[sitetest]

Dear NYer,

Great commentary.

Dear sinkspur,

"Catholics, when they are presented with the argument that ending celibacy would increase the ranks of the priesthood, should ask themselves if, even were that so, would something more important than numbers of priests be lost, something today’s culture desperately needs? That would be the example of heroism in the practice of chastity."

He says it better than I can.


sitetest

[johnb2004]

In this welter of filth and enervating sexual fantasy, a celibate priesthood and the chaste marital fidelity of husband and wife it encourages are the only two countercultural forces. Abandoning priestly celibacy would leave marital chastity without an example of heroism to encourage it, and would inevitably advance the cause of sexual libertinism, already shamelessly reigning in the field of cultural exemplars.

[sinkspur]

"Catholics, when they are presented with the argument that ending celibacy would increase the ranks of the priesthood, should ask themselves if, even were that so, would something more important than numbers of priests be lost, something today’s culture desperately needs? That would be the example of heroism in the practice of chastity."

Catholics don't ask themselves that question because they're not convinced that celibacy has a witness value. They see married Protestant converts serving as priests, they see married men serving as deacons, and, in our diocese, they see lay leaders directing Eucharistic services in lieu of a priest.

While the Church is figuring out how to re-sell celibacy as having a "heroic value", average Catholics see laymen ministering, in many cases heroically, while balancing family and work life.

If the Church decides that celibacy is more important than the Celebration of the Eucharist in every parish every Sunday (because that's what it boils down to), then we'll have laymen assuming more and more of the leadership of parish communities.

Make no mistake about it: the Holy Spirit is alive and well in Catholic communities, and if priests aren't there to lead them, laymen will.

[sinkspur]

Abandoning priestly celibacy would leave marital chastity without an example of heroism to encourage it, and would inevitably advance the cause of sexual libertinism, already shamelessly reigning in the field of cultural exemplars.

I don't follow this line of argument, at all. I doubt most of those of us who observe marital chastity even think of the chastity of the priesthood. I know I don't, especially when I see priests compensating by buying vacation homes, driving new cars every two years, and going to the Kentucky Derby every year.

Some guys live celibacy perfectly, but forget that Christ called them to not be accumulators of things.