Time to Abolish Clerical Celibacy

frontpagemag.com ^ | January 3, 2002 | Jamie Glazov

[dtom]

Time to Abolish Clerical Celibacy

FrontPageMagazine.com | January 3, 2002

FATHER ARTHUR CARRAHER is a Roman Catholic priest in Toronto. He has just recently confessed to being a child molester. He faces seven charges of indecent assault in Dublin, Ireland.

	Make Comments
	View Comments
	Printable Article
	Email Article

Tragically, this 79-year-old criminal might avoid justice, because it looks like he will live out his final days in Canada. Already ill, this individual benefits from the fact that bureaucrats have yet to ratify an extradition treaty that would force him back to Ireland.

It is clear that "Father" Carraher settled in Canada to avoid punishment for his crimes. His victims, meanwhile, whose lives he shattered at a young age, cry out for justice.

This outrage is just another reminder of the serious problem that has grown within the Catholic Church as a result of the imposition of clerical celibacy.

I am a Catholic. I believe in the Church. I have also had the privilege of meeting, and befriending, many Catholic priests in my life - and a large proportion of them are obviously pious people who are not child abusers.

Having said that, I must say that, as a Catholic, I can no longer stay silent about the pathology that the enforcement of celibacy has caused within the Church.

Forced clerical celibacy simply has to go. It is directly connected to the widespread existence of pedophilia and homosexuality in the priesthood. Many of my fellow Catholics will be outraged at me for raising this issue. But I am far more concerned about the victims who have had their lives and identities destroyed for a lifetime, than I am about making some people uncomfortable about bringing this taboo subject up for discussion.

Let?s get one thing straight: enforced celibacy has nothing to do with Christian theology. That?s why it was never an enforced rule for priests until the 11^th century, when the Church officially mandated it for completely non-theological reasons. Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) banned priests from being married because he wanted to solve the problem of their families inheriting Church property.

Anyone with half a brain would have known that Pope Gregory?s act was going to invite a tremendous evil into the Church. I mean, think about it: does it really take a rocket scientist to figure out what will happen to males in an institution that forbids them from getting married? Let me give you a little hint: ponder what happens to a male?s mind and body after he goes through puberty. Now consider the consequences of a male repressing, and not having an outlet for, the natural feelings and desires that he will subsequently live with for the rest of his adult life. Perhaps some people don?t need sex. Fair enough. But it needs to be a voluntary decision.

Is it really a surprise that criminals like "Father" Carraher emerge and that they destroy the lives of many innocent human beings? Of course Carraher must accept personal responsibility for what he did. After all, the majority of priests are obviously ethical people who do not hurt young boys - notwithstanding their celibacy. But this does not mean that we should ignore the pathology that is engendered by enforced celibacy.

In recent years, reports of Catholic priests sexually abusing children have come to light in virtually every major U.S. city. Yet the Church continues to refuse to deal with this problem in a serious way. It?s time it did.

The fact is that when women are demonized, pathology always emerges. It is so ingrained in many Catholic priests to believe that it would be dirty and evil for them to have sex with a woman, that some of them end up rationalizing that it is less sinful to molest a little boy -- or to have sex with a man. Yet, for the Catholic Church, the alternative decision to engage in homosexuality is far more sinful, and in the case of the abuse of little boys, far more inhumane, criminal and clearly diabolical.

Abnormal sexual behavior, like pedophilia, is often found among males in situations where the woman -- the ideal sexual object -- is forbidden or unavailable. That?s why a strong case can be made that Islamic terror, for instance, is rooted in the misogyny and sexual repression that is embedded in Muslim cultures.

In light of these realities, it is the obligation, especially of Catholics, to speak out against the Church?s policy of mandatory celibacy for priests. It?s the least that the victims of "Father" Carraher, and of the hundreds of monsters like him, deserve.

Jamie Glazov holds a Ph.D. in History with a specialty in Soviet Studies. He is the author of 15 Tips on How to be a Good Leftist. Born in the U.S.S.R., Jamie is the son of prominent Soviet dissidents, and now resides in Vancouver, Canada. He writes the Dr. Progressive advice column for angst-ridden leftists at EnterStageRight.com. E-mail him at jglazov@home.com.

View Comments | Make Comments | Jamie Glazov Archive

Horowitz's Notepad | Poe's Notepad | Reality Bites | Shop Online | Encounter Books | CSPC Bookstore

Home | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Archives | Privacy Policy | Top of Page

Advertise your banner here

Copyright © 2001 FrontPageMagazine.com

[dtom]

FYI

[B Knotts]

Forced clerical celibacy simply has to go. It is directly connected to the widespread existence of pedophilia and homosexuality in the priesthood.

Yawn. This has been debunked repeatedly. I notice he doesn't provide any proof.

[ken5050]

OK..some doctors commit malpractice.....therefore, let's abolish medicine?

[BobWNY]

FYI

Good to see how someone can take a minority representation of a group and twist it to fit their beliefs. By saying that a priest is a child molester, then forced celibacy is wrong.

First the writer is wrong in saying it is forced celibacy. Men who join the priesthood know about it being celibate before joining. So no one is FORCED to be celibate. Secondly, if someone is being celibate it does not mean they become child molesters.

But based on this rational, then the use of firearms, alchohol, free speach, and other rights/laws should be changed because there is a segment of our society that use firearms to commit crimes, drink and drive and promote hate through speach and print.

The writer if he does not like the view of the papacy should join a protestant group that fits his belief as opposed to twisting the facts and forcing his way on the majority of Roman Catholics. Yes majority, because it was not a majority supporting this, there would have already been another schism in the Roman Catholic Church.

