of married priests in our archdiocese and they do just fine I might add.