[dsc]

"Are the Byzantines, Melkites, Syrians, etc. "a step downward"? I'll have to tell my Melkite Catholic Priest friend you said that. I'm sure he'll be amused."

Fine, let him be amused. Celibate men can give more to the Church than married men, just as celibate nuns can give more than married women.

A celibate priesthood and other holy orders are better for that reason alone, without even getting into the implications of a willingness to make that sacrifice.

Consider, too, that the discipline of celibacy frees up a lot of time that can be used in prayer, study, contemplation, or other activities that make a man a better priest.

I actually feel sorry for rites and denominations that don't have celibate priests.

[ArrogantBustard]

Celibate men can give more to the Church ...

All arguements I've made for maintaining and reinforcing the discipline of celibacy within the Latin Rite Catholic Priesthood. And yet ... the Byzantines et al. seem to do just fine with married parish Priests, and celibate monks and Bishops. And as has been observed on this thread, they've managed to avoid or repel the onslaught of the liturgical lunatics ... unlike us Latins.

The ones I feel sorry for are the Latin Catholics who must endure the likes of Cardinal Mahoney and Archbishop Weakland, and their ilk at the Parish Pastor level.

[sinkspur]

Consider, too, that the discipline of celibacy frees up a lot of time that can be used in prayer, study, contemplation, or other activities that make a man a better priest.

Boy, those Anglican dispensation guys will be surprised to hear this.

The ones we have in our diocese (five of them, all married, and ALL pastors of large parishes) are heads-and-shoulders above most of the celibates. They're much better preachers and as dedicated to their parishes as most celibates.

Most celibates obviously don't devote their "spare time" to prayer and contemplation.

[sinkspur]

I actually feel sorry for rites and denominations that don't have celibate priests.

Celibate men are free to join any denomination or Eastern Rite. Apparently, they just don't.

The truth be told, there are many men in the Catholic priesthood who are not celibate first. They are priests first, and struggle with celibacy later.