I didn't say that celibacy is intrinsically evil.
Matthew 19:12
"For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
1 Corinthians 7:8-9
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
(Emphasis added)
Perhaps the endings of both passages should have received greater consideration before celibacy was made a requirement--as far as I know--for the Catholic priesthood. There seem to be some who are not able to meet that requirement. If the Holy Scriptures make exception for those, as they appear to, why not the Catholic Church?
I don't presume to make the decisions for the CC, especially since I'm not Catholic, but that is the subject of the thread and of this inquiry. If they're truly looking for answers, I suggest taking a harder look at celibacy.
The point is that we Catholics believe that celibacy is just as noble a vocation as marriage. IWO, some are called to be celibate (and not all are priests or nuns).
Simply because some disturbed individuals, for whatever reasons (maybe using the Priesthood as an escape from their deeper issues), have violated their own celibacy doesn't mean celibacy in of itself is bad. Nor that it shouldn't be a discipline in the Church.
Many critics (wrongly) state that since it's a requirement for Priests, it's against Scripture. It's not, since being a Priest, and thus everything that goes along with it, is voluntary. Thus, to say that being a celibate Priest is immoral or somehow contrary to God's Plan for all humanity is akin to saying someone who is voluntarily celibate without being a Priest is also going against God's Plan.
Which is foolish; unless one is going to suggest a "good Christian" should NOT be celibate before marriage.
Celibacy is the reason why I didn't enter the priesthood. It's not like Latin Rite Catholics don't know that celibacy isn't a requirement for the priesthood. Those who can accept it should accept it.
There seem to be some who are not able to meet that requirement. If the Holy Scriptures make exception for those, as they appear to, why not the Catholic Church?
This is not an infallible teaching, but a disciplinary teaching, which is why Eastern Rite Catholics are, in fact, permitted to marry. Eastern Rite bishops, however, must be unmarried.
As a practical matter, is far more difficult for married priests to minister to their parishes than it is for single priests, as Paul intimates.
I don't presume to make the decisions for the CC, especially since I'm not Catholic, but that is the subject of the thread and of this inquiry. If they're truly looking for answers, I suggest taking a harder look at celibacy.
If most of the abuse victims were women or girls, you might have a point. But, in fact, 90% of the victims were teenage boys, indicating that most of the abusers were homosexuals, not frustrated heterosexuals.
Bingo! Paul was wise to caution about people who could not control their passion. I am afraid the passion of some Catholic priests finds some strange and unfortunate outlets. A health married relationship might be a better way.