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To: VidMihi
Quoting pious poetry about "a priest committing adultery against the Bride of Christ" is an insult to the heterosexual men who are priests.

How is unfaithfulness to their vow to the Church any kind of insult against priests?

30 posted on 05/11/2009 12:53:12 PM PDT by frogjerk (NO TAXATION FOR REAMORTIZATION!)
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To: frogjerk
"How is unfaithfulness to their vow to the Church any kind of insult against priests?" I think you have a good question there. From the priests I know, the motive for entering the priesthood was "service to the people of God" They accepted the discipline of celibacy because they truly and in many cases rightly believed it would help them be more effective as priests. The secular priest does not take a vow, any vow, and celibacy is not seen as an end in itself but a means to an end. ( Priests in Religious orders see this differently and they do take vows)

When for many reasons which would be good discussion items, the priest no longer "believes" in the effectiveness of celibacy either for himself or for his service to the Church, there arise an integrity problem. He continues to believe in service, but celibacy as a control mechanism or as a source of scandal because it is not observed, loses its value. The service of many dedicated married Protestant clergy is as great if not greater than that of the priest ( They usually do not spend as much time on the golf course, however).

For those who know not the life of the priest, to quote canon law, tell them they are unfaithful, thump the bible at them is treating the priests as though they were disobedient children rather than adult men.

42 posted on 05/11/2009 1:32:07 PM PDT by VidMihi ("In fide, unitas; in dubiis, libertas; in omnibus, caritas.")
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