5 Arguments Against (Catholic) Priestly Celibacy and How to Refute Them

Catholic Education ^

[NYer]

1. Allowing priests to marry would end pedophilia.
   
   It is completely untrue that celibate priests are more likely to be pedophiles than any other group of men, married or not. Pedophilia affects only 0.3 percent of the population of Catholic clergy, and sexual abusers in general account for less than 2 percent of Catholic priests. These figures are comparable to rates among married men, as non-Catholic scholar Philip Jenkins points out in his book Pedophiles and Priests. Other Protestant denominations have admitted to having similar problems among their own married clergy, so clearly the problem is not with celibacy.
   
   
2. A married clergy would create a larger pool of healthy priestly candidates, solving the current priest shortage.
   
   There are actually plenty of vocations today in faithful dioceses: Denver, Northern Virginia, and Lincoln, Nebraska, have great numbers of men entering the priesthood. If other dioceses, such as Milwaukee, want to answer the question of why they have so few vocations, the answer is simple: Challenge young men to a religious life that is demanding, countercultural, sacrificial, and loyal to the Holy Father and Catholic teaching. This is the surest way to guarantee a greater number of vocations.
   
   
3. Married priests relate better to issues concerning marriage and the family.
   
   To put it bluntly, one doesn't need to be an adulterer to counsel other adulterers. Priests understand the sacrificial nature and sanctity of marriage in a way that few others do. Who better to counsel a person in the ways of keeping the marital vow of fidelity than one who keeps the vow of celibacy?
   
   
4. It's unnatural for men to be celibate.
   
   This idea reduces men to animals, creatures who can't live without their sexual urges being gratified. But humans are not animals. Humans make choices about the gratification of their appetites. We can control and channel our desires in a way that sets us apart from the rest of the animal world. And again, most sexual abusers are not celibate. It's sexual license that breeds sexual abuse, not celibacy!
   
   
5. Celibacy in the Latin rite is unfair. Since the Eastern rite allows married priests and the Latin rite allows married priests who have converted from Episcopalianism and Lutheranism, why can't all priests be married?
   
   The discipline of celibacy among priests is one of the distinctive marks of the Roman Catholic tradition. Anyone who chooses to become a priest accepts the discipline. The Eastern rite, Lutheranism, and Episcopalianism, on the other hand, have a long tradition of married priests and the infrastructure and experience to handle it. However, Eastern rite priests and married priests who have converted from Lutheranism or Episcopalianism are NOT allowed to marry after their ordination or remarry after the death of their wife. In addition, the Eastern Church only chooses bishops from among their celibate, unmarried priests, clearly demonstrating that they see an inherent value in the nature of celibacy.
   
   

5 Arguments for Priestly Celibacy

1. Celibacy reaffirms marriage.
   
   In a society that is completely saturated with sex, celibate priests are living proof that sexual urges can be controlled and channeled in a positive way. Far from denigrating the sexual act, celibacy acknowledges the goodness of sex within marriage by offering it up as a sacrifice to God. The sanctity of marriage is dishonored if it is treated merely as an outlet for sexual impulses. Rather, we as Christians are called to understand marriage as the inviolable commitment of a husband and wife to love and honor one another. A priest offers up a similar commitment of love to the Church, a bond that cannot be broken and that is treated with the same gravity and respect as in marriage.
   
   
2. Celibacy is scriptural.
   
   Fundamentalists will tell you that celibacy has no basis in the Bible whatsoever, saying that Christians are called to "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). This mandate speaks to humanity in general, however, and overlooks numerous passages in the Bible that support the celibate life. In 1 Corinthians, for example, Paul actually seems to prefer the celibate life: "Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. . . . Those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. . . . The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided" (7:27-34). This is not to say that all men should be celibate, however; Paul explains that celibacy is a calling for some and not for others by saying, "Each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another" (7:7).
   
   Jesus Himself speaks of celibacy in Matthew 19:11-12: "Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it." Again, the emphasis is on the special nature of celibacy, one for which not all men are suited, but one that nevertheless gives glory to "the kingdom of God."
   
   Perhaps the best evidence for the scriptural support of celibacy is that Jesus Himself practiced it!
   
