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To: Courdeleon02
The answer is easy, requiring celibacy for the priesthood means that the church has to settle for homosexual oriented individuals.

Untrue.

First, this thesis is illogical. Homosexually oriented Catholic priests are required to be celibate, just as heterosexual Catholic priests are required to be celibate. Logically, celibacy should present an equal barrier to the priesthood for both.

Secondly, it's been pretty well documented that some homosexual priests have deliberately screened out orthodox heterosexual men from the seminaries, using the mechanism of psychological evaluations. See the book, "Good Bye, Good Men."

Thirdly, seminaries are overflowing in Africa and other poor nations. There is a dearth of priestly vocations in Western nations largely because of our materialistic culture.

Having more homosexuals in priestly positions only increases the probability that more illicit homosexual acts will result, even though the vast majority of priests will not commit sexual acts. You need only a few to discredit the entire priesthood.

True.

Celibacy has its roots in medieval thinking and has no origin in early Christianity.

Unless you count the statements of Jesus and St. Paul which advocate celibacy for those who can accept it. The Catholic Church had better smarten up or it will be destroyed by celibacy.

Well, celibacy has been around in various forms within the Church for over 2000 years, and the Church continues to grow.

102 posted on 11/16/2006 11:21:25 AM PST by Aquinasfan (When you find "Sola Scriptura" in the Bible, let me know)
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To: Aquinasfan
I would point out one important factor that affects both the US volunteer military and the priesthood in the US.

Smaller families.

A large percentage of American young men are only sons.

Many of them are only children.

In the old days when a family had three or four or five sons, one son going off to war or to the missions was less heartrending.

Even if the unthinkable happened in war you at least had other children to console you in your grief.

Likewise, if your son became a priest you had other sons who would carry on the family name.

Nowadays, parents with one son are much more likely to actively agitate against a military career or a priestly vocation because they have invested everything in one young man and they want to have grandchildren.

When Catholics obey the moral law regarding contraception we will have priests again.

120 posted on 11/16/2006 11:33:40 AM PST by wideawake ("The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten." - Calvin Coolidge)
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