There is no theological basis for priests to suppress healthy normal sexual activity. It is unnatural. Until the celibacy requirement is abandoned or fundamentally modified the pool of potential priests will remain very limited. Unfortunately the priesthood is attracting an inordinate number of homosexuals. The vast majority of the molestation cases has been vile homosexual priests violating young boys. People are losing trust in the clergy and the Church is having difficulty ministering to the faithful Truly unfortunate since the Church needs godly men to preach and minister. The Church has always had the role to counter the deviant aspects of man’s nature and the society he creates. This is especially important now that America is entering an era of post Christian neo pagan epicurean decadence. Sadly it does not have the personnel to counter the culture, is not serving the faithful and is losing trust. There are those who will argue that “celibacy” is not the problem but it is. A healthy man can no more deny his sexuality, its exercise and its meaning, any more than he can deny himself food, water or oxygen. The Church must purge the clergy of homosexuals and allow godly normal heterosexually active moral men into the ranks.
Its been said the Church faces an existential crisis about every five hundred years. The first was the fall of Rome and the question if the Church as an organized institution would survive, next was the schism between Eastern Orthodox and the Western Papacy, then came the challenge of the Reformation. Now in this era there is the corruption of the clergy. Catholic apologists have said that with each prior challenge the Church prospered and grew. They took this as evidence of Divine favor. Let’s hope that somehow the challenge of a corrupt clergy will also be resolved
I'm torn. I don't want to advocate for married priests but the situation such as it is now, I think there has always been corruption, but now there is a permissiveness with hard teachings. The ones who try to hold the line are the ones being punished; i.e., Cardinal Burke.
It made me think of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. I would say they had a very intimate relationship where there was no sexual expression towards one another. That's what I choose to believe anyway.
There are lines to be drawn. It is better for some in life than others. In a friendship which is a little more than just that, it sounds like satisfying emotional needs but still not completely fulfilling.
Absolute nonsense. Christian moral teaching requires ALL males (and females) who are not married to die virgins. ALL deliberate seeking of venereal pleasure, except in mutual acts of husband and wife that are in themselves apt for the generation of new life, is grave matter--i.e., mortal sin.
Anyone who holds that voluntary abstinence from sexual activity is unnatural and impossible has rejected the teaching of Jesus Christ on this matter.
Seems to me the ones hollering the loudest to end the discipline of celibacy are also the ones most accepting of homosexual acts. Try finding one liberal of any faith that accepts abortion and ‘gay marriage’ but also thinks the Catholic discipline is valuable ans should be continued.
Freegards