   
3. Celibacy is historical.
   
   Most people assume that the celibate priesthood is a convention introduced by the Church fairly late in history. On the contrary, there is evidence that even the earliest Church fathers, such as St. Augustine, St. Cyril, and St. Jerome, fully supported the celibate priesthood. The Spanish Council of Elvira (between 295 and 302) and the First Council of Aries (314), a kind of general council of the West, both enacted legislation forbidding all bishops, priests, and deacons to have conjugal relations with their wives on penalty of exclusion from the clergy. Even the wording of these documents suggests that the councils were not introducing a new rule but rather maintaining a previously established tradition. In 385, Pope Siricius issued the first papal decree on the subject, saying that "clerical continence" was a tradition reaching as far back as apostolic times. While later councils and popes would pass similar edicts, the definitive promulgation of the celibate, unmarried priesthood came at the Second Lateran Council in 1139 under Pope Gregory VII. Far from being a law forced upon the medieval priesthood, it was the acceptance of celibacy by priests centuries earlier that eventually led to its universal promulgation in the twelfth century.
   
   
4. Celibacy emphasizes the unique role of the priest.
   
   The priest is a representative of Christ, an alter Christus. In this respect, the priest understands his identity by following the example of Jesus, a man who lived His life in perfect chastity and dedication to God. As Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe of Grado explains, "[A priest's] being and his acting must be like Christ's: undivided" (The Relevance of Priestly Celibacy Today, 1993). As such, the sacramental priesthood is holy, something set apart from the rest of the world. Just as Christ sacrificed His life for His bride, the Church, so too must a priest offer up his life for the good of Christ's people.
   
   
5. Celibacy allows the priest's first priority to be the Church.
   
   The image used to describe the role of the priest is one of marriage to the Church. Just as marriage is the total gift of self to another, the priesthood requires the total gift of self to the Church. A priest's first duty is to his flock, while a husband's first duty is to his wife. Obviously, these two roles will often conflict, as St. Paul noted and as many married priests will tell you. A celibate priest is able to give his undivided attention to his parishioners without the added responsibility of caring for his own family. They are able to pick up and go whenever necessary, whether this involves moving to a new parish or responding to a late-night crisis. Celibate priests are better able to respond to these frequent changes and demands on their time and attention.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This article originally appeared in the CRISIS Magazine e-Letter.

[NYer]

Consider the alternative ...

Mary Ramerman
Priestess in the Old Catholic Church

Current Options

The ordination of women to the priesthood is not a "novelty", but a development which is in perfect continuity with the living tradition that comes to us from Christ and the apostles (Galatians 3:26-28). It is consistent with the "signs of the times", and confirmed by the "sense of the faithful".

Currently, the following churches offer women an open path toward the ordained priesthood:

+ Numerous "Independent Catholic Churches"
+ Many "Old Catholic Churches"
+ Many jurisdictions of the "Lutheran Federation"
+ Several provinces of the "Anglican Communion"

Mary Magdalene the Apostle Catholic Website

(MY apologies for not including a "barf" alert!)

[Salvation]

I am rebuilding some of the files I had before my computer crashed.

Pope Defends Clergy Celibacy Order

Has the Time Come to Consider Making Celibacy Truly Optional In the Western Church?

Catholic Scandals: A Crisis for Celibacy?

Celibacy of the priesthood is a church strength, not a liability

Celibacy s history of power and money

Pope: Priests Must Stay Celibate

Giving Thanks for the Good Shepherds ( A Defense of Priestly Celibacy)

Don't end celibacy for priests

The celibate superhero

Priestly Celibacy And Its Roots In Christ

How to Refute Arguments Against Priestly Celibacy

Priestly Celibacy Reflects Who - and Whose - We Are[Father George W.Rutler]

Celibacy

Tracing the Glorious Origins of Celibacy

God’s call to celibacy for the sake of His Kingdom - by Card. George

Vatican Says Celibacy Rule Nonnegotiable

Bishop Attacks Move to End Celibacy

A response to Fr. Joseph Wilson's defense of mandatory celibacy

The gift of Priestly celibacy as a sign of the charity of Christ, by Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Archbishop Dolan:"We Need to Be Renewing Our Pledge to Celibacy, Not Questioning It"

Celibacy is gift cherished by church

Celibacy Will Save the Priesthood

Celibacy Defended by EWTN's Fr. Levis

Call To Action: Dump Celibacy

The (Catholic) Church Has Always Prospered When Celibacy Is Honored

John Paul II Hails "Inestimable Value" of Priestly Celibacy

For Priests, Celibacy Is Not the Problem

Fr. Shannon Collins Discusses Celibacy

5 Arguments Against (Catholic) Priestly Celibacy and How to Refute Them

[aimhigh]

Celibacy is scriptural.