[B Knotts]

FYI BUMP

[ken5050]

FYI, there was one interesting study a few years ago based upon lengthy interviews with a dozen married Catholic priests.....there is a little known dispensatin that allows married Episcopal priests, who become Catholic, to stay married and function as priests......I always thought that this was a curious loophole in Chirch doctrine..anyway, the married priests, and all had kids, seemed very happy, content in their vocation, and were much loved by their parishoners. That was the jist of the survey

[Snuffington]

This outrage is just another reminder of the serious problem that has grown within the Catholic Church as a result of the imposition of clerical celibacy.

The last statistics I saw on this showed an identical rate of offense between celibate Catholic priests and non-celibate Protestant ministers. Unless Mr. Glazov has some new information, his solution makes no sense.

The fact is that when women are demonized, pathology always emerges. It is so ingrained in many Catholic priests to believe that it would be dirty and evil for them to have sex with a woman, that some of them end up rationalizing that it is less sinful to molest a little boy -- or to have sex with a man.

As a Catholic, Mr. Glazov should know better than this. Women are certainly not demonized in Catholic ideology. If anything, having homosexual dalliances, which Mr. Glazov contends is a celibate priests rationalized release for lustful desires, has been considerably more demonized than heterosexual dalliances since the rule of celibacy began.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

ping

[Catspaw]

Sexual assault is a crime of violence, not a sexual act. Abolishing celibacy in the priesthood will not stop rapists from raping.

[riley1992]

I think not. I don't have the time or the patience to deal with morons like this.

[kassie]

The church we attended in Texas had started out Episcopal and the priest converted and several of his "flock". He was by far the most faithful to the Church we've ever had.

My sister-in-law, who is protestant, had just found a church and was very happy with it until their pastor decided he had to move back to CA to make his wife happy. Their little church had to advertise for a new minister and in the mean time was lead by elders in their church. They were young and in-experienced. Finally they all just drifted into other little churches. Now her new church just lost their minister. And she is going through it all over again. His wife was jealous of all the time he spent away from home, because he also had a 40 hour a week job, due to the fact the little church can't afford to pay him much.

[TN Republican]

Back before every bishop had to report to the pope in Rome, a priest was allowed to be married. After Gregory VII, as part of a general effort to consolidate and control the Catholic franchise, the clergy was informed that they were to give up their wives. If you didn't agree, your wife was abducted and sold into slavery.

[ken5050]

Well, my minister drives me absolutely bananas...so far left and way out..if it wasn't for the fact that I love our little church, and many of our friends and neighbors also belong, I'd have left years ago.....Two years ago, we had four baptisms, and the minister devoted his sermon as to how "immaculate conception was the FIRST sexually transmitted disease."....yep..god's truth, that's what he said..I was the LEM at that service, and I almost walked right out....

[ken5050]

Well, my minister drives me absolutely bananas...so far left and way out..if it wasn't for the fact that I love our little church, and many of our friends and neighbors also belong, I'd have left years ago.....Two years ago, we had four baptisms, and the minister devoted his sermon as to how "immaculate conception was the FIRST sexually transmitted disease."....yep..god's truth, that's what he said..I was the LEM at that service, and I almost walked right out....

[ken5050]

Well, my minister drives me absolutely bananas...so far left and way out..if it wasn't for the fact that I love our little church, and many of our friends and neighbors also belong, I'd have left years ago.....Two years ago, we had four baptisms, and the minister devoted his sermon as to how "immaculate conception was the FIRST sexually transmitted disease."....yep..god's truth, that's what he said..I was the LEM at that service, and I almost walked right out....

[LadyDoc]

Ah. THAT's why the episcopal church has so many lawsuits. And many protestant seminaries have 30-50 percent gay students.

Leftist catholic bashing of course. Notice the "priest" is 79 years old, and therefore one suspects the accusations are 30 years old? Or does he use viagra?

[LN2Campy]

The mandatory celibacy of priests was instituted by the Church in the 12th Century. Its doctrinal basis is not unquestionable, and a lot of historical evidence points to the fact that, conveniently for the Church, priests without heirs led the Church to amass vast amounts of wealth. The Orthodox, who are in schism and NOT heresy, allow for married clergy. I'm not an expert on canon law, but I don't think the idea is meritless.

That being said, I don't believe that the celibacy rule is "responsible" for this alleged pedophilia epidemic. While there certainly have been many shameful incidents that the Church unwisely hushed-up, this slander against the Catholic clergy is largely media bias, and an example of the only sanctioned religious bigotry allowed in our society.

[kassie]

When we lived in San Antonio, we were involved in prolife activities. We had priests actually tell us we could NOT leave any prolife material in their churches, advertising crisis pregnancy centers. But there would be gun control literature right in plain view. Our priest was constantly taking on Arch Bishop Flores. He and Father Neuman. Father Neuman's mom was Catholic and his dad was Jewish! We actually had 3 really good priests in all of San Antonio. What a shame. So many Catholic's were the Henry B.Gonzalez types. But just this Sunday here in VA our church prayed before Mass a prayer that was glued in the song book, which stated to pray for our elected officials and those who govern us to turn from violence ... and understand those who are trying to destroy us!! I just wanted to walk out right then. Our 11 yr. old son said, "I think this is a peacenik church".

[GreatOne]

No, it makes perfect sense. If I can't have sex with my wife, I go have anal sex with a man or molest a child. Brilliant deducing!! Now I know what I can do next time my wife has a headache. (/sarcasm).