The author's knowledge of Scripture is depressing. The scripture dealing with marraige and church leadership is found in 1 Tim 3, (repeated in Titus) where an elder (church leader) is required to be the husband of one wife. But, since scripture doesn't matter, let them continue in their error.

[Eisenhower]

That's as opposed to being the husband of many wives, not as opposed to being celibate. It's not a requirement to be married.

[NYer]

Thank you! You beat me to it.

[tvn]

Reality calls for a change in outmoded rules. The State of Massachusetts formerly required all schoolteachers to be unmarried women. No more.
With regard to the Roman Catholic Church, consider the following:
At the present time, half of all the parishes in the world do not have a resident priest. Worldwide in 2002, there were only 405,058 priests (a decrease of nine from the previous year) to serve 1.07 billion Catholics (an increase of eleven million from 2001).
During Pope John Paul II’s papacy, the number of priests in the world declined by 4% while the number of Catholics increased by 40% Currently we also have 3.7 million lay catechists, 783,000 religious women, and 143,745 lay missionaries serving the worldwide church. Many of these faithful ministers could serve as priests if ordination were open to them.
Source: Statement from the FutureChurch Leadership Councilhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1124386/posts

[NYer]

Statement from the FutureChurch Leadership Councilhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1124386/posts

Say no more! You have chosen the wrong forum in which to post anything with regard to the Future Church organization. The catholics here are loyal to The Magisterium and will eat you alive!

Matthew 12:30
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

2 John 1:9-11
Any one who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son. If any one comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into the house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked work.

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, Idolatry, witchcrafts [wicca], enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, Envies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God.

Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

Solemn Warning! The following organizations are those who claim to be Catholic but dissent from the Truth as handed down from Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity, the Divine Word, to His Apostles and their successors, the Pope and the Magisterium. These organizations are truly following in the footsteps of JUDAS - Just Undermine Doctrine And Spirituality. While they claim to be Catholic, they promote a man-made religion of unfettered pro-sin "choice" by the individual answerable to no one but himself (herself for the feminist reader), while promoting the spirituality of pagans. We all know what the serpent said to Eve; "you shall be as Gods" (Genesis 3:5).

At the same time, their mission statements and goals are disguised in shrewd words, usually in terms of "rights," "equality" and "social justice." But the Bible warns us of such a state of affairs; "I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves [clergy] will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert" (Acts 20:29-31). "And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds" (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit" (Matthew 7:15-18).

FutureChurch A regional parish-based coalition seeking to address the priest shortage. FutureChurch claims the remedy is the ordination of married men and women. FutureChurch engages in educational presentations to parishes, grass-roots organizations, and the media. Its current project is a nationally-promoted dialogue on an "inclusive priesthood." Member of Catholic Organizations for Renewal.

[Polycarp IV]

Say no more! You have chosen the wrong forum in which to post anything with regard to the Future Church organization. The catholics here are loyal to The Magisterium and will eat you alive!

Gee, NYer, I don't know what I could possibly ad to this, LOL!

(Dissenters...the OTHER white meat.)

[netmilsmom]

Wow! Future Church! LOL!

[gbcdoj]

"outmoded rules"? Sorry, but I'll stick with the Pope's ex cathedra definition in "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis":

Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful.

[gbcdoj]

On this subject, here's the discussion of celibacy at the Council of Nicaea:

As we have promised above to make some mention of Paphnutius and Spyridon, it is time to speak of them here. Paphnutius then was bishop of one of the cities in Upper Thebes: he was a man so favored divinely that extraordinary miracles were done by him. In the time of the persecution he had been deprived of one of his eyes. The emperor honored this man exceedingly, and often sent for him to the place, and kissed the part where the eye had been torn out. So great devoutness characterized the emperor Constantine. Let this single fact respecting Paphnutius suffice: I shall now explain another thing which came to pass in consequence of his advice, both for the good of the Church and the honor of the clergy. It seemed fit to the bishops to introduce a new law into the Church, that those who were in holy orders, I speak of bishops, presbyters, and deacons, should have no conjugal intercourse with the wives whom they had married while still hymen. Now when discussion on this matter was impending, Paphnutius having arisen in the midst of the assembly of bishops, earnestly entreated them not to impose so heavy a yoke on the ministers of religion: asserting that `marriage itself is honorable, and the bed undefiled'; urging before God that they ought not to injure the Church by too stringent restrictions. `For all men,' said he, `cannot bear the practice of rigid continence; neither perhaps would the chastity of the wife of each be preserved': and he termed the intercourse of a man with his lawful wife chastity. It would be sufficient, he thought, that such as had previously entered on their sacred calling should abjure matrimony, according to the ancient tradition of the Church: but that none should be separated from her to whom, while yet unordained, he had been united. And these sentiments he expressed, although himself without experience of marriage, and, to speak plainly, without ever having known a woman: for from a boy he had been brought up in a monastery, and was specially renowned above all men for his chastity. The whole assembly of the clergy assented to the reasoning of Paphnutius: wherefore they silenced all further debate on this point, leaving it to the discretion of those who were husbands to exercise abstinence if they so wished in reference to their wives. Thus much concerning Paphnutius. (Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, I, XI)

[aimhigh]

That's as opposed to being the husband of many wives, not as opposed to being celibate. It's not a requirement to be married.

First let me say that tour response allows the churche leader to be married, since he can have one wife. But, Your interpretation doesn't fit the Greek. "Must be" refers to a requirement. If God wanted to say the elder couldn't have more than one wife, He would have stated it that way. He didn't.

"..must be the husband.."

[NeoCaveman]

Wow! Future Church! LOL!

Just great. We probably have a Cleveland based heretic on our hands.

Kyrie eleison

[gbcdoj]

The Church has the authority to change the requirements for being raised to Holy Orders which do not pertain to the substance of the Sacrament (I agree that St. Paul's requirements were that the presbyter-bishop be married). This follows directly from St. Paul's words to the Ephesian presbyter-bishops:

Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.

[aimhigh]

The Church has the authority to change the requirements...

So, what you are saying is that the church can overrule God's commandments, and allow gay priests, divorced popes, and murder for hire. There is no limit based on your premise. What a crock!

The church has the authority granted, by God, to rule within the limits of His commandments. 1 Tim 3 lays out some of those commandments. You have negated the commands of God, just as the Pharisees did.

[gbcdoj]

So, what you are saying is that the church can overrule God's commandments, and allow gay priests, divorced popes, and murder for hire. There is no limit based on your premise. What a crock!

I said nothing of the sort. It is clear that the merely disciplinary enactments of the apostles can be changed by their successors to whom that same apostolic power was given, when it becomes necessary due to the conditions of the time. This has nothing to do with overthrowing the apostolic doctrine (2 Thess 2:14).

Surely you wouldn't claim that such matters as the precise arrangement of the Eucharistic liturgy (1 Cor 11:34) or praying in the orans posture (1 Tim 2:8) are actually of divine law? Why not cite Scripture to prove that this is so? I find nothing in the inspired writings which states that the disciplinary enactments of the holy Apostles cannot be annulled by their successors, but only that we ought to:

stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

You have negated the commands of God, just as the Pharisees did.

1 Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said:
4 Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But you say: Whosoever shall say to father or mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee.
6 And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.
7 Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:
8 This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.
9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.

Jesus is talking about the negation of the Ten Commandments - a bit different than a disciplinary injunction of St. Paul to SS. Timothy and Titus. Why don't you find the Scripture which states that these precepts are applicable to the Church for all times in all places? St. Paul addresses them only to these two bishops.

[Salvation]

Good Bye dissenter!

I was right on th4e other thread when I said FutureChurch. LOL!

Go away, troll.

[Desdemona]

Future Church? There's your problem. Those people are nuts.

[netmilsmom]

>>Just great. We probably have a Cleveland based heretic on our hands.<<

Friends of Pilla are not hard to come by in Cleveland!